30 May
PeopleTek Coaching Career, Leadership

Attrition Relief

There are many reasons for voluntary attrition in the workplace. If you had to pick, which factor would you choose as the top reason for individuals leaving their current job:

  1. Salary/benefits
  2. Lack of recognition
  3. Poor management/leadership
  4. Growth opportunities
  5. Career change

The answer may surprise you. The lack of growth opportunities has been identified as the number one reason for attrition in 2013!

Although a paycheck is a powerful motivator, it should never be the only reason for coming to work day after day.
–Robert Bullock

Attrition Relief

Compensation is a key factor for job retention, as are leadership skills and rewards and recognition, but the opportunity for career growth is #1.

You might not always have the ability to increase salary or improve benefits for your staff, but as a leader you can assist with professional growth for both your team overall, and for individual team members.

Do you consistently review employee development plans? Is cross-training something that’s utilized? What about assigning and utilizing mentors?

Start at the individual level. What skill-sets could be further developed? Are there any “needs” in each person’s current role/position?  Next, consider future responsibilities and new positions.  (Don’t limit it to promotional opportunities; keep lateral moves in mind).

Don’t forget to engage the employee!  You may think you’re aware of their ideal career path, but you’ll want to validate it. Understand the preferred styles and strengths of your team members.  Ask them:

  • What do you like best about your job?
  • Are there any skills you’d like to develop/enhance?
  • How do you feel you contribute most for attaining the goals of the team?
  • What would you like your next position to be?
  • How can I help you achieve this?

Satisfying the developmental “wants” of your staff will improve results and reduce attrition. How are you providing growth opportunities?

13 May
PeopleTek Coaching Leadership

Leadership Courage – Flop or Flip?

Many of us were promoted into leadership positions with minimal or no training, development, or mentorship.

We were great at a job, a role, or specific tasks, and then all of the sudden we were thrust into a role without a paddle. This sometimes results in an inability to move forward, and perhaps even “flop”.

So what’s the “flip”? It’s turning it around and seeking known remedies and opportunities!

We can help ourselves by learning new tools, techniques and methods that are tried and true. This takes courage. We have to first admit:

  1. Change is required.
  2. Things can be better.

This can be difficult for prideful, successful professionals and technicians that suddenly have a need for assistance. It takes courage to reach out and begin to investigate and reflect on where the gaps and needs exist, and how to find the tools that will perpetuate individual growth.

In 1988 I was told I was a visionary, motivating, inspiring, and great with customers. I was also told I was wishy-washy and didn’t hold individuals accountable for their behavior. It was a hard message to hear and process, but one that was required.

Leaders need to sharpen their skills for making decisions, managing conflict, building trust, setting goals and plans, and developing teams (to name a few). We need to not only look at ourselves from our own point of view, but also from that of our boss, colleagues, peers, customers and vendors.

Once we’ve identified our growth areas, the next step is select the tools, skills and actions required to address our needs. This may mean getting a coach or participating in a coaching/development program that will build our skill-set.

Why do the best and brightest people in the world use coaches? Because they get results!

It takes courage and actions to not “flop”, and to be willing to turn it around by engaging known remedies and opportunities (flip).

Leadership Courage & PeopleTek’s Leadership COMPASS

Each leader, regardless of level or tenure, has strengths as well as an Achilles heel. By using PeopleTek’s Leadership Compass you are taking the first step in learning the skill areas that effective leaders use to not only motivate and inspire, but also for holding others accountable and responsible for obtaining success, new learnings, and results. Click here to access the COMPASS.

Take your first step towards courageous leadership today!

“Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities . . . because it is the quality which guarantees all others.”
–Winston Churchill

02 May
PeopleTek Coaching Leadership

Building Character is a Process

This week on a morning news show, Jon Meacham said: “Building character is a process, not an event.” Does this quote sound familiar? It probably does as we’ve been purporting this idea for years.

Building and maintaining character is encompassed in strengthening leadership skills, and is what, in part, will influence others to follow and respect you.

The glue that holds all relationships together — including the relationship between the leader and the led is trust, and trust is based on integrity.
–Brian Tracy

CHARACTER and LEADERSHIP…If you had to pick the top 2 characteristics that strong leaders must possess, what would you choose?

We pick:

  1. Integrity
  2. Trust

Why?

  • To be a leader (successful or otherwise), you must have followers.
  • You can’t succeed without the trust and confidence of your team.
  • Your peers, subordinates and co-workers will work around you if you are perceived as untrustworthy or not living the values you require from them, or they from you.

Trust can be lost (or never obtained) when:

  •  You are too direct.  People can be caught off guard and become   uncomfortable. As a result your message and intention are never received
  •  Point fingers or are too quick to assess blame
  •  Play favorites or only give a “chosen few” opportunities
  •  Jump to conclusions
  •  Fail to solicit opinions or differing ideas
  •  Don’t “walk the talk”
  •  Are unable to say no and as a result over commit
  •  Don’t treat others respectfully
  •  Won’t take a stand (or make one and continually change it)
  •  Are disorganized
  •  Exhibit inconsistent behaviors and have inconsistent expectations
  •  Are non responsive
  •  Lack the ability to admit mistakes

Trust produces positive and productive relationships and improves results. Communication lines are open, conflicts are addressed in a healthy manner, collaboration is enhanced and creativity and new ideas flow.

Are trust and integrity characteristics you consistently “live” and strongly encourage in others?