28 Jan
PeopleTek Coaching Leadership

Encourage and Innovate

Innovation. What does that mean to you? Do you actively seek (and solicit) ideas for enhancing products, services, and processes? Do you encourage collaboration and seek input from those that are impacted by the services/products you provide? What about those involved in the process?

“Innovation is anything but business as usual.”
–Anonymous

Innovation is considered the driver for growth and change. In order for this to happen, employees (of all levels) must be encouraged to generate ideas. One common obstacle is that employees don’t feel listened to and therefore do not speak up.

A McKinsey study found that more than 70% of senior executives say that innovation will be at least one of the top three drivers of growth for their companies in the next three to five years. It also found that 84% of senior executives said that people and corporate culture are the most important drivers of innovation.

Why? A culture built on trust encourages interactions. The “fear factor” for making suggestions that may possibly not net favorable results will be lessened, and it will not inhibit future ideas from being provided.

Add innovation as an agenda item at your staff meetings. Restate your strategic objectives and build in time for brainstorming. Gather ideas, think about trends, list what your competitors do that you don’t, identify processes that seem obsolete, and also consider how technology helps/hurts.

Ask your team to think in terms of what could change. Ask them how your products, services, and/or processes could be improved upon, and most importantly, listen and acknowledge when contributions are made.

It’s helpful to have a “champion” within your organization. Someone that can help answer questions when ideas are suggested. They must have a thorough understanding of the organization’s strategic business objectives, know who the “right” people are to build on ideas, and also assess the associated benefits and costs.

Encourage, innovate, and wishing you “anything but business as usual”!

QwikTip and QwikCoach

 

QwikTips Powered by e-Coach – Getting Everyone On-board Click to read how

And for those with a QwikCoach license, refresh your existing skills and acquire new skills by visiting the QwikTips library for leadership ideas and techniques.

If you don’t have QwikCoach, it’s an excellent resource for growing your leadership skills remotely that you should consider.

Learn More About QwikCoach

Help turn your leadership knowledge into leadership action!

14 Jan
PeopleTek Coaching Communication, Interpersonal Skills, Leadership

Difficult Conversations

Conducting a difficult conversation is quite frankly, difficult. As a result, we frequently let it fall to the bottom of our “to do” list, which only makes the situation worse (and allows our own anxiety to grow!).

Studies show that avoiding these conversations impacts productivity, morale, and retention rates, yet little is done it build the skills needed that help.

Our preferred styles and behaviors impact our skill level, but we’ve found that regardless of the leadership style, almost everyone struggles with this.

As you become a more senior leader, you spend more time having difficult conversations.
–Sheila Heen

Here are some tips that will help:

  • Avoid conducting the conversation in the midst of emotions and conflict.
  • Stay focused and identify your objective.
    • What do you want to accomplish as a result of your conversation?
    • How do you want the relationship to proceed?

Describe the behavior/situation objectively.

  • Use concrete terms and be specific about the issue you’re addressing.
  • Focus on the specific behavior, not the personality of the person.
  • Include the specific time(s), place, and frequency of the behavior.

Share the impacts of the issue (on products, services, co-workers).

  • Remain calm and deliver your message in a healthy, respectful manner.
  • Are consequences appropriate?

Expect and plan for objections/detours/obstacles.

  • Don’t get off track; restate your desired goal and expectations

Communicating in the midst of emotions and conflict requires effort.

  • Stay focused and avoid becoming combative (we know how difficult that can be!); actively listen, and respond to what is being communicated.

After you conduct your conversation remember to summarize your specific agreement, and if appropriate, schedule a follow-up session.

What kinds of conversations keep you up at night? Make conducting them a priority!

“PeopleTek’s Leadership Journey – The Gift That Keeps On Giving!”
–Radha N. Krishnan, 2015 Leadership Journey Alumnus

QwikTip and QwikCoach

QwikTips Powered by e-Coach – Develop Others!

And for those with a QwikCoach license, refresh your existing skills and acquire new skills by visiting the QwikTips library for leadership ideas and techniques.

If you don’t have QwikCoach, it’s an excellent resource for growing your leadership skills remotely that you should consider.

Learn More About QwikCoach

Help turn your leadership knowledge into leadership action!

11 Jan
PeopleTek Coaching Videos

Magic Dust

Magic Dust aligns us with our strengths, abilities, and talents. It’s knowing how we deal with conflict, motivate and inspire others, and communicate. The more we know about our Magic Dust, the more aligned we are with our vision, purpose, and career. Knowing this is crucial for all leaders.

Discover your magic dust today!

 

01 Jan
PeopleTek Coaching Leadership

Welcoming 2016

It seems 2015 flew by, and now it’s time to prepare for and welcome 2016. Do you have any unfinished business from 2015 that will spill over into 2016? What about any New Year’s resolutions?

Abraham Lincoln said:

“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.”

If you are one of many that do make resolutions each year, we suggest reviewing your vision, mission, and goals (VMG) and making sure they are aligned with your new resolutions.

Is your Vision: A dream or aspiration that you as the leader have for yourself and your organization? Does it provide direction and guidance for achieving your new resolutions?

Does your Mission: Represent what you want done and help you carry out your vision? It ideally will add clarity to your vision, make it more personal, and support the attainment of new resolutions.

Are your Goals action driven? They should bring 100 percent clarity to your vision, mission, and resolutions and they should require action. Think in terms of what, when, how, and by whom.

Lastly, do you measure your progress? In order to succeed we need to know if we are on track, or if our direction and supporting behaviors require modification.

Take a few minutes to assess your 2015 accomplishments.

  • What went well?
  • What would you like to see repeated?
  • What would you like to do differently?
  • Is there one single thing you would like to change?

Wishing you a Happy, Healthy, and Successful 2016!

“PeopleTek’s Leadership Journey – The Gift That Keeps On Giving!”
(a quote shared by a recent journey graduate)

QwikTip and QwikCoach

QwikTips Powered by e-Coach – Develop Yourself!

And for those with a QwikCoach license, refresh your existing skills and acquire new skills by visiting the QwikTips library for leadership ideas and techniques.

If you don’t have QwikCoach, it’s an excellent resource for growing your leadership skills remotely that you should consider.

Learn More About QwikCoach

Help turn your leadership knowledge into leadership action!