28 Apr
PeopleTek Coaching Leadership

Passion is Energy

Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.
–Oprah Winfrey

We talk about passion a lot; what we enjoy doing, what we do well, what comes easy to us, what behaviors/actions we get most recognized for. (For those that have attended the Leadership Journey®, we call this our “magic dust.”)

When you’re doing something you like or want to do, does your level of energy increase? Ours does!

Passion = Energy!

Things that increase energy levels in some leaders include:

  • Problem resolution
  • Creative/innovative thinking
  • Technical advancements
  • Customer/client interactions
  • Team building
  • Developing the skill sets in others
  • Providing feedback; mentorships
  • Enhancing relationships
  • Driving results
  • Cost savings
  • Meeting goals/completing tasks
  • Quality deliverables & process improvements

The road to success is not easy to navigate, but with hard work, drive and passion, it’s possible to achieve the American dream.
–Tommy Hilfiger

In most situations, time seems to fly by when you’re engaged in an activity you enjoy doing. We need however to be realistic; rarely can all of our time be dedicated to our passion. (Even when you’re self-employed there are tasks that MUST be done, despite feeling like drudgery).

Give thought to what brings you enjoyment at the workplace. Can this be incorporated to a greater extent in the position or organization where you currently work? Create a plan, talk to your boss, make a case for how the organization/business will benefit if your role changes.

Sadly, too many individuals are in jobs they don’t like, let alone love. Only you can decide what career/job truly energizes you.

Be realistic, determine your preferred balance of roles, and consider what sacrifices you are willing to accept if you choose to make a career change.

Are you passionate about your job? Does it energize you?

Focus on your passion! View the inspiring video below.

Tell Us – How Does Your Workplace Compare?

We want to invite you to take a short survey that looks at some important aspects of your workplace. We are gathering responses from Journey graduates and others so that we may paint a better picture of the workplace today. Here at PeopleTek, we are interested in using the data to improve our curriculum and our collective workplace performance!

Please join us in this research. We will provide you with your own individual feedback, which you can use as you continue your individual leadership journey.

Take the Survey

21 Apr
PeopleTek Coaching Career, Communication, Leadership, Success

It’s Not Just About Team Skills

Last week we shared 5 critical team behaviors that Patrick Lencioni published in The Five Dysfunctions Of a Team. In it he shared that the absence of TRUST, the fear of CONFLICT, the lack of COMMITMENT, an avoidance of ACCOUNTABILITY, and the inattention to RESULTS must be addressed and overcome in order for teams to succeed.

But, It’s Not Just About Team Skills. Larry Page, one of Google’s founders and the current CEO of Google’s parent company, Alphabet, Inc adds more about what makes a team successful: good managers.

Managers matter a lot and can have a huge impact on employee performance. Support your people by sharing what makes a great manager, providing development opportunities, celebrating great managers, and more.

Page initially felt that managers added a layer of bureaucracy to organizations and as a result eliminated many manager positions, only to learn that good managers are the key for happy and productive teams.

He validated this through research from staff surveys and performance reviews and found eight common characteristics shared by great managers:

  1. They are good coaches.
  2. They empower their team and do not micro-manage.
  3. They express interest/concern in each team member’s success and personal well-being.
  4. They are productive and results oriented.
  5. They are good communicators.
  6. They help with career development.
  7. They have a clear vision/strategy for the team.
  8. They have important technical skills that provide the team with advise.

Google executives now admit good managers are key for obtaining results and help their managers strengthen their skills in the categories listed above.

Are you aligned with the categories and do you help your team strengthen their skills?

What’s Magic Dust? Watch the short video below to find out!

Announcements

Leadership Journey I

  • Session 1 – in Phoenix – kicks off May 12
  • Session 1 – virtual – kicks off April 21

Journey II – Moving Beyond The Barriers

  • Session 1 – in Phoenix – kicks off May 12

Enroll Today

Tell Us – How Does Your Workplace Compare?

We want to invite you to take a short survey that looks at some important aspects of your workplace. We are gathering responses from Journey graduates and others so that we may paint a better picture of the workplace today. Here at PeopleTek we are interested in using the data to improve our curriculum and our collective workplace performance!

Please join us in this research. We will provide you with your own individual feedback, which you can use as you continue your individual leadership journey.

Take the Survey

14 Apr
PeopleTek Coaching Leadership

5 Must Have Team Behaviors

Are you familiar with Patrick Lencioni’s book The Five Dysfunctions Of a Team? If you’re not, in a nutshell it says that the true measure of a team is its ability to accomplish the results it desires to achieve.

It also says that the absence of TRUST, the fear of CONFLICT, the lack of COMMITMENT, an avoidance of ACCOUNTABILITY, and the inattention to RESULTS must be addressed and overcome in order to succeed. These five elements are 5 MUST HAVE Team Behaviors.

The single most untapped competitive advantage is teamwork.
–Wiley

Lencioni and John Wiley and Sons partnered and created The Five Behaviors Of A Cohesive team, an assessment
where team members provide confidential input as to how they feel they, and their team members, are performing in regards to the five “must have” team behaviors.

Results are compiled and each person on the team, and the team as a whole, is provided with their scores, and how to interpret the results. A summary of the strengths and challenges of the team, along with tips, suggestions, and a roadmap for creating an action plan based on the results is also provided.

The PeopleTek team decided to try it out, and wow, were we impressed! So impressed that we became a certified partner allowing us to facilitate the workshops and help teams accomplish the results they desire. By the way, the PeopleTek team was rated a strong performing team, but we did have improvement opportunities and used the action plan to help us become even stronger.

If you have an intact team (one with a common vision and supporting goals, with team interactions and dependencies), we guarantee this tool will make your team more productive and collaborative, and will position you to achieve your desired results.

Click to hear Lencioni speak about teams.

Announcements

Leadership Journey I

  • Session 1 – in Phoenix – kicks off May 12
  • Session 1 – virtual – kicks off April 21

Journey II – Moving Beyond The Barriers

  • Session 1 – in Phoenix – kicks off May 12

Enroll Today

Tell Us – How Does Your Workplace Compare?

We want to invite you to take a short survey that looks at some important aspects of your workplace. We are gathering responses from Journey graduates and others so that we may paint a better picture of the workplace today. Here at PeopleTek we are interested in using the data to improve our curriculum and our collective workplace performance!

Please join us in this research. We will provide you with your own individual feedback, which you can use as you continue your individual leadership journey.

Take the Survey

07 Apr
PeopleTek Coaching Planning, Videos

Do you Have VMGM=B?

For those that have graduated from the Leadership Journey program you know that: VMGM=B.

For those that have not attended the program, VMGM=B stands for Vision, Mission, Goals and Measures = Behaviors. Our vision is what we imagine for ourselves, our mission brings our vision closer to us, while goals help us accomplish our mission, and measures are the actions we take in order to accomplish the goals. All of this together determines our day to day behaviors and actions.

Having clear and documented vision and mission statements and supporting goals are also critical for having a successful business or organization. They help identify the key behaviors that will facilitate meeting your goals and also identify behaviors that are non-productive. Metrics are also required so progress may be monitored.

Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.
–Stephen A. Brennan

Mike says more about VMGM=B in the video below.

Key Processes & Vision, Mission, and Goals

All key processes MUST be linked to your vision, mission, and goals. Key processes include:

  • Hiring
  • Training, coaching, and development
  • Performance Appraisals
  • Rewards and Recognition
  • 3 C’s:
    • Communication
    • Change
    • Conflict

Vision, Mission, and Goals Checklist Questions

In a nutshell, ALL of our behaviors should support attaining our vision, mission, and goals. Below are some steps to help with preparing and planning your vision, mission, and goals.

  1. What services do you offer? What differentiates you from your competition?
  2. Who is or could be your customer? Describe an ideal customer.
  3. Consider and understand your customer’s viewpoint. What do they really want?
  4. Why will the customers buy your product or service? What value and/or unique service are provided to the customer?
  5. You must assess the intent of your business or department. Is it:
    • Customer focused? Customer Intimacy focuses on the needs of the customer and building relationships and is usually higher cost/less volume.
    • Operations focused? Operations Excellence focuses on the process and is volume driven and is usually low cost/high volume.
    • Product focused? Product Innovative focuses on the product. Expenses are geared towards research and development.
  6. What accomplishments would you like to celebrate this year? Next year? What targets will you aim for? ex. financial, marketing and sales, staff, operations, human resources, engineering, R&D, other.

VISION, MISSION, GOALS, and MEASURES dictate all of our leadership, team, and organizational behaviors. By creating them with purpose, rather than by chance or mistake, we will be more successful and deliver better results for our customers, shareholders and ourselves.

Tell Us – How Does Your Workplace Compare?

We want to invite you to take a short survey that looks at some important aspects of your workplace. We are gathering responses from Journey graduates and others so that we may paint a better picture of the workplace today. Here at PeopleTek, we are interested in using the data to improve our curriculum and our collective workplace performance!

Please join us in this research. We will provide you with your own individual feedback, which you can use as you continue your individual leadership journey.

Take the Survey