26 Jan
PeopleTek Coaching Leadership

Recruit and Retain with PRIDE

Research indicates that workers have three prime needs: Interesting work, recognition for doing a good job, and being let in on things that are going on in the company.
–Zig Ziglar

Recruit and retain talent. Those are two of the biggest challenges companies are facing today. It impacts performance, budgets, morale, and it certainly impacts results.

So why are people leaving?

A global survey of 10,000 people was conducted. Anne Holub, Money Magazine shares the following reasons:

  1. Because they didn’t have room to grow
  2. Poor leadership (note: other surveys rank this #1)
  3. Wanting better work culture
  4. Wanting more challenging work
  5. Wanted better pay
  6. Wanted better recognition at work

As leaders, we can help improve numbers 2, 3, 4, and 6. We may even be able to take action on #5. (#1 will vary greatly dependent on the industry and organization). So what can we do?

Improve Retention & Productivity With PRIDE

Business consultant Greg Smith has defined a five step PRIDE process to help with retention and productivity:

P    Provide a Positive Working Environment (links with #3 above)

R    Recognize, Reward and Reinforce the Right Behavior (links with #6 and #5 above)

I      Involve and Engage (links with #4 above)

D    Develop Skills and Potential (links with #1 and #4)

E    Evaluate and Measure (links with #2, #3, and #4

How much time do you dedicate to your team members? Do you have consistent monthly one on ones that address progress, obstacles, and accomplishments? Are you aware of desired career paths? Do you review and update development plans? Is feedback a two-way process? Do you leverage mentorships and cross training? Is your reward and recognition process consistent?

QwikTip

How can you use PRIDE to retain your organization’s talent?

QWIKTP BONUS READING – Rewards and Recognition

19 Jan
PeopleTek Coaching Leadership

MLK – A Courageous Leader

Average leaders focus on results, and that’s it. Good leaders focus also on the behaviors that will get the results. And great leaders focus, in addition, on the emotions that will drive these behaviors.
–Hitendra Wadhwa (professor, Columbia Business School / Founder, Mentora Institute)

This week the United States celebrated the life and memory of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. King means many things to many people. He was:

  • A great preacher
  • A civil-rights activist
  • An advocate of non-violence
  • A great leader

We want to add that he was a “Courageous Leader”. It required courage to control his anger, to not return violence with violence, and to maintain and promote his mission of peace.

Dr. King influenced so many without being arrogant, without being a bully, without looking down and speaking poorly of others, and without being divisive. His focus was on peace and unity, and one of his most famous quotes was: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?”

Inspiring Quotes From Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. had hundreds of inspiring quotes. We like one below, and replaced the words “education” and “educate” with “leadership” and “lead” to add a different twist:

The function of LEADERSHIP is to LEAD one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true LEADERSHIP.

Here are some more Martin Luther King, Jr. quotes that we’d like you to think about in terms of leadership:

  • A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.
  • Means we use must be as pure as the ends we seek.
  • Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think.
  • The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important.
  • The time is always right to do what is right.
  • Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.
  • The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

Leadership Insights Based on MLK’s “I Have a Dream” Speech

Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech highlighted what great leaders do. Michael Hyatt published an article based on this speech and shares the following insights (with our comments beside them).

  • Great leaders do not sugar-coat reality. They deliver hard messages and share realistic expectations.
  • Great leaders engage the heart. They understand the importance of being passionate about what you do.
  • Great leaders refuse to accept the status quo. The need for growth and innovation is a constant.
  • Great leaders create a sense of urgency. Time is always an important factor.
  • Great leaders call people to act in accord with their highest values. Integrity is the top rated leadership value.
  • Great leaders refuse to settle. Persist and persevere!
  • Great leaders acknowledge the sacrifice of their followers. Recognize and reward efforts and accomplishments.
  • Great leaders paint a vivid picture of a better tomorrow. True leaders are visionaries.

The list of what great leaders do could be endless, but one we’re big on is that leaders must have courage.

Without courage you’ll never step out of your comfort zone, you’ll likely not live your dream, and you probably won’t empower yourself and others to go where they have never gone before.

We challenge you to live your life with courage and to leverage it to be the leader you aspire to be!

QwikTip and QwikCoach

PeopleTek’s Strategic partner, E-Coach, specializes in online coaching tools.

QWIKTIP: Read about how to SHARE YOUR STRENGTHS 

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!

12 Jan
PeopleTek Coaching Change, Leadership

Assessment Time!

As we set our targets for 2017, it’s a good time for an assessment. Last week we shared a checklist to help you gain momentum, and now we suggest completing an assessment from an individual perspective, as well as for that of your organization.

It’s nothing fancy or new, but it helps with clarity and increases awareness. Take some time and reflect on:

  • What worked well in 2016?
  • What “misses” did you have in 2016? Why?
  • What changes were made in 2016?
  • What changes are required for 2017?
  • What behaviors helped individuals and organizations thrive?
  • What behaviors hindered achieving goals and creating stronger relationships?
  • What do you think your skill-set (from a people perspective) is strongest?
  • What areas require development? We’ve created a COMPASS; we recommend incorporating these key points into your assessment:

C     Clarity and Communication

O     Optimize Differences

M     Manage Change

P     Plan, Persist, Organize

A     Appropriately Handle Conflict

S     Sustain and Enhance Relationships

S     Skillfully Influence Others

QWIKTIP BONUS: Read more about PeopleTek’s COMPASS

05 Jan
PeopleTek Coaching Leadership, Planning

Jan 5 2017 Checklist for 2017

Happy New Year!  We hope you had a wonderful holiday season and are now ready to jump into 2017.  Below is a checklist we recommend you review, modify as needed, and share with your staff to gain momentum for achieving desired results.

First, have a definite, clear practical ideal; a goal, an objective. Second, have the necessary means to achieve your ends; wisdom, money, materials, and methods. Third, adjust all your means to that end.”
-Aristotle

Vision and Mission Statements

Make sure your written vision and mission statements are clearly communicated and shared with your organization.  We suggest you post them in public areas.

Goals and Tasks

Ensure ALL goals and tasks support your vision and mission and are meaningful to those that must support them.

Metrics

Institute milestones and target dates so you have the ability to track progress.

Strengths and weaknesses; revisit both from individual and organizational perspectives

Understand and share the strengths of the organization and link them with goal achievement and development planning.

Development plans (individual and organizational)

Document developmental goals; include training needs and target dates.  This could include cross training, on the job training, in-house training or outside coaching and development. Revisit them monthly.

Career Planning

Know and put it writing your career intentions, timelines and growth areas.

Reward and Recognition system

Link your reward system with goal attainment and results.

Communication Model

Understand how to best communicate with your team and organization and ensure others understand what is expected of them.

Succession Planning

Build bench strength within your organization.  Every position should have 1 or 2 individuals identified as possible replacements.  Also, groom your own replacement.  Should an opportunity come your way you don’t want to be held back if you’re viewed as indispensable in your position.

Include in your checklist time for you.  We’ve mentioned if before, but even if it’s only 15 minutes a day, build in time for self-reflection and personal development. All of us possess the traits and characteristics required to be successful leaders.   Use the checklist to help you best apply them.

Let us know if we can help!

03 Jan
PeopleTek Coaching Leadership

Jan 3 2017 Ready Or Not

Ready or not, 2017 is upon us, and as the quote below says, it’s another chance for us to get it right.

Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us. Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. — Oprah Winfrey

LEADERSHIP IS A PROCESS, NOT AN EVENT

What does “get it right” mean to you? We suggest starting with:
Documenting and communicating your goals
A commitment for self reflection and continual learning
Recognizing that what has worked in the past may not be “right” for the present
What else has personal meaning to you? Perhaps being a mentor to a less tenured leader? Maybe providing feedback and helping others be more effective leaders?

We’re here to help! Consider sponsoring a leader or high performer in a Leadership Journey program.