25 Jan
[email protected] Leadership, Success

Aware Or Out Of Touch?

Awareness is the ability to perceive, to feel, or to be conscious of events, objects, thoughts, emotions, or sensory patterns . . . it is the state or quality of being aware of something.—Wikipedia

Effective and successful leaders are aware of their skills and gaps, the skills and gaps of those they lead and interact with, and they are also aware of their work culture.

They understand and appreciate differing styles, and they are aware of the pulse on the floor.  How are the satisfaction levels? Does there seem to be negativity in the break room?  Do people speak up or have they gone quiet?

Think about the following topics:

Communication – is it clear, timely, and delivered with sufficient details?

Responsiveness – not everyone processes communication and events as quickly as others. Become aware of who is able to respond immediately, versus those that need more time to process and reflect.

Managing conflict –  conflict is simply differing opinions. However, how conflict is managed can range from avoidance to always butting heads and the need to “win”. Be aware of preferred styles and when they are properly or improperly applied. (All conflict styles matter; it’s knowing when each style is most effective).

Dealing with change – is it embraced or resisted?

Start by assessing yourself.  Which of the above would you say are your strengths? What are the areas to develop?

Next, think about your team as a whole.

  • What do you feel is the major strength?
  • What is one thing you would like to see change?
  • What is the top area of development?
  • If you had to sum up the culture in one word, what would it be?

How aware are you? Don’t neglect increasing your awareness levels! Click here to request a self-assessment (you’ll rate your skills and abilities in 12 areas).

THIS WEEK’S QWIKTIP!

WANT TO BE A BETTER LEADER?  Click here to read more!

18 Jan
[email protected] Leadership

MLK = Courage and Integrity

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)

On Monday the United States celebrated the life and memory of Martin Luther King, Jr.  Dr. King was a minister, a civil-rights activist, an advocate of nonviolence, and a Nobel Peace Prize winner (1964).

He was also a leader that lived his life with courage and integrity and encouraged others to do the same. He held true to his beliefs, and promoted the behaviors required for everyone to be judged on their personal qualities, (not their color) and that violence not be responded to with violence, but rather with actions of peace. Talk about living and leading with courage and integrity!

Dr. King influenced so many without being arrogant, without being a bully, without looking down and speaking poorly of others, and without being divisive.  Quite the contrary, 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?”

Professor Wadhwa provides the following insights from Martin Luther King, Jr’s “I HAVE A DREAM” speech:

  • Great leaders do not sugar-coat reality
  • Great leaders engage the heart
  • Great leaders refuse to accept the status quo
  • Great leaders create a sense of urgency
  • Great leaders call people to act in accord with their highest values
  • Great leaders refuse to settle
  • Great leaders acknowledge the sacrifice of their followers
  • Great leaders paint a vivid picture of a better tomorrow

In closing, we want to share one last quote: The time is always right to do what is right.
Great words to live by don’t you think?

THIS WEEK’S QWIKTIP!

Read why FEAR IS A BARRIER TO SUCCESS

11 Jan
[email protected] Communication

What Not To Say

The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.
—George Bernard Shaw

How high would you rate your communication skills? Is your message consistently understood, and are you pleased with your delivery?

Some of us excel at gathering our thoughts and speaking with clear intent almost simultaneously; others of us need a bit more time to plan our message.

Lou Solomon, a communication consultant for Fortune 500 companies, shares that our verbal mistakes will “undermine our credibility and distract from our message”, and it will also impact our ability to influence others.

To be more effective leaders, Ms. Solomon suggests dropping the following phrases from our vocabulary:

1. “I’m confused,” or “I don’t get it.”
Instead of putting all the responsibility on the other person, take co-ownership. Say, “Help me understand your position,” and remain open.

2. “You know what I mean?” and “Does that make sense?”
Asking for constant validation chips away at your command.

3. “I was like…” or “She was like…”
The word “like” is an unsophisticated setup that gets in the way of your clarity and credibility.

4. “Um, ah, uh, you know.”
Watch out for overuse of filler words and practice pausing to counteract the clutter.

5. “I’ve been too busy” or “I started writing an email and forgot to send it.”
Excuses are unattractive. Say, “I apologize for the inconvenience. You will have it by tomorrow.”

6. “Out-of-the-box thinking”
… should be retired. We can’t escape all the buzzword phrases, but ones like this have become boring.

7. “You always…”
Sweeping generalizations lack insight and get in the way of healthy dialogue. Be specific and avoid using vague blame tactics.

8. “I think we should kind of do it this way.”
Tentative language waters down your presence as a confident communicator. Make a solid recommendation and own it.

9. “I hate to say this, but…” and “John is a good person, but…”
Don’t try to disguise criticism with a layer of caring or say things that offer zero value.

10. “Really?”
It’s an all-purpose complaint that sounds like whining. Try making an interesting observation instead.

If you’re like us, when you read through the “WHAT NOT TO SAY” list, a few will stand out and make you give thought as to which one to drop first.

As leaders, there’s a need to be viewed as credible, authentic, and purposeful. Take the time you need to consistently deliver a message that’s understood. What’s your first action step?

THIS WEEK’S QWIKTIP!

Read about 5 MUST HAVES FOR LEADING TEAMS

04 Jan
[email protected] Success

Accomplishments / Updates

A great accomplishment shouldn’t be the end of the road,  just the starting point for the next leap forward.
–Harvey Mackay

2017 was a great year for PeopleTek and we look forward to what 2018 brings!

We’re thankful for the relationships that we have with you, and will continue to share leadership tips and increase the number of leadership solutions available for individuals and organizations.

Many of you are familiar with our banner Leadership Journey and custom programs, but there’s more that you may not be aware of.

A new addition to our Journey offerings is the Journey To Mastering Agile Leadership. The focus is for leaders to become acutely aware of their environment, adopt and support the Agile framework, and obtain an understanding of the processes that foster innovation and creativity.

Journey alumni are now eligible to take an exam and become CPL1 certified (Certified Professional Leader).

Many teams and companies leverage our surveys to obtain perceptions and increase their awareness regarding strengths and growth areas identified by their team members. When is the last time you solicited input from your team/organization?

Our 363 plus program remains strong – (it includes feedback/tips/techniques/coaching debrief session).

We have a new online, self-paced class utilizing Everything DiSC Workplace.

We are certified not only for the Everything DiSC tools, but also for 5 Behaviors Of A Cohesive Team.

Our strategic partnership with E-coach has grown even stronger with Leadership Journey and 5 Behaviors content on their new website, along with hundreds of tips, techniques and videos geared towards strengthening leadership skills and behaviors.

And, we’ve expanded our focus for culture transformation/preservation and mergers and acquisitions.

We’re experiencing exciting times and hope you are as well. Please take a moment and reflect on your accomplishments, and click here to access some of our favorite (and simple) leadership challenges.

All the best to you in 2018!

THIS WEEK’S QWIKTIP!

Read about CHANGE AND SUCCESS

01 Jan
[email protected] Leadership

Challenge Yourself!

As 2017 comes to an end, what development commitments have you made?

Challenge yourself!  Below are our 12 “Courageability” factors that impact leadership success:

  1. Live and work with passion
  2. Document and share your goals
  3. Commit to addressing and tracking your goals
  4. Understand and leverage your strengths and the strengths of others
  5. Communicate with confidence and clarity
  6. Manage conflict and understand how it can be inspirational
  7. Develop others
  8. Effectively delegate
  9. Enrich your skill-set
  10. Remain controlled
  11. Reward and recognize others with regularity
  12. Learn to succeed from your failures

Which 3 do you find most challenging? Begin the New Year by committing to take the necessary actions for becoming a more effective leader.

Wishing you success and prosperity! HAPPY NEW YEAR!