9 Effective Strategies to Reduce Holiday Stress: Insights from the Mayo Clinic for a Joyful Season

Busy is a choice. Stress is a choice. Joy is a choice. Choose well.
— Ann Voskamp

 
It’s certainly a busy time of year and with it comes both joy and stress for us, for our colleagues, our friends, and our family members.

We may be scrambling to achieve last minute goals, for ensuring vacation plans have not changed, and that holiday traditions are adhered to. That can lead to stress.

Be observant of interactions and don’t disregard behaviors that may be “off”. Ask how others are feeling and help them focus on what’s positive; be a good listener!

The Mayo Clinic shared the following recommendations to help ease holiday stress:

1. Plan ahead.
Between co-workers, friends and family, it’s inevitable that some commitments will end up on the same day.

2. Say no.
With holiday commitments, it is OK to say no to a few or all of them. It also will help relieve some stress.

3. Plan spending.
Make a budget and stick to it.

4. Create relaxing surroundings.
Research has found that listening to music and the scent of citrus can boost feelings of well-being, and vitamin D is always a happiness booster.

5. Maintain healthy habits.
Try adding a short workout each morning and eat healthy snacks throughout the season.

6. Share feelings.
Accept that not all feelings are positive; don’t be afraid to open up.

7. Respect differences.
We all have different viewpoints. Focus on your similarities and replace tension with something productive.

8. Be realistic.
You can only do so much. Be realistic with how much you can handle this season. Forget about perfection, and relax and enjoy the company surrounding you.

9. Take a break.
Don’t forget about your own needs. Take a nap, go for a short walk, read a book or watch a funny movie. Laughing relaxes the whole body and can relieve physical tension and stress.

Wishing you peace, joy, and minimal stress!

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose

one thought over another.
-William James

Leading the Future of IT: PeopleTek’s Premier Strategy for Advancing Tech Professionals and Their Teams

At PeopleTek Coaching, our expertise lies in guiding IT visionaries, propelling them to the zenith of their capabilities. With a potent combination of bespoke coaching sessions, forward-thinking methodologies, and deep-rooted insights from the tech sector, we empower both individual tech mavens and cohesive teams to thrive in the dynamic world of IT.

Our state-of-the-art coaching model hones leadership skills and bolsters team unity, aligning them with a shared technological mission. This steadfast dedication to fostering teamwork has cemented our standing, making us the go-to consultancy for myriad tech corporations over our distinguished 20-year journey.

Beyond just business achievements, our aspiration is to mold IT spaces that resonate with positivity, creativity, and mutual respect. We champion environments that catalyze individual advancement and heighten productivity. This visionary approach forms the cornerstone of PeopleTek’s ethos.

At PeopleTek, we invite you to reshape your IT leadership path and lead with unmatched accuracy and enthusiasm. Delve into the nuances of our tailored approach by visiting PeopleTekCoaching.com. Boasting a comprehensive array of tech-focused services, we are primed to refresh your ascent to tech leadership excellence and collaborative success.

Embracing Gratitude: How Thanksgiving Enhances Well-being and Relationships

Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts.
 Henri Frederic Amiel.

 
This week the U.S. celebrates Thanksgiving; for many it’s a time for families and friends to gather and reflect on what they are thankful for.  And, the U.S. is not alone when it comes to having this type of celebration; 17 other countries around the globe celebrate some version of Thanksgiving throughout the year.

Studies show that there are linkages between our well-being and our tendencies for feeling grateful. We will likely sleep better, have more positive thoughts, and sustain strong relationships. That’s certainly a win!   

This is the perfect time to reflect on our personal and professional accomplishments as well as our challenges. We need to consider:

  • What do we have to be thankful for?
  • How have our challenges helped us grow and improve?
  • What relationships have we built and maintained?
  • Who have we motivated, inspired, or influenced?
  • Who do we appreciate and why?  Have we told them?
  • What have we done to make a difference in our work culture (and at home)?
  • As leaders, what are we doing to impact the levels of gratitude and attitudes in others?

We are role models; set the stage for gratitude, attitude, and thankfulness for family and friends as well as for colleagues and clients.

Wishing you a happy and safe holiday season with hopes that it’s filled with an abundance of things to be thankful for!

Sincerely,

Mike and the PeopleTek Team

 

Of all the “attitudes” we can acquire, surely the attitude of gratitude is the most important and by far the most life-changing.

–Zig Ziglar

Leading the Future of IT: PeopleTek’s Premier Strategy for Advancing Tech Professionals and Their Teams

At PeopleTek Coaching, our expertise lies in guiding IT visionaries, propelling them to the zenith of their capabilities. With a potent combination of bespoke coaching sessions, forward-thinking methodologies, and deep-rooted insights from the tech sector, we empower both individual tech mavens and cohesive teams to thrive in the dynamic world of IT.

Our state-of-the-art coaching model hones leadership skills and bolsters team unity, aligning them with a shared technological mission. This steadfast dedication to fostering teamwork has cemented our standing, making us the go-to consultancy for myriad tech corporations over our distinguished 20-year journey.

Beyond just business achievements, our aspiration is to mold IT spaces that resonate with positivity, creativity, and mutual respect. We champion environments that catalyze individual advancement and heighten productivity. This visionary approach forms the cornerstone of PeopleTek’s ethos.

At PeopleTek, we invite you to reshape your IT leadership path and lead with unmatched accuracy and enthusiasm. Delve into the nuances of our tailored approach by visiting PeopleTekCoaching.com. Boasting a comprehensive array of tech-focused services, we are primed to refresh your ascent to tech leadership excellence and collaborative success.

Maximizing Business Growth: How Effective Communication and Strong Relationships Drive Success

When strong relationships exist, communication improves and the bottom line grows.

 
Leaders who are trying to reach a vision, grow the company, reduce expenses, and implement changes are faced with a common challenge:
     Do all business colleagues share the same objectives and do they utilize strong relationships to make this happen?

We work closely with several leaders and teams who know where they want to go, and they have plans for making growth happen. This requires that everyone’s productivity be at “full steam ahead” doubling efficiencies and effectiveness.

When interviewing leaders and their teams, we found that what often gets in the way is a disconnect in communication, holding onto the past (aka baggage), having a lack of trust with other team members, along with a strong fear or reluctance to accept change.

These all have linkages with business relationships. One of our clients wanted to implement a change regarding how their customers were treated. (The idea was to create a desired reputation and be known as “the best” in their industry.) Improvement occurred after they started to:

·         work on their business relationships

·         enhance internal interactions

·         build closer relationships with the C-suite leaders

One way they did this was to host a “coffee and learn” daily session. They had everyone begin these sessions by sharing the gaps and issues they were experiencing.

There were many other changes that came as a result of this, but the desired changes happened after some of the leadership team understood and owned that they were not communicating with a sufficient emphasis on relationships. They could have ignored the situation, ultimately making it worse, but instead they accepted they had an issue and took action.

The results? This company not only achieved all of their goals, but they also have the reputation the CEO craved.

Sincerely,
Mike and Jan
 

To have a healthy and thriving business, there must be healthy relationships with the C.E.O.S. in the organization and I’m not referring to the Chief Executive Offficers.
I am talking about the Customers, the Employees, the Owner (or stockholders),
and the Suppliers.

—James Hunter

Leading the Future of IT: PeopleTek’s Premier Strategy for Advancing Tech Professionals and Their Teams

At PeopleTek Coaching, our expertise lies in guiding IT visionaries, propelling them to the zenith of their capabilities. With a potent combination of bespoke coaching sessions, forward-thinking methodologies, and deep-rooted insights from the tech sector, we empower both individual tech mavens and cohesive teams to thrive in the dynamic world of IT.

Our state-of-the-art coaching model hones leadership skills and bolsters team unity, aligning them with a shared technological mission. This steadfast dedication to fostering teamwork has cemented our standing, making us the go-to consultancy for myriad tech corporations over our distinguished 20-year journey.

Beyond just business achievements, our aspiration is to mold IT spaces that resonate with positivity, creativity, and mutual respect. We champion environments that catalyze individual advancement and heighten productivity. This visionary approach forms the cornerstone of PeopleTek’s ethos.

At PeopleTek, we invite you to reshape your IT leadership path and lead with unmatched accuracy and enthusiasm. Delve into the nuances of our tailored approach by visiting PeopleTekCoaching.com. Boasting a comprehensive array of tech-focused services, we are primed to refresh your ascent to tech leadership excellence and collaborative success.

Unlocking Leadership Excellence: Understanding and Leveraging Differences for Success

The stronger our relationship, the more appreciative we are of differences.

Peopletek Coaching Leadership Coaching
 
We’re starting something new; we’re kicking off a series about relationships and why they impact the ability to be highly effective leaders with the ability to achieve success.

The series will consist of relationships and impacts to:
  1. Understanding Differences
  2. Communication
  3. Feedback
  4. Mentoring/Influencing
  5. Conflict

We’re starting with Understanding Differences because of the strong linkages with being aware.

Highly successful leaders are not only aware of their own styles, skills and gaps, they are also in-tune with the styles, skills, gaps, and professional desires of those they lead and interact with. Additionally, they are keenly aware of their work culture. Why is this important?  The group culture impacts relationships. This includes behaviors, attitudes, satisfaction levels, and the comfort of the environment, all which impact the ability to obtain results.

Things to ponder:

  • Every work culture has differing styles – are they all appreciated?
  • Is there tension or cohesion within the group?
  • Does the leader (perhaps you) recognize the differing styles and address conflict if it exists?
  • Is the reason for the work/tasks/goals understood and supported? 
  • What does the team value most?
  • Does there seem to be negativity in the break room? 
  • Do people speak up or have they gone quiet?

Understanding differences requires energy, courage, honesty, and an open mind.
It also requires addressing the “why” behind our thoughts, words, actions, behaviors, and emotions.

When strong relationships exist there’s a greater likelihood that team members will want to understand differences.  They will address when behaviors seem “off”, and openly share issues, fears, emotions, and preferences.

Colleagues will also be in the position to encourage each other to support goals and priorities by using their “magic dust” (their strengths). Most of us know what we like and what we’re good at, and we also know the strengths of others. Ex. Who are the visionaries? Who prefers providing detail? Who enjoys status updates? What about communicating change?

Understanding differences and leveraging those differing styles, behaviors, skills, and abilities makes for stronger relationships, is energizing, and will help us achieve our goals while creating a happier workplace!

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

In teamwork, silence isn’t golden, it’s deadly.
—Mark Sanborn

Leading the Future of IT: PeopleTek’s Premier Strategy for Advancing Tech Professionals and Their Teams

At PeopleTek Coaching, our expertise lies in guiding IT visionaries, propelling them to the zenith of their capabilities. With a potent combination of bespoke coaching sessions, forward-thinking methodologies, and deep-rooted insights from the tech sector, we empower both individual tech mavens and cohesive teams to thrive in the dynamic world of IT.

Our state-of-the-art coaching model hones leadership skills and bolsters team unity, aligning them with a shared technological mission. This steadfast dedication to fostering teamwork has cemented our standing, making us the go-to consultancy for myriad tech corporations over our distinguished 20-year journey.

Beyond just business achievements, our aspiration is to mold IT spaces that resonate with positivity, creativity, and mutual respect. We champion environments that catalyze individual advancement and heighten productivity. This visionary approach forms the cornerstone of PeopleTek’s ethos.

At PeopleTek, we invite you to reshape your IT leadership path and lead with unmatched accuracy and enthusiasm. Delve into the nuances of our tailored approach by visiting PeopleTekCoaching.com. Boasting a comprehensive array of tech-focused services, we are primed to refresh your ascent to tech leadership excellence and collaborative success.

Optimizing Virtual Engagement: Fostering Relationships and Trust Remotely

The business of business is relationships; the business of life is human connection.
—Robin Sharma

Peopletek Coaching
 
So many of us work virtually with most business interactions conducted via conferencing which is fine, but we lose the opportunity for the in person “coffee chats” which can create energy and fun in the workplace (while at the same time building relationships).

Don’t ignore the need for these relationships. They’re essential for building trust, for encouraging collaboration, for understanding differences, for allowing healthy conflict, for job retention, and for networking.  Bottom line, they’re required to be successful!

Chances are there will always be some virtual interactions, either with us working remotely, or engaging with colleagues that are offsite, and it’s important to build in some personal time. 

Assess what works best for your team. Examples:

1.    Encourage (mandate?) that everyone be on camera
2.    Start or end each meeting with personal chat time
             (ex.   Family/vacations/hobbies, etc)
3.    Allow family members or pets to be on camera for a portion of the call

Some other suggestions are to have coffee breaks online, hold an after-hour cocktail hour, start a book club with monthly meetings, watch a movie together, share wordle results (or other games), and play virtual games.  You could also have a monthly birthday club or create a WhatsApp group where team members could send personal updates, jokes, or interesting pictures.

These aren’t for everyone so feel your team out. What works best for them (and you)?

Also assess if budgets allow for a once or twice yearly in person get together.  It’s a great way to create upcoming goals and tasks and obtain buy-in, and it’s also a great for sharing progress against goals, for team members to determine best practices, and for celebrating successes.

Be intentional about keeping in touch with team members and clients and build it into your schedule. It’s all too easy to get bogged down with daily issues that prevent us from strengthening our virtual relationships.

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

In teamwork, silence isn’t golden, it’s deadly.
—Mark Sanborn

Leading the Future of IT: PeopleTek’s Premier Strategy for Advancing Tech Professionals and Their Teams

At PeopleTek Coaching, our expertise lies in guiding IT visionaries, propelling them to the zenith of their capabilities. With a potent combination of bespoke coaching sessions, forward-thinking methodologies, and deep-rooted insights from the tech sector, we empower both individual tech mavens and cohesive teams to thrive in the dynamic world of IT.

Our state-of-the-art coaching model hones leadership skills and bolsters team unity, aligning them with a shared technological mission. This steadfast dedication to fostering teamwork has cemented our standing, making us the go-to consultancy for myriad tech corporations over our distinguished 20-year journey.

Beyond just business achievements, our aspiration is to mold IT spaces that resonate with positivity, creativity, and mutual respect. We champion environments that catalyze individual advancement and heighten productivity. This visionary approach forms the cornerstone of PeopleTek’s ethos.

At PeopleTek, we invite you to reshape your IT leadership path and lead with unmatched accuracy and enthusiasm. Delve into the nuances of our tailored approach by visiting PeopleTekCoaching.com. Boasting a comprehensive array of tech-focused services, we are primed to refresh your ascent to tech leadership excellence and collaborative success.

Crafting a Thriving Work Culture: Key Insights from Top CEOs

A thriving work culture is all about people and relationships.

 
We all want our work culture to be the place where we, and our team members can learn, thrive, and actually enjoy our jobs. Why? Because when we create the right environment success is more readily attained.

There are many thoughts around what is required to have this kind of work culture and we want to share highlights of two differing perspectives.

Amy Somerville, CEO, Success Magazine states that there are four components:

1. Curiosity – Get to know your team, learn about their perspectives, passions, and personal stories. This will help with understanding key value drivers, purpose, and what causes joy or discontent.

2. Collaboration – Co-creating your vision, mission, goals (VMG) and company values is galvanizing and will help obtain buy-in and make the VMG come to life.

3. Clarity – Curiosity and collaboration help bring priorities into focus  and clarity encourages direction, trusting relationships, and inspires innovation.

4. Connection – Leaders must continuously assess their work culture by observing and addressing how connected people are to the vision and one another. Evaluate what’s working well, what is not, and determine the reasons why.

Adam Witty, founder and CEO, Advantage Media Group feels there are 5 elements that create a desired work culture:

1. Staff Your Team with A-players – This person not only possesses the required job skills but they also add a human element to the team (which admittedly is not always seen during a brief interview). Do they have a “can-do” and positive attitude, a desire to maximize their skills, and can they put the team before their own needs?

2. The Importance of Having Fun – Having fun at work creates energy and enthusiasm and helps promote the feeling of being valued, that the team members are making a difference, and that they are appreciated. The intent is to have a team of individuals who are motivated by the “why” of what they do.

3. Make Employees and Clients Your Extended Family – A family environment facilitates a team mentality especially for those who like to keep to themselves because they’re shy. Treat clients, suppliers and other business relationships with this mentality.

4. Encourage Difference Makers – Team members are driven by the “why” of what they do. The right content in the right person’s hands at the right time can change the world forever. Share stories, passion and knowledge to guide and help others learn and grow.

5. Commit to Lifelong Learning – (we know you’ve heard this numerous times before!). Encouraging all team members to establish a path of personal and professional development. With increased knowledge, experience and skills, people lead a more fulfilled life, which profits everyone in their work environment.

A simple recap is that it’s all about people and relationships. If we want our work culture to thrive, we need to invest in our team members. That’s what drives success!

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

The work environment is very important in determining how enjoyable work is.
It is very important to work with smart people who have a superior level of intellectual bandwidth and still have softer skills as well.
— Kumar Mangalam Birla

Leading the Future of IT: PeopleTek’s Premier Strategy for Advancing Tech Professionals and Their Teams

At PeopleTek Coaching, our expertise lies in guiding IT visionaries, propelling them to the zenith of their capabilities. With a potent combination of bespoke coaching sessions, forward-thinking methodologies, and deep-rooted insights from the tech sector, we empower both individual tech mavens and cohesive teams to thrive in the dynamic world of IT.

Our state-of-the-art coaching model hones leadership skills and bolsters team unity, aligning them with a shared technological mission. This steadfast dedication to fostering teamwork has cemented our standing, making us the go-to consultancy for myriad tech corporations over our distinguished 20-year journey.

Beyond just business achievements, our aspiration is to mold IT spaces that resonate with positivity, creativity, and mutual respect. We champion environments that catalyze individual advancement and heighten productivity. This visionary approach forms the cornerstone of PeopleTek’s ethos.

At PeopleTek, we invite you to reshape your IT leadership path and lead with unmatched accuracy and enthusiasm. Delve into the nuances of our tailored approach by visiting PeopleTekCoaching.com. Boasting a comprehensive array of tech-focused services, we are primed to refresh your ascent to tech leadership excellence and collaborative success.

Unlocking the Power of Servant Leadership: Embracing Robert K. Greenleaf’s Vision for Empowering and Nurturing Growth

Servant-leaders are functionally superior because they are closer to the ground — they hear things, see things, know things, and their intuitive insight is exceptional. Because of this they are dependable and trusted.
–Robert K. Greenleaf

Servant Leadership Style

We’ve mentioned Servant Leadership in the past and feel that it needs to be discussed again.

The term servant leadership was coined in 1970 by Robert K. Greenleaf, and some describe it as being the reverse of traditional leadership. It’s where the needs of the people/employees/colleagues are viewed as priorities, and it means replacing the dictatorial and drill sergeant types of leadership styles and behaviors (that were so prevalent in the past) with “people” and “relationship” skills. It also includes a focus on helping others grow.

Carol Smith wrote an article where she compiled research regarding servant leadership entitled The Leadership Theory Of Robert K. Greenleaf.  In it she highlights 20 characteristics and attributes critical to servant leadership (excerpts below):

9 Functional Attributes (defined as intrinsic characteristics of servant-leaders):

  1. Vision
  2. Honesty
  3. Integrity
  4. Trust
  5. Service
  6. Modeling
  7. Pioneering
  8. Appreciation
  9. Empowerment

11 Accompanying Attributes

  1. Communication
  2. Credibility
  3. Competence
  4. Stewardship
  5. Visibility
  6. Influence
  7. Persuasion
  8. Listening
  9. Encouragement
  10. Teaching
  11. Delegation

It’s interesting that so many of these attributes are included in the Leadership Journey and in our COMPASS assessment! Our belief is that strong and effective leadership means building relationships with others, it means being genuinely interested in those we interact with, it means being committed to continual learning (for ourselves and others), and it means creating a work culture of trust and inclusiveness.

Are you a servant leader? How are you helping others grow and thrive in their career? Could you do more? 

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.

~Mahatma Gandhi

Leading the Future of IT: PeopleTek’s Premier Strategy for Advancing Tech Professionals and Their Teams

At PeopleTek Coaching, our expertise lies in guiding IT visionaries, propelling them to the zenith of their capabilities. With a potent combination of bespoke coaching sessions, forward-thinking methodologies, and deep-rooted insights from the tech sector, we empower both individual tech mavens and cohesive teams to thrive in the dynamic world of IT.

Our state-of-the-art coaching model hones leadership skills and bolsters team unity, aligning them with a shared technological mission. This steadfast dedication to fostering teamwork has cemented our standing, making us the go-to consultancy for myriad tech corporations over our distinguished 20-year journey.

Beyond just business achievements, our aspiration is to mold IT spaces that resonate with positivity, creativity, and mutual respect. We champion environments that catalyze individual advancement and heighten productivity. This visionary approach forms the cornerstone of PeopleTek’s ethos.

At PeopleTek, we invite you to reshape your IT leadership path and lead with unmatched accuracy and enthusiasm. Delve into the nuances of our tailored approach by visiting PeopleTekCoaching.com. Boasting a comprehensive array of tech-focused services, we are primed to refresh your ascent to tech leadership excellence and collaborative success.

Unlocking the Secrets to Retaining Top Talent: A Leader’s Guide

Effective leadership includes creating plans to keep top talent

Are you successfully retaining top talent or are you being impacted by the loss of key performers?

Gallup reports that it costs roughly two times the average salary to replace the person that leaves, and that morale, deliverables, and customer service also suffer. It was also reported that 52% of those quitting could have been impacted to stay by their leader or HR, but were not.

So, as a leader, what can you do?

There are a few factors that leaders can influence:

  • Conduct regular discussions about career goals and growth opportunities
  • Create a desirable work culture
  • Express genuine interest in each person

Additionally the Harvard Business Review provides six suggestions for retaining talent:

1. Incentivize loyalty
Pay and overall compensation is important, but also consider ideas such as one-time bonuses, helping pay down student loans, and providing work-from-home stipends (or return to the workplace stipends)

2. Provide opportunities to grow
Ask each employee what it takes for them to stay and whether their job utilizes good use of their skills; 68% of workers around the world are willing to retrain and learn new skills

3. Elevate your purpose
Make your organization’s purpose clear (vision, mission and goals) and how they can be supported

4. Prioritize culture and connection
Connect and build relationships; social connections have a significant positive impact on productivity

5. Invest in taking care of your employees and their families
Provide health resources (physical and mental) as needed

6. Embrace flexibility
Provide a flexible work environment ex. Location, work hours, paid time off, career options, ask about worker needs, and assess if a four year degree is truly needed (or other job requirements)

It’s up to us as leaders to make a difference! Do you have plans in place to retain your top talent?

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

Hiring and retaining talent in the tech industry is expensive and vital. Those people have real power over their bosses, especially because it is often fairly easy for them to find work elsewhere . —Hank Green

Leading the Future of IT: PeopleTek’s Premier Strategy for Advancing Tech Professionals and Their Teams

At PeopleTek Coaching, our expertise lies in guiding IT visionaries, propelling them to the zenith of their capabilities. With a potent combination of bespoke coaching sessions, forward-thinking methodologies, and deep-rooted insights from the tech sector, we empower both individual tech mavens and cohesive teams to thrive in the dynamic world of IT.

Our state-of-the-art coaching model hones leadership skills and bolsters team unity, aligning them with a shared technological mission. This steadfast dedication to fostering teamwork has cemented our standing, making us the go-to consultancy for myriad tech corporations over our distinguished 20-year journey.

Beyond just business achievements, our aspiration is to mold IT spaces that resonate with positivity, creativity, and mutual respect. We champion environments that catalyze individual advancement and heighten productivity. This visionary approach forms the cornerstone of PeopleTek’s ethos.

At PeopleTek, we invite you to reshape your IT leadership path and lead with unmatched accuracy and enthusiasm. Delve into the nuances of our tailored approach by visiting PeopleTekCoaching.com. Boasting a comprehensive array of tech-focused services, we are primed to refresh your ascent to tech leadership excellence and collaborative success.

Unlock Your Communication Style: Discover the 4 Key Types & Find Your Dominant Preference

Communication is your ticket to success if you pay attention
and learn to do it effectively.
— Theo Gold

We all have our own style for communicating and last week we talked about how both our style of delivery and our choice of words matter.

Researcher/facilitator Kirk Bridgman developed a Communication Style Preference Model (CSPM) with 4 basic styles of communicators:

Demonstrators – Focus on Who

They are people oriented, fast paced, enthusiastic, outgoing, social, and possibly self-centered
Tendencies:
Disorganized, often tardy, lose track of details, laugh easily and loudly, take initiative in conversations, sit in open position


Assertors – Focus on What

They are fast paced, direct, more task oriented than people oriented, work hard, are decisive, confident, assertive, possibly impatient, judgmental, and overly competitive
Tendencies:
On time, efficient, strong appearance and opinions, highly discriminating


Contemplators – Focus on How

They are task-oriented thinkers, are indirect, slow paced, problem solvers, orderly, accurate, like details and may appear as rigid and close minded  
Tendencies:
Keeps to themselves, rarely laughs, likes facts/figures/proof, dresses conservatively
 

Narrators – Focus on Why

They are slow paced, indirect, and are people oriented. They are also warm, friendly, cooperative, and open minded, and may be perceived as meek & easily side-tracked  
Tendencies:
Accommodating, helpful, casual look, both talks & listens, laughs softly, shows gratitude


Generally, most of us are a combination of the four styles and vary our usage based on the situation, but we likely have a preferred style. Does one sound more like you than another? What about one that sounds least like you?

Awareness once again is key and adapting our preferences to situations will serve us well.

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

Pioneering IT Leadership: PeopleTek’s Advanced Framework for Elevating Tech Teams and Professionals

At PeopleTek Coaching, we specialize in mentoring IT leaders, driving them towards unparalleled excellence. Leveraging a sophisticated blend of tailored coaching modules, avant-garde strategies, and insights from our rich technological industry background, we equip both tech professionals and their teams to excel in an ever-evolving IT domain.

Our cutting-edge coaching paradigm refines leadership attributes and fortifies team cohesion, steering them towards a unified technological vision. This unwavering focus on collaboration has solidified our reputation, marking us as a preferred consultancy for numerous tech enterprises throughout our illustrious two-decade tenure.

Yet, our vision transcends mere business milestones. We are committed to sculpting IT environments radiating positivity, innovation, and mutual admiration. We advocate for settings that stimulate professional growth and amplify operational efficiency. This transformative ethos is the bedrock of PeopleTek’s mission.

At PeopleTek, we challenge you to redefine your IT leadership trajectory and lead with precision and zeal. Experience the distinction of our specialized approach by navigating to PeopleTekCoaching.com. With an expansive suite of IT-centric services, we stand poised to rejuvenate your journey to tech leadership prominence and team synergy.

The Art of Effective Communication: Exploring Verbal, Para-verbal and Body Language

Communication is not about saying what we think.
Communication is about ensuring others hear what we mean.
–Simon Sinek
Do you consider yourself to be an effective communicator? If yes, why? If no, why not?

Complications occur when we think our messages are accurately understood when in reality they are not. This happens all too often.

It’s been reported that our words (verbal) are not nearly as important as our para-verbal and body language. Maybe that’s why there’s the adage “it’s not the message, it’s the delivery“?

Psychology professor Albert Mehrabian at the University of California developed the following communication model explaining how messages are interpreted:

Verbal – 7%
Our choice of words and the belief that we all interpret words the same way

Para verbal – 38%
The way we say something, how quickly we speak, when we pause, our tone of voice, and our level of intensity

Body language – 55%
How we physically communicate (ex. do we stand, cross our arms, roll our eyes, shake hands firmly, lean in or away?); do our facial expressions change and do we make eye-contact?

On top of that we all have filters and distractions which impact how we send and receive messages. Examples include barriers such as:
  • Gender
  • Cultural/race
  • Age
  • Education
  • Religion
  • Health
  • Emotional well-being
  • Past experiences
As always awareness counts. We need to be aware of our choice of words and speak with confidence while being clear and concise in our delivery. We can also ask the recipient to share how they interpreted our message to ensure there’s alignment with our intent.

Wishing you success!

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

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

Revitalizing Leadership: PeopleTek’s Innovative Approach to Empowering Teams and Individuals

At PeopleTek Coaching, we guide ambitious leaders on their journey to excellence. Our unique blend of personalized coaching programs, innovative strategies, and insights drawn from our extensive industry experience empowers both individuals and teams to stand out in a competitive landscape.

Our transformative coaching methodology shapes leadership behaviors and nurtures team unity, propelling them towards a shared goal. This emphasis on teamwork has been a pillar of our success, establishing us as a trusted partner for numerous businesses over our two-decade history.

But our mission extends beyond just achieving business objectives. We strive to cultivate workplaces imbued with positivity and mutual respect. We champion environments that foster personal development and boost productivity. This transformative philosophy lies at the core of our mission at PeopleTek.

At PeopleTek, we inspire you to seize control of your leadership journey and lead with passion. Discover the power of our unique approach by visiting us at PeopleTekCoaching.com. With a broad range of services on offer, we’re ready to invigorate your path to leadership success and team excellence.

Unlocking Success with an Open Door Policy: A Comprehensive Guide for Effective Leadership Communication

The best leaders are approachable and accessible.
They are truly part of the team and not merely a figurehead.
–Ramanathan M

 

As a leader, how do you view having an “open door” policy and how do you make it work effectively?

The “open door policy” increases the accessibility of the leader, while allowing team members the latitude to ask their leader questions, share work culture issues and challenges, and even provide feedback for achieving goals and ideas for new strategies.

It also allows relationships to be built in an informal venue:

  • You have the opportunity for increased awareness of the workplace “pulse”
  • It provides team members a feeling of inclusiveness and for being heard
  • There’s the opportunity to understand career aspirations
  • Communication mis-understandings are reduced
  • Employee morale increases and attrition decreases

When team members are onsite with you, you can literally pick a time and day when your door will be open; with so many remote and virtual workers and leaders, this makes it a bit more challenging.

You can still pick a date and time (1 hour/week?  Half day monthly?) when you block your calendar and share your availability. You can make it more regimented when scheduling time is encouraged, or you can accept direct messages, or even create an online conference with open access.

Other opportunities exist for accessibility and exposure:

Skip levels for individuals or teams
Do your team members have any relationship with your boss?
Do the direct reports of your direct reports have any type of relationship with you?

“Townhall” sessions
This is an opportunity to widely share organizational successes, challenges, and goals

The message you want to send is that you truly care about your employees and the work culture. You want to hear their thoughts, build relationships, and have them feel that they make a difference and that you are accessible and approachable.

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

Effective leaders make themselves accessible for their team members and business partners.

Revitalizing Leadership: PeopleTek’s Innovative Approach to Empowering Teams and Individuals

At PeopleTek Coaching, we guide ambitious leaders on their journey to excellence. Our unique blend of personalized coaching programs, innovative strategies, and insights drawn from our extensive industry experience empowers both individuals and teams to stand out in a competitive landscape.

Our transformative coaching methodology shapes leadership behaviors and nurtures team unity, propelling them towards a shared goal. This emphasis on teamwork has been a pillar of our success, establishing us as a trusted partner for numerous businesses over our two-decade history.

But our mission extends beyond just achieving business objectives. We strive to cultivate workplaces imbued with positivity and mutual respect. We champion environments that foster personal development and boost productivity. This transformative philosophy lies at the core of our mission at PeopleTek.

At PeopleTek, we inspire you to seize control of your leadership journey and lead with passion. Discover the power of our unique approach by visiting us at PeopleTekCoaching.com. With a broad range of services on offer, we’re ready to invigorate your path to leadership success and team excellence.

Transforming Workplace Dynamics: A Comprehensive Guide to Effective Conflict Management

Conflict, when handled correctly, strengthens.
–Benjamin Watson

One of the most common issues causing difficulty in the workplace is conflict and the inability for those differences to be effectively managed.

Conflict, and simply having differing opinions is a given, issues arise when the conflict becomes unhealthy with a lack of willingness to listen to and understand opposing views.

PeopleTek utilizes the Thomas-Kilmann Instrument (TKI) Conflict Model (developed in 1974 by psychologists Kenneth Thomas and Ralph Kilmann) which provides an understanding of preferences for how individuals handle disagreements.

The 5 TKI Conflict Modes Are:

Competing – This is a power-oriented mode and is assertive and uncooperative; the individual pursues his or her own interest at the expense of the other person.  

Accommodating – This is the opposite of competing and is unassertive and cooperative.  The accommodating person neglects their own concerns to satisfy the concerns of others.

Avoiding – Avoiding is unassertive and uncooperative.  The individual does not pursue their own concern or those of another person.   

Collaborating – This is the opposite of avoiding where the individual is both assertive and cooperative and works to satisfy all of the concerns of everyone.  

Compromising – This falls between competing and accommodating and is both assertive and cooperative, a mutually acceptable solution is reached, and both parties make concessions to resolve the issue.

All modes serve a purpose; what’s critical is having the skill to appropriately utilize the most effective mode when conflicts occur.

Why is this important? Alexandra Baruffati reports that:

  • Globally, the average time employees spend weekly on resolving disagreements in the workplace is 2.1 hours
  • In the US, it rises to 2.8 hours per week
  • 85% of US employees have some level of conflict at work
  • Managers spend around 6 hours per week (roughly 15% of their time) solving work conflicts
  • 56% of employees who experienced conflict at work reported that it led them to stress, anxiety and/or depression
  • 40% reported being less motivated

How skilled are you at handling conflict in the workplace? Do you know when to intervene, when to disregard, and when to utilize the most effective conflict mode?

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

For good ideas and true innovation, you need human interaction,
conflict, argument, debate.
–Margaret Heffernan
 

Guiding the way for ambitious leaders, PeopleTek Coaching equips both individuals and teams with the tools to excel. We leverage a mix of customized coaching programs, innovative strategies, and insights gleaned from our vast industry experience, enabling businesses and individuals to unlock their potential and distinguish themselves in a competitive landscape.

Our transformative coaching methodology molds leadership behaviors and fosters team unity, driving them towards a common goal. This focus on teamwork is the cornerstone of our success and has solidified our standing as a reliable partner for numerous businesses throughout our twenty-year history.

More than just achieving business objectives, we aim to infuse workplaces with a culture of positivity and mutual respect. We advocate for environments that promote personal development and enhance productivity. This transformative philosophy is at the heart of our mission at PeopleTek.

At PeopleTek, we inspire you to take the reins of your leadership journey and lead with fervor. Explore the power of our unique approach by visiting us at PeopleTekCoaching.com. Offering a wide array of services, we’re poised to energize your route to leadership triumph and team excellence.