Unlocking the Power of Self-Awareness: The Key to Professional Success and Personal Growth

The key to an ideal workplace, in one hyphenated word, is this: self-awareness.
–Neil Blumenthal

How would you rate yourself when it comes to being self-aware? It’s more than knowing your strengths and weaknesses; it also includes understanding how others perceive you, how you relate to others, and how motivated you are when it comes to having a commitment for continual learning.

Claire Hughes Johnson, a former google VP, invested many hours weekly interviewing job candidates. To narrow down the field, she said the #1 skill she looked for was self-awareness. She felt experience could be acquired and skills learned, but being self-aware meant the person knew not only about their development opportunities, but also about their work preferences, and building relationships with colleagues.

Johnson suggests listening for 2 things when interviewing:

1. Too much “I” is a red flag that they may not be humble or    collaborative
2. Too much “we” may obscure what role they played in the situation

She also asks interviewees how colleagues would describe them and probes about the feedback they’ve received. This is followed up with asking about the actions they’ve taken for improvement to see if they truly listened and processed the feedback.

Johnson’s suggestions for building self-awareness (excerpts):

  • Understand your values
  • Identify your work style
  • Analyze your skills and capabilities

More on being self-aware:

The Harvard Business Review reports that research found that 95% of people believe they are self-aware, yet the true number is in the 10 to 15% range. They also reported that lacking in self-awareness creates workplace frustrations, can reduce success rates by 50%, and tends to increase stress, decrease motivation, and results in higher turnover rates.

Increasing your level of self-awareness will serve you well by positioning you to speak confidently about your strengths, magic dust, and development opportunities. It will also reduce stress, increase motivation, and improve interactions and relationships with others.

How will ensure you are not part of the 95% that believe they are self-aware, but in actuality are not?

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

Self-awareness is value-free. It isn’t scary.
It doesn’t imply that you will subject yourself to needless pain.
–Deepak Chopra

About PeopleTek Coaching

Peopletek Coaching is dedicated to empowering emerging leaders by providing comprehensive leadership development programs and coaching services. With a mission to foster a culture of leadership, Peopletek helps individuals unlock their full potential and transform into effective and inspiring leaders. Drawing from their extensive experience and expertise, Peopletek’s team of professionals offers tailored coaching, workshops, and assessments designed to meet the unique needs of emerging leaders. By cultivating essential skills, enhancing self-awareness, and promoting continuous growth, Peopletek Coaching paves the way for the next generation of successful and influential leaders. Learn more about our programs and services specifically tailored for emerging leaders.

Mastering Change Management: Overcoming Resistance for Organizational Growth

Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.
–John C. Maxwell

 

Mastering Change Management: Overcoming Resistance for Organizational Growth

Do you agree that change is inevitable? That without change we (and our organizations) will become stale, and growth will be stifled?

Most people won’t disagree that change must occur, yet it’s human nature to resist it. Dr. Britt Andreatta shares that we are “biologically wired to resist change“. Why is that?  

Change causes disruptions to what we know, and often the change is not a choice, rather it’s a mandate that may not be viewed as desirable, which prevents buy-in.

In Dr. Andreatti’s book, WIRED TO RESIST, she shares the 5 types of change encountered in the workplace:

1.    Strategic – how the organization will fulfill its mission
2.    Structural – the organization’s internal set-up
3.    Process – how the organization maximizes productivity and workflow
4.    Talent – maximizing employee skill and performance
5.    Cultural – shifting attitudes, values, and behaviors

She also shares 4 key factors that influence success rates: Disruption, Acclimation, Choice, Desire. As leaders it’s beneficial to assess the amount of disruption and the time required for acclimation. Each change can be categorized as follows:

  • ORANGE – A lot of effort but over quickly
  • GREEN – Little effort and over quickly
  • YELLOW – Little effort over a long period
  • RED – A lot of effort over a long period

Taking the time to assess the level of disruption for each change will help with how quickly you can expect to obtain buy-in. As leaders we need to communicate and manage what is changing, and why.

Poorly communicated change will add to the resistance. Recognize and address the difficulties that are being faced and share how each change can be supported by our organization, and at the individual level.

As leaders we also need to acknowledge and manage the emotions of the change curve (shock, denial, anger and fear) before we can expect acceptance and commitment.

Change is inevitable. Do you have stories to share about how you have helped lead through change?

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

Change is inevitable. Change is constant.

–Benjamin Disraeli

About PeopleTek:

PeopleTek is a renowned coaching organization dedicated to cultivating leadership excellence. With decades of experience, our team of skilled coaches and facilitators empowers leaders to unlock their full potential and drive sustainable growth. Our tailored programs, workshops, and coaching services help individuals and organizations navigate the complexities of leadership, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and success. At PeopleTek, we believe that leadership is a journey, and we are committed to guiding you every step of the way.

Harnessing the Power of Praise: Unlocking Employee Potential with Effective Recognition Strategies

A simple “thank-you” goes a long way.

 

Harnessing the Power of Praise: Unlocking Employee Potential with Effective Recognition Strategies

 
We’ve shared that feeling valued at work is a need, and along with that need is the desire to be appreciated and recognized for quality work.

As a leader, do you consistently acknowledge the accomplishments of others? When recognition is lacking, work efforts can also be lacking. Providing praise pays off!

Susan Caminiti shared in Workforce Wire that 81% of leaders say that recognition isn’t a major strategic priority for their company.

She also shared that:

· Employees are 73% less likely to feel burned out when recognition is offered
· That companies that make employee recognition a priority have workers who are 56% less likely to be looking for a new job
· Nearly two in three leaders say their company has no budget allocated to recognition programs

In a Global Gallup poll of hundreds of organizations and thousands of teams in a variety of industries, 25% of the employees strongly agreed that they had received recognition or praise for doing good work in the last week.  Does that number feel low to you?

The entire article: From Praise to Profits: The Business Case for Recognition at Work provides many statistics worth reading, but we want to highlight the Five Key Pillars they shared that are required for a successful recognition program:

1. Fulfilling: It feels appropriate to the accomplishment

2. Authentic: It feels genuine rather than a formality.

3. Personalized: It’s the way someone wants to be recognized.

4. Equitable: It’s about achievement, not favoritism.

5. Embedded: It’s part of the values and practices throughout the organization.

How is your recognition process? Are the 5 Pillars helpful? Sharing praise will foster a work culture that is positive, motivating, and energized, and will ultimately increase your results.
 
Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

Research indicates that employees 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

About PeopleTek:

PeopleTek is a renowned coaching organization dedicated to cultivating leadership excellence. With decades of experience, our team of skilled coaches and facilitators empowers leaders to unlock their full potential and drive sustainable growth. Our tailored programs, workshops, and coaching services help individuals and organizations navigate the complexities of leadership, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and success. At PeopleTek, we believe that leadership is a journey, and we are committed to guiding you every step of the way.

Unlock Growth with 360 Feedback: Discover Key Behaviors to Boost Your Effectiveness and Embrace Continuous Improvement

We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.
—Bill Gates

Unlock Growth with 360 Feedback: Discover Key Behaviors to Boost Your Effectiveness and Embrace Continuous Improvement

Is it time to solicit feedback from your colleagues, clients, direct reports and your leader(s)? Not everyone is comfortable hearing what others have to say so it’s important to remember the purpose:  to understand how others perceive us, and to grow our level of effectiveness (and as Bill Gates says “to improve”).

PeopleTek now has a new 360 Feedback Tool that measures 12 Key Behaviors (in bold) and associated balancing behaviors:

Continual Learning
Exhibits Curiosity, Assesses Own Skills, Learns New Approaches

Awareness
Demonstrates Humility, Considers Other Perspectives, Confirms Own Role

Magic Dust
Examines Own Essence, Receptive to Feedback, Develops Others

VMGM = B
Creates a Shared Vision, Identifies New Challenges, Aligns Behaviors

Communication
Is Approachable, Develops Others, Facilitates Dialogue

Clarity
Eliminates Obscurities, Validates Required Actions, Aligns Roles to Goals

Accountability
Demonstrates Integrity, Facilitates Resolution, Creates Accountability Culture

Conflict
Demonstrates Empathy, Facilitates Resolution, Identifies New Opportunities

Influence
Rallies with Enthusiasm, Shows Confidence, Maintains Composure

Relationships
Continuously Expands Network, Shows Authentic Self, Creates a Culture of Respect

Feedback
Receptive to Feedback, Champions Improvements, Develops Others

Inspiration
Rallies with Enthusiasm, Energizes and Excites, Demonstrates Loyalty

If it’s been over 1+ years since you’ve obtained feedback, now is a good time to learn where others feel you excel and where you have development opportunities.

Why wait?

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

 

Feedback is the breakfast of champions.
—Ken Blanchard

 

About PeopleTek Coaching

PeopleTek Coaching is a renowned organization dedicated to helping leaders and teams unlock their full potential. We offer tailored coaching and training programs designed to strengthen leadership skills, promote collaboration, and boost performance. Our seasoned coaches are dedicated to equipping professionals with the necessary tools and knowledge to excel in the ever-evolving business world.

As you begin your quest to establish integrity in your leadership, consider joining forces with PeopleTek Coaching to support your professional growth and development. By tapping into our expertise, you can foster a work culture that genuinely values integrity and cultivates a flourishing, successful team.

Assessing and Cultivating Integrity in Leadership: A Self-Reflection and Team Evaluation Guid

Measuring Integrity requires courage and the desire to truly understand
how your actions and behaviors impact others.

Assessing and Cultivating Integrity in Leadership: A Self-Reflection and Team Evaluation Guide

How do feel you “measure up” in regards to leading with integrity? Would your colleagues and direct reports agree that you say what you mean? That you model the behaviors that support your company values? That you can be trusted, are consistent, and are truly dedicated to helping team members succeed, and organizational goals achieved?

We’ve worked with companies and leadership teams where integrity was their lowest survey score when their leadership style was evaluated. Why? The raters felt that their leaders did not exhibit the behaviors that were expected of them, and that the actions, processes, and communication (or lack of) did not support the company values and beliefs.

Below are some questions that can be used to measure integrity. We suggest you answer the questions first, and then if inclined, you can ask your team to share their perceptions.

1.    I always act with positive intent

 

2.    I do not avoid answering questions truthfully, even when the issue is tough ex. layoffs

 

3.    I own up to my mistakes and take steps to not repeat them

 

4.    I am willing to say what I’m thinking, even when I’m in the minority

 

5.    I treat others fairly and respectfully regardless of position/title

 

6.    I lead by example

 

7.    I always fulfill my promises/commitments

 

8.    I’m respectful of others’ time and am always punctual

 

9.    I call others out when the work values are not supported

 

10. I don’t make excuses for poor behaviors or actions displayed by myself or others

 

11. I address disruptive behaviors and conflict quickly and respectfully

 

12. I am not easily influenced by those more senior to me when things seem “off” and have the confidence to be true to myself

 

13. I encourage collaboration for the attainment of results

 

14. I make an effort to build a work culture that encompasses trust

 

15. I give credit when and where credit is due

How did you feel answering these questions? Did any give you cause to pause? It takes courage to self-assess, and even more courage to admit there are development opportunities.   

Commit to supporting a work culture where integrity becomes the norm, and challenge others to do the same!

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

 

The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity.
Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower

 

About PeopleTek Coaching

PeopleTek Coaching is a distinguished organization that specializes in developing leaders and teams to reach their full potential. Through customized coaching and training programs, we help individuals and organizations enhance their leadership skills, foster a collaborative work environment, and drive overall performance. Our experienced coaches are committed to empowering professionals with the tools and knowledge needed to succeed in today’s dynamic business landscape.

As you embark on your journey to cultivate integrity in your leadership, consider partnering with PeopleTek Coaching to support your professional growth and development. By leveraging our expertise, you can create a work culture that truly values integrity and fosters a thriving, successful team.

Leading with Resilience: 8 Guiding Principles for Challenging Times

Effective Leadership Includes The Ability To Be Resilient

Leading with Resilience: Eight Guiding Principles for Challenging Times

Effective leadership includes having the skills and ability to be resilient. Let’s start by defining resiliency. One found in the Oxford Dictionary is “the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.”

Any question as to why this is an important skill for leaders to possess? Dealing with employee retention, hiring the right person for the right job, addressing issues in the workplace, managing stress, meeting goals and deadlines, keeping abreast of changes in the market; the list goes on and on.

Glenn Sanford, CEO SUCCESS Enterprises shares eight guiding principles for leading through challenging times. (excerpts from SUCCESS – September/October 2022).

1. Play to Win – Set a clear vision and mission with defined goals for your team to rally around together. (We’re pretty sure you’ve heard this before!)

2. Be Continually Learning – The best practices that worked a couple of years ago are probably irrelevant today . . . find new and innovative ways to succeed.

3. Break What Isn’t Broken – A comfortable business is one that will get left behind. Encourage your team to challenge, question, and scrutinize everything.

4. Don’t Under-Estimate Your Competition – Keeping your competitive advantage means iterating your product or service before the market requires it.

5. Know When You Have An Advantage and Double Down – Identify what makes your company unique and capitalize on it.

6. Balance Operating Expenses With Growth – Keep your costs low and your focus sharp.

7. Be Agile To Adapt – Leaders should create room for key team members to move in and innovate (and stay out of the way!).

8. Embrace Chaos To Drive Change – Get comfortable with chaos; it’s a byproduct of fast growing organizations.

As leaders there’s a need recognize and address difficulties that our team or organization are facing. We need to have the skill and energy to cope with the “chaos” and help our teams work through and bounce back from disruptions and challenges.

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

 

Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient.
― Steve Maraboli

 

Turning Mistakes into Opportunities: 3 Tips for Positive Handling

A man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them.
—John C. Maxwell

 

Turning Mistakes into Opportunities: 3 Tips for Positive Handling

Mistakes happen! When they do it certainly does not feel good, but without mistakes, growth and innovation will be limited.

How do you react when a mistake does occur? Paul Tiberian from Oneness Consulting provides 3 tips for handling mistakes:

  1. View the mistake as another attempt to the solution

Don’t let mistakes depress or discourage you. We must realize that depression and discouragement are negatives that limit the future. Instead let it help you to be more determined to solve the issue.

  1. Admit the mistake

Now this takes courage, but recognition of errors is a sign of maturity. When we don’t recognize them, it is denying them. The reality is that denying the mistake only allows the mistake to take root and grow, it’s something that will limit your future.

  1. Know that it’s only when you ignore the mistake that it is negative

When we confront mistakes, when we look it square in the eye, we can take full advantage of it as “positive” and you will benefit from the mistake.

This not only applies to the mistakes we make, but also those made by our colleagues and direct reports. We once worked with a leader that impressed on his team that he should be the first one to know when they had made a mistake.

Not to chastise them, but rather to gather the facts so he could better understand what happened and communicate the mistake as needed. He also would make sure that the person that made the mistake would have all the resources they needed to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

Too often there’s a fear factor about letting “the boss” know that a mistake was made. We all make mistakes. As leaders we can encourage our team members to own them, communicate appropriately, learn from them, and make every effort to not repeat them.

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.
–Albert Einstein

 

What’s The Heart Of Organizational Success?

Research shows that the climate of an organization influences an individual’s contribution far more than the individual himself.
–W. Edwards Deming

 
We want to succeed, we want our team members to succeed, and we want our organization to succeed. How do we make that happen?

Based on LinkedinWorkplaceLearningReport2023, the heart of organizational success are our people and their skills.

We often talk about the need for a commitment for continual learning and the findings support that. The Workplace Learning Report states that the #1 priority for success is to map learning with your goals. (What got you to where you are today will not likely help with “tomorrow”).

They also shared the 4 focus areas as:

1.    Aligning learning programs to business goals
2.    Upskilling employees
3.    Creating a culture of learning
4.    Improving employee retention

As we often share, documented goals are a must have. And, each organization and team member must understand how they can support them, with a means to track progress. Once defined, are all the skills and development opportunities in place to attain these goals? Are there any that are missing?

Next, it’s all about your people. Your employees, from the time they are hired and through-out their entire career, must experience a work culture that makes them feel valued and allows them to thrive. Maria Laws, Director of Learning Experience Design says: “it’s about helping everyone find the way that they shine.” We call this Magic Dust™; that is helping our team members discover their strengths and where they find enjoyment. This includes knowing and leveraging:

·         What each team member is good at
·         The unique skills and abilities of each team member
·         The qualities that make them most impactful
·         How each team member feels valued

93% of organizations have reported that they view employee retention as an issue, and the report concluded that if employees are not being developed and with the ability to learn new things, they will look for work elsewhere. In a nutshell, workers have a high desire to “stretch, grow, and develop” themselves.

3 suggestions for making this happen include:

1.    Invest in cross-functional relationships (growth is not limited to promotional opportunities)
2.    Improve in data literacy (ask the employees about issues and satisfaction levels)
3.    Activate people managers (it’s reported that only 35% of workers were encouraged by their boss to learn new things; encourage your people!)

How are you contributing to organizational success? Can you do more?

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

An organization’s ability to learn, and translate that learning into action rapidly,
is the ultimate competitive advantage.
—Jack Welch

 

7 Universal Leadership Behaviors

Behavior is the mirror in which everyone shows their image.
— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

 
Hopefully we all want to continue to hone our leadership skills, abilities and behaviors and be as impactful and influential as possible.

A commitment for continual learning is essential, and re-visiting critical leadership behaviors is always a simple and effective way to stay “sharp”.

We’ve heard most of this before, but it’s good to hear again. Here are the 7 Leadership Behaviors that Gallup has identified as essential competencies required for universal leadership excellence:

1. Build relationships – We’ve spoken extensively about this. Great leaders build genuine connections and trusting relationships with their peers, followers and networks.”

2. Develop people – Again, this is not a new thought. Leaders must prioritize ongoing development for every individual in their organization”.

3. Lead change – Understanding and leading through change is a given. “Leaders should model desired behaviors and challenge people to take responsibility for change”.

4. Inspire others – Leadership matters! “People thrive in a positive and encouraging environment that conveys purpose, celebrates accomplishments and recognizes each person’s unique importance”.

5. Think critically – This requires awareness and constant learning. “Great leaders are in a never-ending pursuit of information . . . establishing the goal, understanding risks . . . and  devising a comprehensive, multifaceted plan for execution“.

6. Communicate clearly – It’s not just about speaking and listening, it’s also about connections. “Leaders should . . . fuel a culture with streamlined information sharing and informed decision-makingPeople need to be listened to and listen themselves — and communication enables meaningful connections”.

7. Create accountability – Leaders hold themselves and others accountable. “Leaders should define what employees are accountable for, set and cascade goals, and infuse accountability in employee development”.

Chances are none of what was listed was new to you, but simple reminders can help us reinforce the behaviors we want to exhibit. It also helps us identify development opportunities for those wishing to grow their careers.  

What development opportunities do you have?  What about your direct reports?

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

 

Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.
–John F. Kennedy

 

Job Satisfaction

Job satisfaction factors may not be what you think.

Last week we talked about the direct correlation between healthy relationships and happiness, and this included relationships with co-workers and colleagues, which ultimately impacts job satisfaction.

So, what else impacts job satisfaction? The usual are: the job itself, who you work for, the overall leadership team, the work culture, colleagues, pay, and benefits. And often not discussed, stress levels.

Plain and simple, stress is a huge concern. Korn Ferry conducted a survey of roughly 2000 professionals, and two-thirds of the survey participants shared that their stress level at work has increased over the past five years. Attributing factors included ongoing technology changes, workload demands, and interpersonal conflicts.

It was also reported that stress at work spilled over to personal relationships, caused loss of sleep, with 16% of those polled quitting their job because of it. The biggest reported cause of stress? Leadership. 35% of respondents identified direct bosses as the primary source of stress, followed by co-workers.

Liking your job and being interested in what you do are factors for job satisfaction. The adage do what you love and you’ll never work a day may or may not be valid. Studies show that people who are truly interested in their jobs do indeed tend to be more satisfied, but who we work with matters more than the work we do.

This circles back to last week’s discussion that relationships matter. During the week many of us spend more time with our coworkers than we do with friends and family, and work interactions matter.

Being part of organization where you feel valued, and you have good relationships with your boss and coworkers seems to mean more than having a job you find interesting. The findings reflect that the “social experience”, and feeling valued take a precedent over everything else.

Job satisfaction requires a social environment where we can thrive both personally and professionally, and when our work culture includes having a boss and colleagues that are supportive and maybe even fun!

As a leader, what are you doing to minimize stress and maximize job satisfaction?

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

Your Job Satisfaction May Have More To Do With Who You Work With Than What You Do –Alison Escalante   

6 Steps to Cultivate Emerging Leaders in the Workplace and Ensure Future Success

How to Discover and Cultivate Emerging Leaders in the Workplace

As companies strive for growth and success, they must rely on the talents and abilities of their employees. While it’s essential to have a strong leadership team, it’s equally important to cultivate emerging leaders within the organization. These future leaders are the ones who will eventually fill the shoes of the current leadership team, and investing in them will benefit the organization in the long run. In this article, we’ll explore how to discover and cultivate emerging leaders in the workplace.

  1. Look for High Potential Employees

The first step in discovering emerging leaders is to identify employees who show potential for growth and leadership. These employees may have demonstrated skills, knowledge, or abilities that set them apart from others in their department. For example, they may have taken on additional responsibilities or have a history of delivering exceptional results.

  1. Encourage Professional Development

Once you’ve identified high potential employees, it’s essential to encourage their professional development. This can be achieved by providing opportunities for training, mentorship, and career growth. By investing in their growth, you’re not only helping them become better leaders, but you’re also creating a more skilled workforce.

  1. Provide Opportunities for Leadership

Another effective way to cultivate emerging leaders is to provide them with opportunities for leadership. This can include leading projects or teams, taking on additional responsibilities, or even acting as a mentor to other employees. These experiences will help them develop their leadership skills and gain valuable experience that they can apply in future leadership roles.

  1. Foster a Culture of Learning

To truly cultivate emerging leaders, it’s essential to foster a culture of learning within the organization. This means creating an environment where employees are encouraged to ask questions, share ideas, and learn from their mistakes. When employees feel comfortable taking risks and trying new things, they’re more likely to develop the skills and abilities they need to become successful leaders.

  1. Provide Feedback and Recognition

As employees develop their leadership skills, it’s important to provide feedback and recognition to help them stay motivated and engaged. This can include regular performance reviews, feedback from colleagues and supervisors, and recognition for exceptional work. When employees feel valued and appreciated, they’re more likely to continue developing their skills and abilities.

  1. Create a Succession Plan

Finally, it’s important to create a succession plan for emerging leaders. This plan should outline the steps that need to be taken to prepare these employees for future leadership roles. It should also identify the skills and abilities they need to develop to be successful in these roles. By creating a clear path for advancement, you’re showing your commitment to their growth and development.

Conclusion

Cultivating emerging leaders in the workplace is essential for the long-term success of any organization. By identifying high potential employees, encouraging their professional development, providing opportunities for leadership, fostering a culture of learning, providing feedback and recognition, and creating a succession plan, you can help ensure that your organization has the leadership talent it needs to succeed. So take the time to invest in your employees, and watch as they grow into the leaders of tomorrow.

Additional Tips for Startups: How to Recognize and Cultivate Emerging Leaders in a Fast-Paced Environment

Emerging leaders are an important asset for any organization, including startups. In addition to the six steps outlined in the previous section, there are some additional ways to recognize and cultivate emerging leaders in a startup environment.

  1. Identify Core Competencies

Before you can recognize emerging leaders, you need to identify the core competencies required for leadership in your startup. This may include qualities such as innovation, risk-taking, problem-solving, and collaboration. Once you’ve identified these core competencies, you can assess employees based on these qualities.

  1. Create Opportunities for Cross-Functional Collaboration

In a startup environment, employees often wear many hats and work across multiple departments. By creating opportunities for cross-functional collaboration, you can identify employees who excel at working across departments and are natural leaders. These employees may be able to identify opportunities for growth and development in the organization and may be well-suited for leadership roles.

  1. Encourage Open Communication

In a startup environment, it’s essential to encourage open communication and feedback. By fostering an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their ideas and opinions, you can identify those who have the potential to become great leaders. These employees may be able to provide valuable insights into the organization and may be able to lead and inspire others to achieve their goals.

  1. Provide Learning and Development Opportunities

Startups often have limited resources, but it’s important to provide learning and development opportunities for employees who show potential for leadership. This can include training sessions, mentorship programs, and attending conferences or networking events. By investing in their growth, you’re not only helping them become better leaders, but you’re also creating a more skilled workforce.

  1. Reward and Recognize Employee Achievements

In a startup environment, it’s important to reward and recognize employee achievements. This can include bonuses, promotions, and other incentives for exceptional work. By recognizing and rewarding employees, you’re showing them that their hard work is appreciated and valued, which can motivate them to continue developing their skills and abilities.

In conclusion, startups can cultivate emerging leaders by identifying core competencies, creating opportunities for cross-functional collaboration, encouraging open communication, providing learning and development opportunities, and rewarding and recognizing employee achievements. By investing in the growth and development of your employees, you’re creating a more skilled and motivated workforce that can help your startup achieve success.

PeopleTek Coaching: Discovering Your Leader Within

In today’s fast-paced business environment, it’s more important than ever to cultivate emerging leaders within your organization. One way to do this is through leadership development programs that help employees develop their skills and abilities. One company that specializes in this area is PeopleTek Coaching, which offers a range of leadership programs to help individuals discover their leader within.

Leadership Journeys: A Path to Personal Growth

At PeopleTek Coaching, the leadership programs they offer are called Leadership Journeys. These journeys are designed to help individuals develop their leadership skills, improve their communication and decision-making abilities, and build their confidence as leaders. Each journey is tailored to meet the specific needs of the individual and is led by experienced coaches who provide guidance and support throughout the program.

The Leadership Journeys offered by PeopleTek Coaching include a range of programs that are designed to meet the needs of different individuals and organizations.

How PeopleTek Coaching Can Help Your Organization

Investing in leadership development programs like those offered by PeopleTek Coaching can have a significant impact on your organization. By helping individuals develop their leadership skills, you’re not only creating a more skilled workforce, but you’re also building a culture of leadership within your organization.

The benefits of leadership development programs are clear. According to a study by the Center for Creative Leadership, organizations that invest in leadership development programs see a 15-25% increase in productivity and a 14-29% increase in employee satisfaction. In addition, these organizations are more likely to retain top talent and have a stronger reputation in the industry.

Relationships and Happiness

Good relationships keep us happier, healthier, and help us live longer.
–Dr. Waldinger

Would you be surprised to learn that there is a direct correlation between healthy relationships and happiness?

In 1938, the Harvard Study of Adult Development began to research 724 boys in an attempt to learn what made them happy. The boys selected had widely different backgrounds; some came from disadvantaged and troubled families and others were Harvard undergrads. (The study evolved to include spouses and 1300+ descendants of the original group).

Periodic interviews and surveys were conducted to determine what made life fulfilling and meaningful.  The answer: “The stronger our relationships, the more likely we are to live happy, satisfying, and overall healthier lives”.

The study also found that when we have strong relationships, predictions can be made about the health of our bodies and brains through-out our lives. And, it wasn’t just about relationships with friends, romantic partners, and family members, it also included co-workers and colleagues.

Work relationships matter! As leaders, we have the ability to influence those relationships. We can encourage networking and maintaining connections with customers/clients, suppliers/buyers, shareholders/stakeholders in addition to team members. Dr. Waldinger shares that a call, text or email saying something as simple as “just a quick check-in; hope all is well” goes a long way.

Relationships exist when there is genuine interest in one another. Build in a few minutes in your team meetings so attendees can share something personal allowing for relationships to grow. You can also host quarterly team building events. Note: This may need to be done in a “virtual” mode as many workers no longer consistently go to an office but zoom/webex are also beneficial.

How are you letting others know that your relationship with them is important? What are you doing to nurture those relationships?

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

The good life is built with good relationships.
-Robert J. Waldinger