Put Yourself Back in Leadership School

3 Ways to Put Yourself Back in Leadership School

Shannon Cassidy Leave a comment

It’s Fall!

New clothes, new folders and new sharpened number 2 pencils are signs that the bell for the first day of school has rung and kids everywhere are back in their desks and ready to go. Summer has ended and autumn has ushered in the season of change. It is time to learn.

But not just for children. As adults, it is important to keep learning new skills, be it for your current occupation, a new job or an old hobby. Acquiring new knowledge is especially important if you are, or want to be, a leader. Leaders are life-long learners. They know the importance of keeping up with the ever changing world we live in. How do they do it? How do adults who are not enrolled in an official class keep in school?

1.They Adopt a “Growth Mindset”

Liz Wiseman, a leadership expert and author of Rookie Smarts, advise those who want to study as adults to set their minds to learning. It’s akin to flipping a light switch to “on” that many adults leave in the “off” position. In the Harvard Business Review, in an article titled “How to Keep Learning and Still Have a Life” Wiseman notes that a predisposition to learning often gives inexperienced people an edge over their more seasoned colleagues. Flipping that switch to a “growth mindset” causes leaders/learners to prepare to receive and master new skills.

2. They Challenge Old Assumptions

Dr. Kathleen Taylor, a professor at St. Mary’s College of California, encourages learners to “jiggle their synapses a bit” by confronting thoughts that are opposite to their own. In doing so, you wrestle your brain connections and develop your learning abilities. Leaders who hang around with only those who agree with them and leaders who only read what they already know do not stay leaders for long. In “How to Train the Brain,” a New York Times article, writer Barbara Strauch stresses that stretching the brain is what keeps it in shape.

3. They Cultivate the Lessons of Failure  

Bill Gates, one of the world’s leaders of technology development, said, “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” Leaders who continually enroll in learning make their failures their teachers. They look at their mistakes and instead of crumpling up those errors like bad homework and throwing them into the trashcan, they unfold the creases and study what they did wrong. Leaders learn from failure. As Thomas Edison famously stated, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

If you are a leader or aspire to be one, you must engage in learning. A mindset of growth will alert you to new lessons every day. Challenging old methods and beliefs will keep your brain sharp and ready to meet new tasks. And studying your failures will teach you fresh ways to succeed as well as make you a better leader. School is in session now. Get your brand new backpack that doesn’t smell of old lunches yet, and begin.

Sources:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/03/education/edlife/03adult-t.html?_r=0

https://hbr.org/2014/11/how-to-keep-learning-and-still-have-a-life

How to Lead People

Being Human: How to Lead People

Shannon Cassidy Leave a comment

Your organization has sent you to leadership training and nurtured you through their fast track program. You know the disciplinary policy like the back of your hand and the you could recite state labor laws in your sleep. While these things are important to know and understand, the true foundation of effective leadership lies in inherent human qualities. In simple, great leadership boils down to being human.

Be Honest

Good leaders are honest with their employees, clients, and managers. They own their mistakes and oversights and actively work toward a solution. They don’t say anything behind an employee’s back that they haven’t said to the employee’s face. Their subordinates respect their honesty and trust their words. Sugar coating performance deficits causes confusion for the employee and fails to promote success. Be honest.

Be Friendly

Employees who connect with their leaders are more likely to respect and follow their leaders and feel satisfied in their role. Take time to learn about your employees’ families and hobbies; they make wonderful friendly talking points. A simple, “Good morning, Shirley! How did Bob’s appointment go yesterday?” goes a long way. Always take a moment to establish eye contact and make a connection.

Be Real

Show your employees that you are a real person not so different from themselves. Laugh at work often and smile whenever you can. Let your employees into your life a little by sharing information about your family and hobbies. Leaders who are real with their employees are more approachable, and therefore receive more valuable feedback and suggestions.

Be Supportive

Good leaders are those who are supportive of their employee’s ambitions and goals. Support each employee in their role, assist individuals in understanding the value of their contributions to the organization, and encourage every employee to pursue in-house positions that interest them. Take time to discuss an employee’s career planning so you can work to keep the best in the organization. Identify leaders early and share your plans for their advancement in the organization.

Be Empathetic

Experience in the leadership industry can harden even the most compassionate of hearts. However, a leader should go to great lengths to see every employee as a human being, take every concern seriously, and genuinely empathize with the employee expressing his or her dissatisfaction. Furthermore, the effective leader shows empathy with the grieving employee and encourages as much family time as possible.

Be Rewarding

Statistics show that employee satisfaction increases more when non-monetary rather than monetary rewards are issued. Commit to complimenting a minimum of three employees daily on their performance. Telling the janitorial staff, “It sure looks great in here! Thanks for the hard work!” or your administrative assistant, “Thanks for keeping such an organized schedule!” takes mere moments but their effects are lasting.

Be Open Minded

Be willing to consider the viewpoints of others and entertain new ideas or suggestions. Good leaders understand the value in new and differing opinions. Furthermore, employees respect and value a leader who is open to their thoughts and opinions and who considers them seriously.

Be Inspiring

An effective leader shows employees what he or she expects of them by displaying the same commitment and drive every day. A leader’s boots should be the first to hit the ground and the last to leave. Policy should be followed fervently and eagerly. Strides should be taken every day in the direction of success and advancement of the organization.

In conclusion, a good leader requires some textbook knowledge but an abundance of quality characteristics. A good leadership mantra is, “Always do the right thing.”

 

open door policy

The Importance of an Open Door Policy

Shannon Cassidy 2 Comments

In facilities with an open door policy in place, managers keep their office doors open to welcome feedback, encourage in-house resolution of problems, better observe and manage their departments, and remain accessible to their staff. While an open door policy has the potential to do all of these things, employees who work in facilities with such a policy don’t, in actuality, communicate more openly with their managers. As a matter of fact, 44% of these employees indicate that they don’t feel free to speak openly and honestly with their managers and 20% said they fear repercussions.

There is more to an effective open door policy than meets the eye; keeping the doors to manager offices open should be only one component of a multi-faceted policy. When the policy is written appropriately and followed, open door policies are vital for preventing disengagement and even potential litigation as a result of unresolved issues at work.

The following components can transform an open door policy from ineffective to necessary for survival:

Open Doors

The first and most literal element is an open door. Of course, doors will be closed during private meetings, disciplines, and crunch time before a deadline, but for the most part, office doors should be open to indicate interest in others and openness to their feedback. An open door is welcoming and has the potential to open the lines of communication, increase respect for management, and provide transparency that may improve trust.

No Repercussion

A primary reason employees working in open door facilities don’t communicate more with their supervisors is fear of repercussion or retaliation. An effective open door policy can address this fear by clearly communicating protection for a reporter. A few ways to say this include:

“Questions, comments, and concerns brought forth as a result of the open door policy will not be used as a means of discipline for the reporter. Managers within the organization have made a commitment to take such questions, concerns, and comments seriously and protect employees from the repercussions that may accompany reporting them. “

“There will be no retaliation by management against employees who report violations or concerns, and coworkers who retaliate against a reporter will be disciplined or terminated. Retaliation will not be supported or tolerated.”

“To extent legally permissible, reporters will remain anonymous.”

The best way to illustrate commitment to repercussion-free reporting of incidents, violations, and problems at work is to follow through with organizational open door policy consistently. When an employee reports a concern and receives adequate feedback with no change in treatment from management or coworkers, they’re more likely to report their concerns next time.

Follow Up

An open door policy loses its power when managers fail to follow up to concerns in a timely manner. A well-defined schedule for follow up after a complaint has been filed includes three primary elements:

  • Notification to the employee in writing that a complaint or request has been received and is being investigated or discussed within 24 hours of receipt of complaint. In this letter, employees should be given an estimated date of resolution.
  • A face to face meeting with the employee within seven days of receipt of complaint to gain understanding, clarify points, and learn about their expectations in terms of outcome.
  • A final written response to the employee, detailing what was found (if permissible and appropriate to share), indicating resolution of the issue, thanking the employee for their efforts to improve the workplace, and encouraging them to share future concerns.

An open door policy can work when all elements are in place and managers are committed to the policy.

How is technology changing management?

How is technology changing management?

Shannon Cassidy Leave a comment

The basics of management haven’t changed with time, notes Harvard Business Review; it remains more art than science. Styles and subject matter may evolve, but basic management practice endures. Managing is action-oriented, fast-paced and rife with pressure. Managers are interrupted often and typically don’t have the luxury of long periods of concentration.

Indeed, managers have always led hectic lives. It seems someone needs something from them at every moment of the day. With the advent of the Internet, managers’ time has become even more scarce as technology blurs the lines between the professional and the private, as HowStuffWorks notes.

But technology also has simplified life for managers in many ways. Information is much easier to access from the cloud than from file drawers back at the office, and email allows instant communication to every corner of the globe. Is technology changing management for the better? To answer that question, it’s necessary to examine the pros and cons.

Con: Less time for human contact

Staring at a screen and typing means less time for face-to-face interaction with other people, as Harvard Business Review notes. Managers — who historically have done their jobs primarily by walking around and talking to people — only have so many hours in each day. Text-based methods of communication like email provide ample room for misinterpretation and misunderstanding, which certainly can impede managers from doing their jobs effectively.

A perpetually clogged email inbox is bound to serve as a stumbling block to real human interaction — especially when the expectation is that managers respond to emails and texts instantaneously.

Pro: Ease of keeping in touch with external networks

A manager’s life can be a lonely one, especially when it seems no one in the company truly understands the challenges. Managers often tend to get pressure from both sides: from their employees below them and from their bosses or board members above them. Often, limited resources and marching orders from above leave them feeling that their hands are tied.

Modern technologies including email, along with social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn, allow managers to stay in touch with extended networks, including people in similar management roles in other locations. The ability to blow off steam or get quick advice from peers can help managers keep their situations in perspective and relieve stress.

Con: More focus on the short term, less on the long term

The frantic pace of life on the Internet tends to make everyone focus on the short term. A manager’s day has always involved someone needing something at every moment, but email and text messages have increased the number of “someones” making demands at all hours. With limited time available and increasing pressure to focus on short-term needs, many managers are left without time or motivation to focus on long-term strategies and plans of action — often to the detriment of employees and organizations.

Pro and Con: Easier monitoring of employees

In today’s world, most employees understand that they do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy at work. Their Internet usage may be tracked in a number of ways, including the sites they visit, the projects they work on and even the keystrokes they make. Company-issued cell phones can monitor employees’ whereabouts at every moment of the day, even during their time off.

All that monitoring can certainly shed light on employees’ productivity, but that can be both a blessing and a curse for managers whose time is already at a premium. Constant monitoring also can damage relationships and mutual trust that can take many years to build.

How can managers use technology effectively?

Whether it’s a net pro or con, technology is here to stay. But skilled managers are using technology in ways that contribute to team cohesion and productivity, and they make sure that its use doesn’t erect unnecessary barriers to honest communication. To ensure that technology remains a useful tool rather than an impediment, managers should:

  • Use email sparingly, and meet in person with team members as often as possible.
  • Set up a news and information section on the company intranet that allows for communication of general news to the entire team in a timely manner.
  • Save time by using an internal instant messaging program for quick questions and answers.

Technology: Changing management for the better?

Technology is simply a tool that managers can use in positive or negative ways. For maximum communication, productivity and team harmony, managers should keep a foot in two worlds: Use technology for quick communication and sharing general information, but continue to nurture the critical element of face-to-face interaction.

To add exceptional team members, ask great interview questions

To Add Exceptional Team Members, Ask Great Interview Questions

Shannon Cassidy Leave a comment

You’ve pored over dozens of resumes, scoured social media accounts and, finally, narrowed the field to just a few candidates for an important open position in your company. Next comes the most critical step in the process: the interviews.

Managers and human resources professionals can only tell so much about candidates by reviewing their credentials. Candidates who look great “on paper” can turn out in real life to be a poor fit for your company, and interviews provide the all-important face time.

The in-person interviews with your top candidates provide you with important visual cues about how an individual may perform. How is the candidate dressed? Does she seem nervous or evasive? How does he interact with your team? When you’ve identified several candidates with similar skills, education and work experience, the interview can provide important missing information you need to make a final selection.

With interviews carrying so much weight in the hiring process, it’s critical to ask compelling questions that get your candidates talking openly. As Entrepreneur notes, asking the right questions can help you identify individuals with high levels of emotional intelligence, which includes traits like self-control, persistence and the ability to get along with others. Employees with high EI are said to be able to adjust better to change, to be flexible and to work as part of teams.

Here are eight of the top questions that encourage your candidates to provide honest, open answers that can help you predict future success.

Envision that it’s a year from now; what has our team achieved?

This question gives the candidate a chance to express her strategic vision and knowledge of your company. A thoughtful answer demonstrates that she’s taken the time to learn about your challenges and to brainstorm solutions.

Who do you consider a role model, and why?

Choice of role model can tell you a lot about your candidate’s level of introspection, and it can potentially give you an idea about what behaviors to expect, as Inc. notes. It also reveals the character and attributes your candidate wishes to emulate.

If you launched a new business, what would you want to be its three top values?

This question provides you with insights into a candidate’s priorities, notes Entrepreneur. Understanding that candidates may be surprisingly candid in interviews, you want to hear answers like “trust,” “integrity,” “empathy” and “fair play.” Values that wouldn’t be a fit with your corporate culture and ethics should give you pause.

What aspects of your past jobs have you not enjoyed?

All candidates expect to be asked about their strengths and weaknesses. But asking specifically about parts of their current or previous jobs that they didn’t like can result in honest answers. No one enjoys everything about any job, despite what applicants will say in interviews. Understanding your candidate’s likes and dislikes will help you determine if the individual will be a good fit for your specific job opening.

Tell me about a lasting friendship you’ve developed in a job

Building relationships only happens over time and with sustained effort, and it is a marker for high emotional intelligence. With this question, you learn how much your candidate values other employees as people, and it can give you an idea of your candidate’s level of commitment to team members.

What skill or expertise should you develop?

No one has mastered every possible skill, and you want to hear that your candidate is curious and has a desire to continue learning and improving in his field. If an individual doesn’t have an answer, you can take it as a sign that he doesn’t feel he has anything left to learn.

Describe a time in a job when things didn’t go the way you’d hoped

By asking about something that didn’t go well, you can gather information about your candidate’s tendencies as a self-starter and whether she views challenges as permanent setbacks or opportunities for growth. You also may learn whether your candidate is a team player or would point a finger of blame at colleagues.

What are your questions for me?

Providing your candidate with an opportunity to ask you questions can tell you how much she prepared in advance or how well she thinks on her feet. It also can give you an idea of the innovative — or potentially disruptive — ideas your new employee will bring to the table.

To uncover valuable information, ask the right interview questions

Few decisions are as important to your organization as the employees you hire. By asking compelling, open-ended questions, you can uncover your candidates’ emotional intelligence levels and improve your chances of adding strong team members.