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Leadership in Action

Posted on October 31, 2017 by Peter Nielsen, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.

Create Great Places to Work
Traits every employee must have
How to keep your cool
Ways to motivate your team
Phases of a team's development

 Leadership in Action In this article series, we will explore some of the most effective techniques leaders can implement in their business to increase the effectiveness of their teams as well as themselves. Ways Leaders Create Great Places to Work Challenge A key ingredient of a good job is “challenging, interesting work.” This is work that keeps the employee busy and involved all day long. Give employees a challenge that will keep them busy. They will respect you as a leader and have better self-esteem because they understand that you have faith in them. When employees stay involved in interesting work they will be passionate about what they are doing and enjoy their work more. Informed Create a feeling of being “in the know.” A good job can be defined as one where the employee feels that he or she is fully informed of what is happening in the company. The employee feels like an insider, like an important part of a larger group. Keep your employees informed of what is going on within the organization. Whether it is a ten-minute meeting every day or a daily or weekly email. Employees will have more drive because they feel they are contributing something to the organization’s success as a whole. Trust Build a high-trust environment. Defined as a job where a person could feel free to do his or her best and to make mistakes without being criticized or fired. When employees feel that they are free to make mistakes with no punishment or hostility, they developed better self-esteem and pride in their work, they enjoyed their work much more, became more creative, and work more effectively with other people. Caring Often, the human environment is more important than anything else. People feel the best places to work are where they get along well with everyone. The happier they feel with their work relationships, the better they work, the lower the level of absenteeism, and the more productive they are. A caring attitude is one of the great leadership qualities of a great boss. You inspire your employee’s attitudes and self-esteem. They will emulate your attitude and the way you act. If you are happy with your work, your employees will also be happier. Fairness Ensure fair pay and opportunities for promotion and advancement. To the surprise of many managers, the issue of pay is not the most important factor constituting a good job or a great place to work. Traits every employee must have Do you know what you should be looking for in an ideal employee? If you are trying to grow your business, especially during its early days, it’s really important to hire the right people. Hiring one bad person can derail your whole business and potentially cause you to fail. Hire hungry people The main reason companies don’t hire people who are over qualified is because they aren’t always willing to do what the job requires. People who are very successful usually aren’t as willing to get their hands dirty compared to someone who is trying to get his or her big break in the corporate world. For this reason, you want to hire hungry people because they are committed to work hard and strive to succeed. Hire people smarter than you You should never hire anyone who isn’t smarter than you. They don’t have to be a jack-of-all-trades, but they do need to be more knowledgeable than you when it comes to their job. Plus, that person needs to be able to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. If they can’t execute on their knowledge, they typically aren’t the right fit for any job. If you don’t hire smart people, you’ll end up wasting your time micromanaging. Employees hate that, and it will consume too much of your time. Smart people, on the other hand, are independent and they’ll figure out how to get stuff done on their own, while being able to do a better job than you. It’s hard to scale without process As you become larger, you will have growing pains. You’ll have to figure out how to make things more scalable, and you’ll have to train more employees. You’ll also have to figure out how to make things more efficient. There’s no quick solution in solving all of these things, but employees who are good at creating processes will make your life a lot easier. If you hire people who aren’t good at creating processes, it will be hard for them to determine the bottlenecks in the business and areas of improvement. If you want to grow fast, you’ll have to fine-tune your business, and it’s hard to do that without processes. Don’t take culture for granted One of the biggest lessons learned is that culture is really important. If people don’t fit within your company culture, they will be more likely to butt heads when it doesn’t make sense, quit when things aren’t going well and not care for your company. If someone doesn’t fit your company culture, you shouldn’t hire them… even if they fit all of your other requirements. Money isn’t everything You want to hire people who love your company and want to work there because they believe in your vision. They’ll get the opportunity to learn from you, work with like-minded people who can challenge them and be in a fun work environment that isn’t filled with useless meetings and boring calls. When negotiating compensation, keep in mind that people have bills to pay and they need money to survive. You can’t expect people to work for free, but you can expect them to work for you below the market rate. How to keep your cool when things are going bad Don’t Blame Others To be your own turnaround specialist, to take complete control over your life in a crisis, the first thing you must do is to accept 100% responsibility for yourself and for everything that happens from this minute forward. Accept responsibility and take charge. Above all, refuse to blame anyone for anything. Anger and negative emotions of all kinds are dependent upon blame for their very existence. As soon as you stop blaming other people for what has happened and take responsibility for the future, your negative emotions cease, your mind becomes calm and clear, and you begin to make better decisions. How to Remain Calm under Pressure The starting point of staying calm under pressure is for you to refuse to react automatically and unthinkingly. Instead, take a deep breath to calm your mind and then think carefully about your next words and actions. Imagine that everyone is watching or at least somebody you want to impress. Resolve to set a good example, to be a role model for others, to demonstrate the correct way to deal with a major problem, as if you were giving a lesson. Get the Facts Instead of overreacting, keep yourself calm by being curious and asking questions of the other people involved in an effort to fully understand the issues. If there is a solution, your job is to find it by fully understanding what has happened before you respond. Write it down Begin by asking, ‘‘what, exactly, is the problem?’’ If you are working by yourself, write down a clear statement of the problem on a piece of paper. We find that if you can get the problem down on paper it starts to solve itself. Then write down what all of the possible solutions to the problem may be. You will find that when you write out your problem and solutions, you will be able to identify the best way to solve it. Try Something Different By trying something different or taking a different approach to solving a problem. You may find a new, more beneficial way to go about things. When something fails, by taking a different approach and solving what went wrong the first time, will help you improve over the long run. Communicate Sometimes, talking over the problem with a confidant will help immensely to keep you calm and controlled. Go for a long walk and review the situation, examining it from every angle, seeking a possible solution. Remain optimistic, no matter what is going on. Look for something good in the problem or situation. Very often, what appears to be a major setback is an opportunity in disguise. The complete failure of a project, process, or business venture may be exactly what you need because it may compel you to channel your time and resources in another direction. Make a Decision No matter what happens, seek the valuable lesson in every difficulty and setback. Trust that within every problem you face, there is the seed of an equal or greater benefit or advantage. When you discipline yourself to look for the good in the situation, and to seek the valuable lessons that the situation or crisis might contain, you automatically remain calm, positive, and optimistic. As a result, all the powers of your wonderful mind remain available to you to solve the problem or resolve the crisis. Get Busy Solving the Problem Get so busy taking action that and solving the problem and bringing about a solution that you don’t have time to worry or think about the problem anymore. The only real antidote to worry, is purposeful action in the direction of your goals. Instead of becoming upset or doubting yourself and your abilities, decide to take action, any action, to resolve the difficulty and get yourself through the crunch. Remind yourself that problems come not to obstruct, but to instruct. Ways to motivate your team Motivating your team can be more art than science, but here are four techniques that will increase your chances of finding the right fuel. The end goal is energy for action, but you need the right connection to trigger that flow of energy. Focus on the bigger picture. One of the most universal motivational triggers is connecting a current action with a bigger vision. For example, when you started your business, it’s very likely that you had some motivation beyond having a business for business’s sake. You might have wanted freedom to build a better life for you and your loved ones, to help people or to make the world a better place in some way. What drives you is the bigger picture, not the daily to-dos. Your team is no different. If you’re seeing a lack in motivation or productivity, it’s probably because they’ve lost the connection between what they are doing and their “why.” Actively search for their “why” during conversations, so that when there is a lull in motivation, you can be there to remind them of the big picture. Help them see how their puzzle piece fits in to build a larger picture. Emphasize the importance of process. Sometimes teams procrastinate because they don’t think there’s any harm in putting off certain tasks. Little do they know that what seems inconsequential to them is actually a cornerstone for your next steps. You might need to explain the chain of events that are necessary to accomplish the big goals. No step is unimportant. Like they say in theatre, there are no small roles, only small actors. In your business, there are no small steps, only small thinking. Of course, this only applies if you don’t have unnecessary redundancies. If you do, it’s a good idea to do an audit and clean out the cobwebs of your procedures. Pay attention to what excites them. The best kind of motivation doesn’t come from you; it comes from people themselves. When you’re having a conversation with someone, pay close attention to what they say and how they say it. Chances are, they are giving you clues on how to best motivate them in that moment. I like to call these clues "keywords." They are words or phrases that stand out from the rest. Keywords are more charged when spoken. The person will lean in or sit up straighter. Their voice might get louder or more pointed. Their eyes might widen when they say their keywords. Use positive reinforcement. One of the best ways to lay the groundwork for future motivation is to acknowledge and reward successes. If you motivate someone to take action, but don’t acknowledge the accomplishment, they will be jaded when you approach them again in the future for something else. Recognition of past successes is a motivator for future progress. Failing to do so can lead to bitter and defensive employees. Leaders need to be a constant source of motivation. Your team should come to you to recharge their batteries, not leave feeling more drained. Pay attention their needs. Usual phases of a team's development? A team is a living and dynamic entity. It could progress from an early to a mature phase, independent of the nature of the team or the task it must perform. Tuckman's model proposed the following typical phases in team development: Forming This is the initial orientation period. The team is unsure about what it is supposed to do, members do not know each other well or are not yet familiar with the way the team leader and the other members function. This stage is complete when the members begin to see themselves as a part of the group. Storming This is a sorting out period where members begin to find their place as team members. The team members now feel more comfortable giving their opinion and challenging the team leader's authority and recommendations. Some members may become dissatisfied and challenge not only the tasks of the team and how these will be carried out, but also the leader's role and style of leadership. This is the start of intragroup conflicts. Norming Team members begin to use their past experiences to solve their problems and pull together as a cohesive group. This process should result in the team establishing procedures for handling conflicts, decisions, and methods to accomplish the team projects. Performing In this phase the team has achieved harmony, defined its tasks, worked out its relationships, and has started producing results. Leadership is provided by the team members best suited for the task at hand. Members have learned how to work together, manage conflict and contribute their resources to meet the team's purposes. Dissolving The team dissolves when the team has completed the project. It may be reoriented to continue on a next phase of the project. Testimonials “I’m very selective in the products that I expose our company to, as it’s very difficult to quickly learn enough about a company to have a real impact without burdening the management team. Damian and Peter did an excellent job selling their consulting team’s skills and then followed through on what they sold and over delivered on the project.” Doug Burgoyne, Founder Frogbox, Inc. About Frogbox: Moving is rated as one of life’s most stressful events. FrogBox was created to fill a need for a convenient, cost effective and environmentally friendly alternative to using cardboard boxes for moving. Our purpose is to make your move as easy and affordable as possible while minimizing the impact on the environment. Frogbox have secured financing from celebrity investors on the CBC television show “Dragons’ Den” not once, but twice. The little company have expanded to 19 franchise outlets, and Burgoyne have been busy building a solid company while bettering the world. “Damian and Peter were great through our consulting process! They held many meetings with us to evaluate our business, customers and staff, which enabled them to put together an accurate and achievable plan, to further our business growth and success. They offered great advice and support during the entire process as well as after. We are very happy that we decided to bring Damian and Peter in to help with our growing organization.” Sonya and Brian Perkins, Founder and CEO Forever Yours Lingerie About Forever Yours Lingerie: Forever Yours Lingerie is a Canadian bra and lingerie store in the heart of Langley, British Columbia catering to women of all sizes. Although personalized bra fittings are our specialty, we also place an emphasis on sourcing and stocking the best lingerie, sleepwear, swimwear, and shapewear brands for women, regular and plus size. Shop with us online or visit us at our beautiful store in Langley, BC for an exceptional lingerie shopping experience. Forever Yours Lingerie was founded in 1996, by owner Sonya Perkins after she experiencing her own heart-breaking search for support wear and lingerie. From her small start-up store, to the 6000 sq/ft store that it is today, Sonya is still dedicated to making Forever Yours Lingerie the first and best choice for women in the Lower Mainland to find pieces that will make them feel gorgeous, from the outside in! Your Essential Partner Running a small business is exciting, challenging and stressful all at once. It takes a special person to be able to handle all the demands of a small business, while at the same time carry the final responsibility for everything. Lots of small business owners initially started their entrepreneurship based on a particular attraction to the business itself. However, as the business grows over time and become more and more complex with an increasing amount of moving parts, it becomes necessary to move the focus from working in the business to working on the business. Still you are not alone! I am here to help with anything big or small. You may want to have support in developing your future strategy or pivot part of your business to position it for greater strength. Alternatively, you may require extra focus on your current operation to ensure it operates efficiently and is scalable as you execute on your future strategy. Or you may face new leadership challenges which touches at the heart of the organization and everybody’s desire to go all the way. Running a marathon on your own requires a special psyche as well as a broad skillset to support you in your day-to-day. Running a marathon as part of a team brings in synergies, which can exponentially affect the outcome in the long run. When this team is made up of individuals driven by a deep passion for contribution magic can and will happen. Getting the edge in business, requires a number of crucial components to all fall into place. Renewing oneself and continually staying relevant with existing and new clients and customers requires one to innovate and identify product or services, which allows the company to provide even more value add. Optimization of existing product and services is another angle which can be used to maintain this relevance. The center for either approach is the successful implementation, which ensures that the vision becomes reality. It’s often said that the financials are the lifeblood of any company. Without that under control the vision and mission of the company will never be achieved at its full potential. A strong grasp of the monthly cash budget and the various financial statements as well as a deep analysis of variances and bench-marking within these numbers, is fundamental to enable smooth running company. Irrespective of what you may be facing, I can help! My satisfaction guarantee to you, is that we will actively work together to develop a suitable plan for your business which you can fully endorse. If at any moment you feel that you are not receiving value, you are free to terminate the relationship immediately without any further notice. Peter Lykke Nielsen, MBA, ACC, CPA, CMA Performance Coach and Business Consultant peter.lykke.nielsen@gmail.com +1 604 338 6555

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