Engagement, Appreciation and Growth

Continuing our theme of employee engagement, consider the correlation between engagement and appreciation. People want to be appreciated and acknowledged for a job well done. It isn’t a big leap to understand that when people are praised for their efforts, they are motivated to do more.

Leaders who feel that recognition merits only occasional effort miss the opportunity to enhance the employee experience. Make sure that you express appreciation in a sincere and well-meaning manner. Employees know immediately when someone is “scamming” them.

Does Your Company Have a Case of Presenteeism?

Why is employee engagement so important? Obviously, there are myriad answers, but at the core, the more engaged your employees are the better they will do their jobs. Better job performance results in fewer mistakes, which ultimately leads to more satisfied clients.

You know what absenteeism is, but are you familiar with presenteeism? This happens when employees show up at work and simply go through the motions of their jobs. They do the minimum amount of work without calling attention to their declining effectiveness and productivity.

The Impact of Leaders Who Step Up

I received an exceptional email from a founding partner of a national window covering company. He thanked me for my interest in their company and reinforced their commitment to the “health, happiness and safety of our team and our customers.”

So far, so good.

He then said, “You’re in great hands with your Design Consultant, but please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly if you have any questions or if there is anything I can do to make your experience with us more enjoyable.”

Clarity in Communication

Everyone is getting busier, which is great for business but perhaps more challenging in execution. This continues to be more complicated if you are working remotely or in a hybrid situation.

During the most intense periods of the pandemic, employees adapted and got the work done clumsily but effectively. What’s different now is the pace and higher levels of expectations. Business is returning to previous activity levels and leaders need to help their teams adjust to expectations.

Handling the Unexpected

No one likes to deal with disruptions, but let’s face it, every leader has dealt with the consequences of unexpected interruptions. Sometimes the timing can be so disruptive that you feel paralyzed about how to move forward.

Good decision-making ability is a the key to having the least disruptions during such times. People sometimes overly complicate making decisions. When you approach the problem by first looking at the intended outcome, you create a path for a better result.

Spot Check

Does it seem to you that the first half of the year just flew by? Let’s seize the moment by doing a spot check to analyze your progress towards this year’s goals.

Start by identifying your accomplishments. You can get as granular as you’d like, but you’ll benefit the most by looking at your top achievements.

Have an Open Mind

“A mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work if it is not open.”
– Frank Zappa

In the last of our series on relationship and network building, today’s topic centers on being open to new people in your sphere. Too often, people dismiss the people they meet by immediately judging that there is nothing they can do for them.

Don’t Burn Bridges!

Continuing with our June theme of relationship and network building, someone asked how to handle a scenario when something negative influences a relationship. Hopefully, this doesn’t happen frequently, but you want to be prepared when it does occur.

It’s important to remember that the other person might be more sensitive to what happened than you are. The best way to approach it is to have a direct and empathetic conversation close to the triggering episode, mainly to clear the air and make sure that you’re both on the same page. It is up to the two of you to move the relationship forward after that.

The Value of Your Network

I hope you’ve had a great start to reconnecting with colleagues and friends! Having good conversations with people who have been out of your immediate scope is encouraging and can even raise your spirits.

As you continue the plan to contact five people a week, remember why this is important. Your network is a key element to your value as a professional and a leader. People think of you differently when they know you have an extensive and deep network.

Reconnecting Anew

It’s time to climb out from under the rock! If you haven’t already started, begin reconnecting with people. In the past 15 months, there has been a decided change in how we stayed in touch with people who matter to us. During this month of June, we’re going to explore how you can relaunch these connections.

Today’s focus is on how to get started. Of course, you can randomly reach out to people, but after a few weeks the randomness will keep you from making progress. Make a list of 20 people and commit to reaching out to an average of five people a week for this month.

Leadership is a Mindset

Tag: Communication