leadership Archives - Dennis E. Gilbert

12
Oct 21
0

Management and Leadership Certificate (Live, Virtual Training)

Tags : certificate leadership management supervisors training

VIRTUAL (Live, On-line via Zoom)

This Management and Leadership Certificate program is being brought to you by a special partnership between Bloomsburg University and the Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce.

Dennis Gilbert, is serving as the instructor/facilitator for this series.

This five-module series is designed to help participants develop and sharpen skills that relate to leading in today’s workplace environment. It is appropriate for existing workplace leaders, managers, and supervisors; or those who are new or emerging.

Throughout the series, each module will provide specific learning objectives and will be delivered by a subject matter expert who will utilize a pleasing combination of lecture, experiential learning activities and exercises, and real-world examples.

Professional course materials will be provided and will include assessments, activities, and other learning enhancement components to help each participant individualize their learning experience.

The five, three-hour modules are:

Supervisor Effectiveness
Effective Communication for Managers
Conflict Management
Navigating a Multi-generational Workforce
Being a Great Mentor or Coach

Sharpening management skills and your leadership presence are valuable for navigating today’s workforce. This series will help you prepare and improve your role as a leader.

This program is scheduled as follows:

FALL 2021

October 12th

October 26th

November 9th

November 23rd

December 7th

All sessions will be virtual training via the Zoom platform. They will start promptly at 9 AM (sign-in 8:50 AM) and conclude at 12 Noon.

To submit an application to participate or to get more information please contact: Jennifer Williams at Bloomsburg University by calling 570-389-4004.

This program qualifies for WEDnetPA grant funding (for eligible businesses). For additional information please contact: Jennifer Williams at Bloomsburg University by calling 570-389-4004.

More Details

Columbia Montour Chamber

bloomsburg university

21
Sep 21
0

Management and Leadership Certificate (Live, In-Person)

Tags : certificate leadership management supervisors training

Live, In-Person

This Management and Leadership Certificate program is being brought to you by a special partnership between Bloomsburg University and the Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce.

Dennis Gilbert, is serving as the instructor/facilitator for this series.

This five-module series is designed to help participants develop and sharpen skills that relate to leading in today’s workplace environment. It is appropriate for existing workplace leaders, managers, and supervisors; or those who are new or emerging.

Throughout the series, each module will provide specific learning objectives and will be delivered by a subject matter expert who will utilize a pleasing combination of lecture, experiential learning activities and exercises, and real-world examples.

Professional course materials will be provided and will include assessments, activities, and other learning enhancement components to help each participant individualize their learning experience.

The five, three-hour modules are:

Supervisor Effectiveness
Effective Communication for Managers
Conflict Management
Navigating a Multi-generational Workforce
Being a Great Mentor or Coach

Sharpening management skills and your leadership presence are valuable for navigating today’s workforce. This series will help you prepare and improve your role as a leader.

This program is scheduled as follows:

FALL 2021

September 21st

October 5th

October 19th

November 2nd

November 16th

All sessions will be virtual training via the Zoom platform. They will start promptly at 10 AM (arrival 9:50 AM) and conclude at 2 PM.

To submit an application to participate or to get more information please contact: Jennifer Williams at Bloomsburg University by calling 570-389-4004.

This program qualifies for WEDnetPA grant funding (for eligible businesses). For additional information please contact: Jennifer Williams at Bloomsburg University by calling 570-389-4004.

More Details

Columbia Montour Chamber

bloomsburg university

13
Sep 21
-

Remembrance May Be Creating The Change You Seek

Tags : change forward leadership

What sparks change for you? Remembrance of past events may be the key to keeping the future on a different trajectory.

Every day, everybody has a chance to make a difference. They might make a difference for themselves, their family, or for the organization they work for. What helps drive them forward?

Reliving past negative events may not always be the best idea, yet, at the same time, pretending it didn’t happen may mean that nothing was learned.

The best place is probably a balance of somewhere between.

Influence Happens

Change might be considered to be created by influence.

Influence of the people, the forces on a structure or a system, or careless actions that might be categorized as a mistake.

When people are creating influence, they do it through words, actions, and behaviors. It might also occur in a marketplace through advertising, marketing strategies, and social forces.

Influence may even be created by government rules and regulations, technology changes, and the economy.

A pandemic might be a force of influence.

Should influence be a driver for change?

Remembrance Creates Change

Observations or the study of the past may create a positive position for future change. When people realize how something does not work, it might also illustrate segments or pieces of success.

Woodworkers, chefs, and business coaches might all learn something from trial and error. Try a little of this, or a little of that and notice what is working and what is not.

Over a period of time, skill improves and the practice of the craft is honed.

In workplace circles many people fondly label that as experience. Sometimes it is said to be missing from a formal education.

Do you remember what you’ve learned?

Remembrance is an opportunity. An opportunity to change the course of what happens next. It might also be an opportunity to shy away, retreat, or withdrawal.

It’s entirely up to you.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

07
Sep 21
-

Voluntary Leadership Is What Everyone Faces

Tags : authority boss employees leadership manager

Are you familiar with voluntary leadership? You may be, and you don’t even realize it.

Do you recognize that all leadership is voluntary?

Sure, some people are in positions of authority. Some of those positions are paid jobs.

There is a sharp contrast between the authority that a job or position grants you, and the leadership (or lack of) that is present with others.

Is there a difference between supervising, managing, and leading?

Being a supervisor or manager may provide you with some level of authority. Authority to make decisions, insist on quality, or even plan a work schedule for employees.

Is that leading?

While there may be shades of gray, in most cases the act of supervising or managing isn’t really leadership.

The reason is, leadership is a voluntary act.

Voluntary Leadership

Employees may decide to do what you say. They may even decide that commands are the method of how they receive their next job task or duty.

An employee may consider that they are paid for doing what the boss tells them to do. All of this is fine, and perhaps a cultural aspect of work for at least a few hundred years.

It is leadership?

When someone chooses to follow is there a leader? Likely, yes, of course.

When someone chooses to lead are there followers? Sometimes.

At the root of the matter, leadership is largely voluntary. People choose to lead and people choose to follow.

Receiving money for doing an instructed task is known as compensation.

It doesn’t guarantee leadership.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

01
Sep 21
-

Business Community Has Changed, Is That Good?

Tags : business connections community engagement leadership social media social networking

Has the business community you once knew changed? Have personal or business networks changed? What about the business mixers, opportunities to socialize and the chance to engage with new contacts?

If you ask someone if they believe that the World is changing, there is a very strong possibility that they will indicate that it is. When you ask how or why, you’ll likely get many different reactions. Asking if the change feels positive and appropriate and you’ll likely touch an emotional nerve.

What is different, or why?

Social Influence

In the recent past, many people have recognized the U.S. Super Bowl as having some of the most interesting commercials. Often there are people watching who have never watched an entire game in the current season, yet, they’ll tune-in for the Super Bowl. Ask them why, and you might get a few responses about the commercials.

Has something changed there?

Maybe.

There is more social pressure connected with sports. Kneeling during the playing of the National Anthem is one example.

People who are kneeling are claiming to be making some form of statement, but who is watching? For the Super Bowl broadcast on television, in the most recent decade, the average exceeds 100 million viewers. Amazing.

Consider that 150 years ago there was basically one media channel, a localized newspaper.

Much has changed.

What does any of this have to do with your business community?

Everything.

Business Community

Rules of the game have changed. How people connect, interface, and engage has shifted.

Similar to the newspaper, older ways and methods still exist and have a certain amount of activity, but it certainly is not the only way. And most likely, not the preferred way for cutting edge engagement.

Defining community may also have new challenges. Social etiquette has shifts, challenges, and hurdles. The same with self-expressions, views of discrimination, fairness, and equity.

What about Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, LinkedIn, YouTube, Reddit, and WhatsApp, just to name a few?

This is in addition to hundreds of television channels in most areas, localized radio broadcasts, satellite radio, bloggers, vloggers, and podcasts.

Creating or being in a business community has never been easier. It has also never been more challenging.

Have you found a common platform or group that represents your business values, beliefs, and goals? Is it through a trade association, a social platform, or in-person gatherings?

How do you fit? Do you feel like you belong or are you merely an observer? If it is free, who is the customer and who or what is the product?

Is it authentic? Are the people?

It isn’t that simple anymore.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

30
Aug 21
-

Technology Tools, Still Room For Improvement?

Tags : costs innovation leadership technology tools

Do you like technology tools? For example, do you like your navigation system in your car, or the app on your phone? What about streaming content? Netflix for example, YouTube, or Peacock?

Are tech things working for you? Have they made life better?

There are many more things you can add to the list, but this is a good start.

Yesterday, I had to drive about 80 miles away from my home. I’ve been to this location twice before in the past 10 years. The last time was 4 years ago. The location is somewhat remote, several winding and twisting back country roads in the last 10 miles or so. I know the way, until the last few miles.

Why can’t I put my destination in my navigation system, and when I need help, just ask. For example, “What exit off route 283?”

Granted my car is a few years old, and newer navigation systems (or apps) may have better features, but are they at that level yet?

What about Netflix?

I like Netflix on some level, but why does it show me little kids movies in the top 10? I don’t see myself ever watching them. Ever.

Why can’t the filter features be better or easier? In my search, I haven’t seen a filter to remove movies that are dubbed over from another language. It may be there, but I have haven’t noticed it.

Why can’t Netflix be smarter? It should know by now that every time I play a movie that is dubbed over, I only watch the first 5 minutes.

Flying (air travel) was much better in the 1990s than it is today. More flights, better service, fewer delays, less crowded planes. Why isn’t it better in 2021? There are a lot of reasons, but some of it comes down to cost.

Technology Tools

This is not intended to be a rant session. It is intended to illustrate that while we’ve come a long way, there is still room for improvement. Why haven’t there been more improvements?

It may be simple, improvements in technology cost. The price is something that not everyone is willing to pay.

Seen through a different lens it is about profit. The other side of cost for the consumer is profit for the business.

How much pain will the consumer accept before rejecting the offer?

I like my navigation system, I like Netflix, air travel is really taxing me lately and I definitely can’t say that I like it much right now.

There is a chance for improvement, yet it is a scale with a slippery slope.

In society, business, or personal habits, things often don’t change if the people do not see a compelling enough reason to do so.

Some things will stay the same.

For now.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

23
Aug 21
-

Relentless Focus, Will It Make a Difference

Tags : #Custserv focus leadership strategic planning strategy

Are you in pursuit of something special? Is it something that will make a long-term impact or is it more of a flash in the pan? Relentless focus may be the difference between a quick flash and lasting impact.

You can be a special guest at the baseball game and maybe even throw out the first pitch, but it isn’t the same as what the starting pitcher will do.

Perhaps you can whip up a pretty good Thanksgiving Day dinner, yet it probably isn’t at the same level of the gourmet chef who has spent a decade or more crafting the perfect dish.

Showing up for work each day might mean something, but it isn’t the same as diving in each and every day with a specific focus on accomplishment and impact.

Often the highest performing employees and businesses are the top achievers because of relentless pursuit.

Do you have it? Are you deploying it?

Relentless Focus

It typically doesn’t need much explanation. If you can’t see it, touch it, taste it, or otherwise experience it you probably haven’t achieved it.

Love it or hate it, Amazon, in most cases, appears to have relentless pursuit for the customer. Zappos has been known for this and so has Disney.

How do they do it?

There is a good chance that it starts with their strategic approach.

If the organization spends too much time on evaluating short-term cash, short-run individual winning, and short-run paychecks, the long-run will always come up short for the customer.

All of those things matter, cash, individual performance, and what employees get paid, but they won’t necessarily result in something delightful for the customer.

For the individual employee or the organization at large, what you focus on is what you’ll get. Sounds simple and easy.

Maybe it is time to take a deep dive and really understand more about your focus.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

20
Aug 21
-

Small Fires and Your Workplace Success

Tags : firefighting leadership management systems workplace problems

Managing small fires is much easier than dealing with a full-blown blaze. What are your habits for the metaphorical, workplace fire management?

Managers are often in place to solve problems. They’re also in place to execute strategy. Which activity consumes the most of your time?

Fixing a problem sooner, when it is smaller, seems to make sense.

If that is true, why do so many start burning out of control?

Is it a systems problem?

Systems Problem

If there is a system in place, does it help?

When the process starts to slip out of tolerance is it corrected?

Systems are often created to build something. They are also created to prevent something.

Too much production time and not enough preventative maintenance and you may have a break down.

It is true for production machinery and it is true for customer satisfaction, brand reputation, and marketing.

It might also be true for organizational culture and leadership.

Should you fix it before it grows?

Small Fires

How long has the problem been a problem? The longer it goes, often the worse it gets.

Your job likely includes putting out some fires. The smaller the fire the easier it is to manage.

When you put a system in place, you should adhere to the specifications.

If the check engine light comes on, check the engine.

Low tire pressure or low on fuel, resolve it before it becomes a bigger problem.

You should do that for your car. And if you don’t, you’ve probably already had a small fire turn into a blaze.

Small fires are easier to manage and faster to resolve.

That allows you to spend more time with strategy.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

06
Aug 21
-

Nimble Workspace, Do You Have It?

Tags : leadership new normal productivity psychology of work wfh

Work from home (WFH) may not drastically change the manufacturing plant floor for some time but has it changed your office environment? Do you have a nimble workspace?

Over a year ago, people were talking about the new normal. What would it be, what will it look like? Then, the phrase new normal started to wear out. No one seemed to know what that meant, and everyone had an opinion.

Working from home may have meant new levels of productivity. It meant measurement by metric of accomplishment, more project oriented and less time clock watching.

Some liked it and embraced, others feared that people were getting paid for doing nothing.

Then there are the organizations that attempted to measure work by log-in time. Log-in by 8:00 AM and don’t log out until 5:00 PM. And, if your device times out or goes to sleep we’ll know you aren’t working.

On top of that there were organizations that instituted endless Zoom meetings. The idea was, schedule a Zoom meeting and then people have to work. Death by Zoom became unnecessarily popular.

What was your experience? Did it improve things or create a useless bunch of clutter in an attempt to prove contribution?

Nimble Workspace

In the winner’s circle were the businesses and organizations that appropriately managed the transition. Likely, many of these winners were already well on their way to management by objective (MBOs) and management by project instead of by time clock.

What the winners discovered was that productivity improved. The drama was less. Wasted energy was less. The best employees had an opportunity to focus and concentrate instead of being distracted by birthday cakes and flip-flop wearers.

On the flip-side, communication faced challenges and the extroverts who gain their energy from social interactions felt like something was missing.

Like many things in life, there is probably an element in the middle. A sweet spot as is often described.

Now management has a need for change. The way people supervise is different. Directing and leading require more skills, less clock watching.

Is there a new normal? What is different for your workspace from 2019?

Nimble workspaces are thriving with effectiveness and efficiency. They also have great managers.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

21
Jul 21
-

Project Work Will Put You In The Lead

Tags : boredom initiative leadership project work

Are you ready to work? What about being ready to learn, contribute, or go the extra mile? Project work may be exactly what you need to create more success.

We might call work, work, but project work has a slightly different feeling. Thinking of work in terms of a project assumes that there is a beginning and an end. It is more than an ongoing effort with little urgency and a boring trudge that never ends.

Job Roles

Front line job roles often suggest they need self-starters, people who are motivated and people who show up both physically and emotionally.

Since it may not be described as a management role, it also implies that successful employees will receive direction from a boss or other colleagues.

Some people expect this style of leadership. They arrive, but they don’t start until they are given direction. Some roles this is appropriate for, but for those seeking more things are going to have to be different.

Should you start a project?

Project Work

One reason some employees never appear to be in any hurry is because there is always tomorrow. Tomorrow they’ll do the same thing they are doing now and the same thing they did last week.

No rush, no hurry, just another day on the never-ending project.

Workplaces often need more. They need people who not only accept direction and complete assigned work, but they need contributors.

Employees might consider how they can give more instead of doing less.

What if you took a risk to make a reasonable suggestion? A suggestion delivered with tact and respect not grumbling or aggression, might that make a difference?

Imagine if you bought a book that connects with your job duties or industry sector. Imagine what you might learn and how it may help you accomplish more.

What might happen if you asked about the possibilities of workshops, seminars, or other learning events.

How would things change when you do more for the customer, your team, or to benefit the organization?

When you think about it as a project it doesn’t have to be boring work that never ends, or a painful trudge day-in and day-out.

Have a goal, make the start, finish the project and then start another.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Tag Archives: leadership

Oct 21

VIRTUAL (Live, On-line via Zoom)

Sep 21

Live, In-Person

Sep 21

-

Influence Happens

Remembrance Creates Change

Sep 21

-

Voluntary Leadership

Sep 21

-

Social Influence

Business Community

Aug 21

-

Technology Tools

Aug 21

-

Relentless Focus

Aug 21

-

Systems Problem

Small Fires

Aug 21

-

Nimble Workspace

Jul 21

-

Job Roles

Project Work

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