leadership Archives - Page 9 of 22

10
Dec 18
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Improving Worker Engagement or Calculating Turnover

Tags : automation engineer leadership turnover worker engagement

Putting the widget in the box may be a job. Today, mostly, this job is automated or is planned for automation soon. Is your organization improving worker engagement?

Things have unfolded rapidly in the past couple of decades.

Unemployment rates are currently trending low. Employers claim difficulty in finding employees and great employees claim finding great employers to be nearly impossible.

Putting widgets in the box doesn’t hold a very promising future. Retail commerce has made this a point. Self-checkouts, Amazon Go, and even McDonald’s restaurant franchises are changing how customers engage.

Automate the Future

Automation may reduce or even eliminate job positions as we once knew them.

The career minded person knows that putting widgets in the box is trending down.

Organizations may view it differently. Many traditional small privately-owned businesses insist on the old-fashioned way. They want to have easily replaceable and replicable workers.

Just put the widget in the box. Do it all day. Go home.

Certainly, we still have legitimate job opportunities that require this, and it isn’t all bad. However, the emerging (and existing) workforce sees this as a dead-end job.

Worker Engagement

It is true that organizational leadership can calculate big profits by dumbing down the work, hiring the least expensive workforce, and asking why turnover and hiring is problematic.

One obstacle with this model is, it doesn’t account for progress.

The model doesn’t take into consideration the cultural attributes of people. Most of all the model expects loyalty from those whose future in that job is as bright as a smoldering candle wick.

Here is an idea. Invite someone to join the team who is responsible to put the widget in the box. Then encourage them to find a way to improve, bring more value, or eliminate (automate) this job.

One job is a box packer, the other, an engineer.

-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.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

07
Dec 18
2

Hiring Practices Tell a Story

Tags : career hiring practices jobs leadership

It seems almost counterintuitive. Low unemployment rates, organizations claiming they can’t find employees, and potential candidates expressing they can’t find employers. Does it have something to do with hiring practices?

The easy answer is, “Perhaps.” Another good answer would be, “It depends.”

If you are an emerging potential candidate you should consider the effort that appears to be taken by the potential employer.

Hiring Practices

When a job is posted on a job board or other online quick post system what did it cost the employer? What are the details? What effort appears to have been taken to roll out this job?

When you’re looking for work it is easy to jump to the idea of, “There is an opening. I’m on it.” Sure, there may be a job there, but is it the job for you?

You can count on one thing. If the job advertisement process appears to be a mundane and disinterested roll out, it is probably going to feel like that and much worse if you get the job.

We don’t care, you don’t care, so nobody cares and we’re all disappointed.

Putting widgets in a box is rapidly being replaced by automation. If it hasn’t, or it isn’t in the works, this probably isn’t your dream employer.

In this case the employer see’s little value in the employee. The desire is, “Put the widget in the box until the end of your shift.”

When Turnover Is Popular

When the employer has little skin in the game. Turnover is popular, but not so costly because there is no intellectual value lost. Little effort went into the recruitment process, and like a lottery ticket they’ll just buy another.

So, the cycle continues. Organizations claiming that they can’t find employees, and potential candidates expressing they can’t find employers.

An investment in nothing, yields nothing.

-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.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

20
Nov 18
-

Just Tell Me The Answers

Tags : answers career leadership shortcuts

In school it may have seemed easy to study to the test. In fact, in some curriculum that is exactly the plan. For real life it may be a different story. Are you just looking for the answers or are you learning along the way?

Shortcuts

It seems like the shortcut. The path that will lead you to the result faster, more efficiently, and with less expense. If we can learn the answer, we’ve shortened the time requirements.

Just getting the answer may help us navigate the software, do a quick fix home repair, or learn how to apply makeup.

Just watch a video. You’ll find the answer.

Finding the answers seems like the right path. Finding them with little expense sweetens the pot.

Why learn the math when you can do it by learning a few buttons on a calculator?

It is the shortcut. The smart and easy way.

Answers

Most of what will unfold in your business or for your career won’t develop from just being told the answer. The greatest success stories haven’t developed from trying the shortcuts.

Time matters, and so does discovering the answers. Answers really are not always the biggest challenge though. There are plenty of highly educated people. They’ve learned to know a lot of answers.

The grass doesn’t become greener just because you’ve learned the answer. The grass becomes greener by doing the work. It is the sweat equity that will create the most success.

At least once a month I bump into someone who wants to make a change for the (assumed) greener grass. When I ask why, they often say, “I want the lifestyle.”

What they really want is all the answers. Skip the sweat.

Even when armed with the answers, there aren’t any shortcuts. Sometimes we all must do the math.

-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.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

04
Oct 18
-

Understanding Accountability Changes Your Position

Tags : accountability advancement fault leadership responsibility

We often wonder about accountability. Is it the missing link for teams? Does it affect morale? Understanding accountability has much more to do with success than many employees realize.

Nobody is held accountable.

It wasn’t my responsibility.

That’s not my job.

You have probably heard all three, and have likely said at least one. Is this a problem with accountability?

Who is Responsible?

Accountability has a direct impact on culture. If few are willing to take responsibility, even fewer will be accountable.

Responsibility is a big job. There is much more risk involved with being responsible. Without responsibility no one really cares when the project gets delivered. No one cares about the quality, and why should anyone care about the customer?

The root of accountability starts with responsibility. A bad outcome may not be your mistake. It may not be your fault, that doesn’t mean you’re not responsible.

Unlearning the Escape

As children we may have gotten off the hook by claiming, “It wasn’t my fault!” We learned that when the blame shifts so does the responsibility. When we aren’t responsible we can’t be blamed.

It may have worked in your childhood because playing was probably more important than leading. You were fed and cared for regardless of the outputs of your actions.

Ready to make a difference in your career? Understanding accountability is critical for your advancement. It is critical for culture.

Understanding Accountability

Certainly, you can take more than one path. What you’ll need to realize though is that taking responsibility, even when it is not your fault, is being accountable.

When you are in a leadership role, you have responsibilities. Hold yourself accountable.

If you supervise other employees, lead committees, or make recommendations that guide outcomes, understand that people who accept responsibility will be much more likely to be accountable.

Accountability changes your position.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer. 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.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

27
Sep 18
-

Great Value Is More Meaningful Than Price

Tags : cost leadership price training value

We know better, but we still do it. Every time we are about to make a big purchase we excruciatingly get stuck on the price. Great value is what we should really be assessing.

We may grab a snack from the convenience store, a coffee at the trendy shop, or feed a dollar or two into the vending machine and think nothing of it. Bigger ticket items often cause us to pause.

Value In Action

Yesterday, I joked with some friends on social media about buying a new Range Rover. The most consistent part of several threads across a couple of days was price.

Price can be an easy way of saying “no.” Why is that so easy? Often because no one is considering the value.

What are you or your organization buying? What are the big-ticket items that have your attention? How will you prepare your personal or departmental budget for the coming year?

Price, although often negotiable, is very apparent. We see the numbers and analyze the fit. Is it affordable? Will it work?

The CFO or your CPA may choose some deeper analysis. What is the anticipated life, the costs associated with ownership, and what will it do, if anything, to the balance sheet? Smart people.

Great Value

All these things matter, but many of them are more connected with price than value. Is value important?

Truly the Range Rover should be about value. The purchase of a personal computing device should be about value. Our home, our furniture, about value.

In the workplace when we bring on a new employee, about value. When we invest in employee training and development, about value. That large capital equipment purchase, it should be about value.

Beyond the technical or mechanical evaluation of price, there is often the intangible part of value.

One thing is certain. Be cautious of low price, it is often not connected with great value.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer. 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.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

06
Sep 18
-

Culture Distinction or Extinction, Which Should You Choose?

Tags : culture leadership organizational resources threat

We sometimes don’t know how things started, or perhaps worse, what caused them to end. What is the culture in your organization? Do you have culture distinction or is the culture headed for extinction?

The More We Learn

It seems like the more we learn, the deeper the questions become. Archeologists and anthropologists continue to dig up (sometimes literally) more details of a past that we often know little about.

There is of course the Inca civilization of South America in Southern Peru and Northern Chile, and the ancient Egyptian civilization of Northwest Africa in the Nile River Valley.

Both civilizations and geographic areas have interested many. The studies of their cultures, buildings, and activities are astonishing.

Stories, artifacts, and in some cases written or pictorial reflections give us some hints of the cultures that once were abundant and thriving.

What happened to them?

We may shrug our shoulders and say, “Who knows?”

Do you think the ancient cultures had a warning? Did they know that something was undermining their existence? Was it rules, greed, or even an overuse or abuse of resources?

What about the culture of your workplace? What is it about your culture or your environment that may go down in the history books? Is there a legacy being built or what picture (metaphorically or literally) will be left behind?

Culture Distinction

Most businesses today would suggest that they are building a culture of distinction. They want their story to be the story of success. The artifacts and pictures that line the walls of the lobby, the trophies in the showcase, and the press releases that put it all to a timeline.

For all existing organizations, the culture is their definition of success, failures, and the tenacity to withstand it all.

In all other cases, it is the case of extinction. Only the possibility of some artifacts remain. What will be the story?

What is the threat knocking on the door of your culture? Is anyone looking? Is there a warning that no one is considering?

Better not give it a shoulder shrug.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer. 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.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

23
Aug 18
-

Project Management Done For Us Not To Us

Tags : leadership motivation project management pull

Many professionals can cite project management on their resume or curriculum vitae. It is often what people do, work together for a common goal. What are your experiences with project management?

Some people want off the committee, they grow tired of the project, the team, the conflict, debates, arguments, and turmoil. It may feel like little is being accomplished and no one knows the goal.

The truth is that project management can be done to us, or for us. How are you managing or leading projects?

To Us or For Us?

When the project is done to us it feels forced. The project is rooted in demand and command, not opportunity. This sometimes works. It is a push style. The authoritarian approach. Today, many would label this old school.

There is a different approach. It is a pull style. It is what draws people in, what inspires them, motivates them, and makes the project a delight.

The project feels like it is for us. The project is an inspiration. Engaged contributors want to start early, work long, and stay late.

Meetings are short and focused, people can’t stand to be away from the work at hand. Not because they hate the meeting, but because they can’t wait to get started.

Vision is shared, contributors are happy, the talk is of success and accomplishment.

Project Management

Does project management appear on your resume? What is your approach to projects?

Considering there are five generations active in our workforce today leading projects can be complex. Getting people on board, bought in, and motivated is critical.

Our highest job satisfaction often develops from respect. Pushed people don’t feel respected. Push implies forced. Push implies done to us, not for us.

Pull on the other hand can be a delight. It feels like it is there for us.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer. 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.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

17
Aug 18
-

Your Picture, Your Vision, Your Image Is a Thousand Words

Tags : leadership motivation pictures words

No, it is not that selfie you just snapped. What you picture, what you think or say about a picture will create the path that you follow. What is your picture?

Many of us have a camera in our hand or within arm’s reach. We snap photos of people, buildings, animals, and other cool things. Every photo tells a story, but is it a true story?

The Client

A few years ago, I was about to engage with a client and decided to browse their website to learn a little more about them.

Of course, I saw pictures and their logo. I read catchy slogans and about how they please customers. There were testimonials and expressions of longevity.

Then I watched their corporate video. Indeed, it was impressive. In the video happy employees were working hard.

The video included short clips as the videographer toured the facilities. There were drone shots, employee picnics and charity events. There was even a run through the woods to illustrate fitness and stress release.

Later, but before my first engagement, I privately asked my contact if I could ask a tough question. I suggested it would be important for my engagement with them and that it would guide what I delivered.

The response was, “Certainly, yes, please go ahead.”

I asked, “I noticed your video on your website. Is that culture, the culture it illustrates, is that real?”

The next words spoken by the contact were, “Hang on a minute. Let me close my door.”

I don’t think I need to explain what happened next. Honestly, I was disappointed. The video was a masterpiece, but it was more art than it was reality.

Your Picture

As you browse the pictures in your home, the pictures in your social media feed, or the pictures in the customer entrance of your workplace, ask yourself, “Are they real?”

Be honest, it is important for everything that happens next.

There is a good chance there is more work to be done.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer. 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.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

10
Aug 18
-

Why Cooperation Is The Better Path

Tags : connection cooperation leadership teamwork

A popular workplace complaint. People can’t seem to get along. Often the trend is to take a different position, go against the flow, cause some havoc and get noticed. Have you considered why cooperation beats opposition?

Everyday Challenges

Diversity challenges us every day. When you break it down the real challenge with diversity is that we see differences as the other side, an opposition.

We often don’t agree, but believe we should. We believe we are practicing diversity. It is true across generations, sexual orientations, and protected classes of people.

This often breaks down to the agreement to disagree. That’s opposition, not harmony, not collaboration, and not teamwork.

Leadership and Connections

Individuals who are supported by the leadership style of some people move up while others move down creates an energy. Is that energy constructive?

Hierarchy has value and is important. So is respect and even authority. In a connected economy has that changed?

People often throw around buzz words. Things like servant leadership, emotional intelligence, and six sigma. Certainly, many components of these practices work. Do all components?

The climate of the organization conditions success.

Whether we like it or not we are living in a networked world. People converse all around the globe quickly, easily, and by desire. New contacts and relationships are made and older ones are reinvigorated or repaired.

Why Cooperation

Much of our lives and economies are being stimulated by connection. Push marketing still has value and deep roots, but the connected economy is much more about pull.

So when we see something different in our workplace and psychologically label it as the other side, we lack connection. Agreement to disagree is not a win-win.

Every moment as the organization moves across time, something new is created. What does that look like in the connected economy?

Cooperation reminds us of the value of connections. It reminds us that differences are not the opposition, but opportunity. Within any culture some differences are not tolerated. They never enter the system, or at least they shouldn’t.

The climate of your organizational success has an opportunity.

To become a force for the market, you must have a force within.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a five-time author and some of his work includes, #CustServ The Customer Service Culture, and Forgotten Respect, Navigating a Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

19
Jul 18
-

Leadership Habit 35: Using Empathy

Tags : emotional labor empathy leadership passion soft skills

It seems that most people are promoted in organizations because they’ve shown strong technical skills. They have impressed the CEO with their knowledge and comprehension of business requirements. Are they effectively using empathy?

Technical Expertise

Technical skills are important. The newsflash is, they are not everything. One of the hardest things for emerging workplace leaders is understanding the soft skills side of leadership.

Workplace success typically happens for the most well-rounded people. Certainly, some will cite that playing politics, having friends in the right places, and even gender will play a role. True, they may all be factors, but long-term leadership success needs empathy.

Technical skills won’t take you very far when no one respects the work. Things may implode when no one understands the values, the hardships, and the beliefs required to carry on when everyone wants to quit.

Power of Empathy

Often the hardest skill for the workplace leader is to understand and develop the power of empathy. It is often disregarded as not needed, too soft, or not logical and therefore not required.

In some circles it is common to hear, “Remove the emotion!” And every time a person in a leadership role says that they have just moved one notch farther away from a team who has passion.

Certainly, there are times when decisions must be made that are difficult. They tug at the emotional values of those involved but removing emotion from any organization may be a step in the wrong direction.

Using Empathy

So, it is really the emotional labor that leaders sometimes need to master. They are seldom chosen, at least not consciously, for this skill, but great leaders have it covered.

Engaged teams are running on emotion. Emotion has a lot to do with empathy. When we feel the mechanics of the job are covered what remains?

Using empathy is often challenging, it can’t be delegated, and the emotional labor involved will require patience and energy.

As a leader, using empathy is required. Your team needs it.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a five-time author and some of his work includes, #CustServ The Customer Service Culture, and Forgotten Respect, Navigating a Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

Tag Archives: leadership

Dec 18

-

Automate the Future

Worker Engagement

Dec 18

Hiring Practices

When Turnover Is Popular

Nov 18

-

Shortcuts

Answers

Oct 18

-

Who is Responsible?

Unlearning the Escape

Understanding Accountability

Sep 18

-

Value In Action

Great Value

Sep 18

-

The More We Learn

Culture Distinction

Aug 18

-

To Us or For Us?

Project Management

Aug 18

-

The Client

Your Picture

Aug 18

-

Everyday Challenges

Leadership and Connections

Why Cooperation

Jul 18

-

Technical Expertise

Power of Empathy

Using Empathy

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