https://open.spotify.com/episode/2VvhbAfKuJpi0nyNh6qmZ6

By Kelli Brewer of DeployCare.org

Are you looking to hire veterans as you begin your new entrepreneurial journey? Many companies across the U.S. are now implementing strategies to employ thousands of veterans over the next few years because they recognize the skills ex-military personnel can bring to their businesses. These include leadership, discipline, strategic thinking, and unmatched loyalty. For the best approaches to hiring and managing veterans, this guide is for you.

 Identify Your Need and Ideal Candidate

The first step towards finding and hiring veterans is determining the position you need help with and identifying the ideal candidate. A veteran is different from any other employee because they own specialized skills suited for community safety and combat. Start by exploring the skills, qualifications, and experience you need and compare them to veterans’ skillsets. Ex-military personnel usually work well in leadership roles that necessitate teamwork and quick thinking. Some ideal jobs for this particular set of skills include project management, security, and construction. However, also consider that some veterans have specific training and experience, such as computer technology, translation, etc.

Advertise Your Job Extensively

​There are countless websites focused on helping veterans find employment. You can post your job description on any of these platforms where it will be visible to potential applicants. Always post on multiple sites because, as with almost everything else, this can be a numbers game. Moreover, posting on several platforms will increase the number of applicants who see your job offering.

Some job websites for veterans include Hire Our Heroes, National Veterans Foundation, MilitaryHire, Hire Heroes USA, and Hire Veterans. You should also partner with organizations besides using various online resources. For instance, you can find an expert in your state or nationwide through the directory of Veteran Employment Representatives.

Screen Applicants

Vetting applicants will help you find compatible candidates and simplify the interview process. Still, depending on the number of applications you receive, the process can end up being long and tiresome. A fantastic method to speed up the screening process is to send candidates basic questions through email, focusing on the bare minimum requirements. The technique will help you better identify red flags and potential employees.

Onboard Your New Veteran

After choosing the ideal person for the job, make sure to create a positive onboarding experience for your new employee. Now that they are in your team, it’s your responsibility to ensure that they are cared for. One way to do this is by making them aware of your business goals and their role in helping your company reach them because veterans are focused on having a purpose and meaning. If you already have a few employees, take time to educate your staff on military culture and how to best communicate with their new colleagues. Find out how Stincelli Advisors can help.

Stay Organized

A crucial step in business is to have the management aspect organized and running smoothly. Accounting software or a payroll system will keep things clear and systematic. Setting this up for the first time can be challenging. Small business payroll. defined, includes everything that has to do with employee wages and tax reporting. This means keeping track of hours, calculating wages, direct deposit, and withholding and paying employment taxes.

Keep in mind that you need to file payroll taxes quarterly, and be sure to delineate between employees and freelancers or independent contractors in the system for more efficient recordkeeping.

In a Nutshell

The process of hiring veterans can seem tedious and can even put a strain on your time and resources — at first. But in time, this will pay off with highly competent, loyal, and responsible employees.

3 Vital Business Skills That Benefit Your Personal Life, Too

Managing a long to-do list can feel daunting, whether you’re in the office or at home. But a handful of task management skills translate well from corporate to household responsibilities, and you can perfect both for all-around successes from the ground up. Check out these three must-have business skills that benefit your personal life, too.

1. Mastering the Art of Management

Handling everything on your own might feel like the only way to do things the right way. But part of becoming an effective business owner is mastering the art of management, notes Meister. Delegating tasks to others can save you time and stress, plus free you up for tasks that require more effort and brainpower. In some cases, outsourcing also means achieving tasks you wouldn’t otherwise be able to accomplish. For example, soliciting web analytics services from a third party can provide necessary insight into your business.

Learning to delegate and manage others is a vital skill for business owners, but it’s also helpful in your personal life. Think about the last time you hovered while your kids were trying to cook dinner or when your partner attempted a task you typically oversee. Relinquishing some control is good for your mental health, and it means more downtime, too.

2. Perfecting Prioritization 101

There are only so many hours in the day, which means you can’t accomplish it all (even when enlisting outside help). Though you might want to check every item off your to-do list before 5 PM, learning to prioritize and organize your tasks can help you stress less and even get more done, highlights We Work.

Some professionals swear by chunking like tasks together — processing their must-do steps in batches — while others prefer to tackle the easiest tasks first. Figure out your strategy for prioritizing whatever is most urgent, especially when you’re handling a specific project (with a seat deadline). Get familiar with putting some things on the back burner when you’re in a fresher state of mind.

The same rule applies to your personal life, as well. Think about taking some time to cool off before responding during a heated discussion so you can prioritize a thoughtful answer rather than slinging an angry retort. Plan for household projects based on the order of need and learn to be okay with circling back to things — that is, maintaining an ever-evolving to-do list.

3. Be a Leader, Not a Boss

Parents will find this next business skill to be the most applicable to home life as well as office scenarios. Leadership may be a natural trait, but it’s also a process and a skill you need to hone. The unfortunate news is that the wrong leadership style — one that doesn’t fit your team or setting — can actually cause challenges in the workplace.

Make sure you’re approaching your managerial task-master duties as a leader, not a boss, for the best results. Remembering to relate to others, acknowledge their contributions and ideas, and lead by example are all winning traits of a true leader. That may mean handling some of the less desirable workplace tasks yourself.

And just like in the office, exhibiting true leadership at home means getting into the trenches to show your kids that managing the home is a family affair. Rather than making orders or listing off chores, rally the troops by making the home making a team effort. Motivating others can start at home, and that skill will translate into the workplace, too.

Getting everything done is the very definition of “task management,” and there’s no better feeling than making progress in work or your personal life. By honing these three task management skills, you’ll feel more confident tackling projects at work and navigating your personal responsibilities. Looking for more professional inspiration? Visit Stincelli Advisors for advice and insight.

Photo via Unsplash

Written by: Stephanie Haywood of mylifeboost.com

 None of us is as smart as all of us. – Ken Blanchard

In his book, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John Maxwell devotes a chapter to Law 14 – The Law of Buy-In. In it he states, “People don’t at first follow worthy causes. They follow worthy leaders who promote worthwhile causes. People buy into the leader first, then the leader’s vision.” This statement is profoundly true, simple, and complicated all at the same time.

Many leaders and many more organizations work diligently on buy-in. We aren’t knocking it, we understand that without it, you’re dead in the water. But making the transition from buy-in to engagement can be difficult.

Here’s what we know. The latest 2019 Employee Engagement Report from TINYpulse found that employee loyalty is decreasing. 43% of workers would be willing to leave their companies for a 10% salary increase. A staggering 44% of employees don’t feel they have sufficient opportunities for professional growth in their current position. Less than one-third of people believe they have a strong culture.

We can’t say enough about the importance of buy-in. It means so much for so many reasons. But without active engagement, everything else is in jeopardy. With this in mind, we have identified four essentials that we believe are necessary for engagement. 

Purpose

The hardest task for you as a leader is to get the buy-in. Selling the ‘why’ to a prospective team member or client puts your vision to the test every time. And, the truth be told, before they buy into the vision, they buy into you as a leader. Oftentimes the crisis of buy-in is not about the organization or product, it’s the leadership. 

Everyone is searching for meaning and purpose. People thrive when they feel their work is meaningful. This meaning is not found in the work itself, it is found in connecting their work to a purpose larger than themselves. Your ‘why’, as a leader, provides purpose and direction that gives those who follow you something to believe in. It appeals to others on an emotional level and makes work feel less like work and more like a purpose.

People will be more engaged when they buy into your leadership and are excited about the work they are doing. CLICK TO TWEET

Communication

Once buy-in has been achieved, now the real work begins. How do you harness the momentum that buy-in gives you and turn it into action steps that advance you? We believe communication is essential and that it should take place on a regular basis.

American psychologist, Rollo May, believed that “Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy, and mutual valuing.” This sense of community fosters an environment where others feel safe to collaborate, cooperate, and compromise.

Effective leaders use conversations to build connections, convey information, share stories and thoughts, and to encourage questions. CLICK TO TWEET

These connections form trusting relationships that earn a commitment from others. The safety and inclusion of the relationships built on open communication enhance engagement.

 Coaching

We believe that engagement is the life-blood of your organization. With that in mind, it must not only be communicated regularly, but it must also be given priority. With this in mind, ownership must be taken at all levels and coaching is critical to how it’s done.

Successful leaders play the role of coach and supporter with an emphasis on helping others succeed. They invest their time and resources into building others up. We are drawn to those who want the best for us and will use their strengths to help us achieve our goals. Your employees are more likely to become fully engaged when they know that you will always be there to offer support and catch them if they fall.

Accountability

Engagement is not hard to measure, but we believe you must keep your finger on the pulse of your organization at all times.

The time to find out about issues that impact your people and their performance is not at the end of the year; by then it’s too late. CLICK TO TWEET

Accountability boils down to taking ownership of one’s own thoughts, words, actions, and reactions. One of the greatest keys to accountability is the level of control people feel they possess over their work. When employees are in control of the “what, when, and how” of a decision or action, their ownership and accountability skyrockets. As a result of taking ownership of their work, people will become more engaged.

At the end of the day, worthy leaders are the ones who effectively lay out their vision and get others to buy into that vision. Successful leaders are able to encourage others to move beyond buy-in to becoming fully engaged in their work. Engaged employees have a sense of purpose and know that they are making a difference. They feel safe and included because of open and ongoing communication. They feel supported by a leader who serves as a coach. And, they feel a sense of ownership and accountability for their work.

Final Thoughts

Lay a strong foundational culture for your employees by deliberately sharing a meaningful purpose, building relationships through open communication, serving as a supportive coach, and giving them control and accountability for their work. This foundation will move you from buy-in to engagement. And, active engagement is the key to success.

©2020 Doug Dickerson and Liz Stincelli

To learn more about Doug Dickerson, visit his website at https://www.dougdickerson.net/

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