All posts by Liz Stincelli

Leadership

Four Tips for Becoming a More Balanced Leader

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IMGP1081“The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves.” —Ray Kroc

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

 

The standards you set for yourself, as a leader, will either result in leadership that is balanced, or leadership that is ineffective and awkward. Employees can quickly see through false motives and inauthentic behavior. Here are four tips for becoming a more balanced leader.

Confidence vs. humility

As a leader, you must find a balance between confidence and humility. Employees need to know they are following a competent leader, one who can stand with confidence in the face of challenges. On the other hand, they will never be inspired by arrogance. Balanced leadership requires you to show humility, that you do not see yourself as better than, or as more worthy than your employees while still being confident.

Trust vs. distrust

As a leader, you must develop mutually trusting relationships. Employees must know you trust their ability to complete tasks in their own way and make decisions. They must also know that they can trust you to look out for their best interests. Distrust, whether perceived or real, on the part of either party corrodes relationships, teams, morale, and the ability to influence. Balanced leadership requires you to manage not only the relationships you build, but also employees’ perceptions of trust.

Curiosity vs. judgment

No one individual knows everything. As a leader, you must learn to be curious. What do your employees know that you don’t? What are you missing when you look at a situation or try to resolve a problem? When you judge you are letting your ego stand in the way of being open to the idea that you might not know everything. Stop assuming you have all the answers and encourage your employees to help you see the world through the lens of their experiences and knowledge. Balanced leadership requires you to have the ability to make judgment calls when necessary but to remain open and curious about what you might not know.

You vs. them

The most important thing for you to remember, as a leader, is that it’s not about you. It’s about the relationships and partnerships you develop with employees, clients, and vendors. These relationships are based, not on you, but on focusing on them as individuals. Brag about your people; make them the heroes of the story. Balanced leadership requires you to recognize the responsibility that falls on you, but to also know that your leadership focus is not about you, but about those you lead and collaborate with.

Balanced Leadership

Balanced leadership requires that you balance much needed confidence with the humility that allows you to inspire others. It’s about developing trust while eliminating even the perception of distrust. It requires embracing curiosity while limiting judgment in situations where employees may have more knowledge than you. And, most of all, it’s about putting the focus on those you lead instead of yourself. Take the time to evaluate your leadership and work on becoming a more balanced leader.

 

 

© 2016 Elizabeth Stincelli

 

Liz Stincelli is passionate about recognizing and inspiring the leader in each of us. She is the Founder of Stincelli Advisors where she focuses on helping organizations engage employees and improve organizational culture. Liz holds a Doctor of Management degree with an emphasis on organizational leadership.

Learn more about Liz by visiting her website, stincelliadvisors.com and connect with her on Twitter @infinitestin, Google+, and LinkedIn. You can contact her by email at stincelliadvisors@gmail.com.

 

Leadership, Teamwork

Tapping into the Collective Energy of Your Team

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Row of electricity pylons (1)“If we all collectively generate good energy, there will be a good outcome.” —Shari Arison

 By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

 

No one succeeds alone. When teams come together, truly working together, sharing their skills and passion, in pursuit of a shared objective their collective energy creates results far beyond the ability of individuals working separately. As leaders, it is our responsibility to get our ego, pride, and hidden agendas out of the way so that we can build and inspire our team to create good, collective energy. So, once you’ve set aside your behaviors that inhibit collective energy, how can you then tap into this energy in your team?

Feed their passion

We all want to find meaning in our work, to make a valuable contribution to something important. People find energy in their passions, this energy is compounded when you identify and feed the passion of your team. Give them something to believe in; something worth collaborating for, something worth giving their all for and you will tap into the collective energy of your team.

Tap into their experience

Everyone has something unique to offer. People want to be challenged and given the opportunity to use their specific skills and knowledge to meet the demands of those challenges. When you tap into the experience of individual team members while bringing them together in pursuit of a shared goal, you are tapping into the collective energy of your team.

Show them respect

What do your employees desire more than anything else? They want to be valued and respected. When you show respect for your employees, you show them that you have confidence in their abilities, that you value their contributions, and that you trust their judgment. If you want to tap into the collective energy of your teams, you must show them respect on both and individual and a team level.

Share the leadership

A team is not a hierarchical machine; it is a living organism where roles and leadership are in a constant state of flux. An employee with a great attitude might serve best as the leader when the team becomes frustrated. Other employees may lead at different times based on the requirements of the current task. Another employee might have the organization and planning skills necessary to lead the initial planning process. You will tap into the collective energy of your team when you allow leaders to emerge naturally when their strengths meet the immediate needs of the team.

Tap into Your Team’s Collective Energy

As a leader, it is your responsibility to make sure your team is working well together. The most successful leaders tap into the collective energy of their teams and create environments where everyone feels engaged and valued. Each team member is an expert in something; they each serve an important purpose. Feed their passion. Tap into their experience. Show them respect. And, share the leadership. When a team brings their collective energy together and focuses on a shared objective, the results of the team will by far surpass the potential of each individual working alone.

 

© 2016 Elizabeth Stincelli

 

Liz Stincelli is passionate about recognizing and inspiring the leader in each of us. She is the Founder of Stincelli Advisors where she focuses on helping organizations engage employees and improve organizational culture. Liz holds a Doctor of Management degree with an emphasis on organizational leadership.

Learn more about Liz by visiting her website, stincelliadvisors.com and connect with her on Twitter @infinitestin, Google+, and LinkedIn. You can contact her by email at stincelliadvisors@gmail.com.

Leadership, Procrastination

Slaying the Procrastination Demon in Your Organization

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SDRandCo (15)“Procrastination makes easy things hard and hard things harder.” —Mason Cooley

 By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

 

What Really Lies Behind the Procrastination?

We all catch ourselves doing it: procrastinating. For some, it only rears its ugly head on occasion. For others, it is a daily struggle. Procrastination on a personal level can be difficult. But, on an organizational level procrastination can wreak havoc. As Mason Cooley explains in the above quote, procrastination makes everything more difficult than it needs to be. So, what really lies behind the procrastination in your organization?

Is it fear?

Sometimes people fear undertaking a task, making a decision, or taking an action. This fear can stem from the dread of possible failure, from the thought of reprimand, or from possible judgment from others. Therefore, people often think it’s easier to put off until tomorrow what could be done today. Ironically, that which we fear will still be waiting for us tomorrow, the next day, and the next. When we dread a task, we are usually making it out to be bigger than it really is. As a leader, you must develop trusting relationships with your employees and between team members where people feel safe to take action and make decisions. You must also build a culture where failure is viewed as a learning opportunity instead of an excuse to criticize. Do people in your organization procrastinate because of fear?

Is it distraction?

With technology so readily available; social networks; and entertainment at our fingertips, it is easy to become distracted. Busy work is another distraction that actually tricks people into thinking they are making progress. Even with the best of intentions, tasks that should be done now often get put off until later due simply to distractions. As a leader, you must help employees learn to prioritize the important tasks so that busy work does not end up at the top of the to-do list. It is also important that employees have some down-time in their schedule where they can take a break and allow themselves momentary distraction from the task at hand. Do people in your organization procrastinate because they are tied up with busy work or otherwise distracted?

Is it a lack of direction?

Sometimes people don’t take action because they are not sure where to start or in which direction they should be going. This is further complicated in organizations where employees are often dependent on leaders to provide direction. Is there a real purpose for the delay? Is a situation under reevaluation? Do decisions need to be made before action can be taken? As a leader, it is your duty to ensure that your people have a clear understanding of what they are responsible for accomplishing and what, if any, foreseeable barriers stand in their way. Are people in your organization procrastinating because they lack direction?

Is it a habit?

One of the worst things about procrastination is that it can so easily become a habit. Once procrastination has reached the level of being a habit people no longer need fear, distraction, or lack of direction to keep them from taking action. It is easy to develop the habit of procrastination if we do not intentionally develop the habit of making a plan ahead of time and then sticking to the plan, one step at a time. As a leader, it is your responsibility to help people recognize the habit of procrastination, to help them develop a plan, and then hold them accountable for sticking to the plan. Is procrastination wreaking havoc in your organization simply because it has become a habit?

Slay the Demon

So, how do you slay the procrastination demon in your organization? As a leader, you must help people overcome any fear that may be preventing them from taking action. Teach them to block tasks together, scheduling small chunks of time where they allow for brief periods of distraction before getting back on task without interruption. Clearly communicate direction to your employees, work together to develop a plan that is broken down into milestones, and then hold people accountable for sticking to the plan. Don’t allow important tasks to get buried underneath layers of busy work. Help employees to recognize when procrastination has become a habit. Set clear objectives and timelines to keep employees on task and on target. Educate employees and managers about the symptoms, causes, and consequences of persistent procrastination. Has it become a habit? Get started today and slay the demon.

 

© 2016 Elizabeth Stincelli

 

Liz Stincelli is passionate about recognizing and inspiring the leader in each of us. She is the Founder of Stincelli Advisors where she focuses on helping organizations engage employees and improve organizational culture. Liz holds a Doctor of Management degree with an emphasis on organizational leadership.

Learn more about Liz by visiting her website, stincelliadvisors.com and connect with her on Twitter @infinitestin, Google+, and LinkedIn. You can contact her by email at stincelliadvisors@gmail.com.

 

Leadership

More Important than Knowing When to Lead is Knowing When to Follow

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cityBikeRiders“Whether individuals or organizations, we follow those who lead not because we have to, but because we want to. We follow those who lead not for them, but for ourselves.” —Simon Sinek

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

 

Leadership is not a title or position; it’s power, but not power in the sense that we usually think about power. It is the power to inspire others to do more than they ever thought possible in the best interest of the greater good. On the flipside, anyone can become a follower regardless of the position that they hold. So, why would you ever want to follow if you can lead? The most effective leaders understand that they do not know everything, neither are they always the ones with the greatest influence. Being a great leader requires knowing when to lead and when to follow. Here are four questions to ask yourself to determine whether you should be leading or following.

Can you see beyond the status quo?

While followers are often content with the status quo, leaders challenge the status quo. If you have a strange attachment to doing things the way they have always been done, it might be time for you to follow. If you are not open to change, it might be time for you to follow. Do you have blinders on? Are your biases jading your decision making? Is there someone on your team who thinks outside the box, who is creative, and thinks progressively? If you can’t see beyond the status quo, it might be time for you to follow.

Are you focused?

Leaders often have so many things on their plate that it can be difficult to focus on one specific area. Is there a project that needs more attention than you are able to effectively give? Are you able to focus on developing your people? Is there a problem that needs to be resolved? Are there people on your team who can provide the needed attention to critical areas and issues? If you know you are unable to focus where needed, it might be time for you to follow.

Are you motivating others?

There are times when the formal leader lacks the vision and ability to motivate those around them. This does not make you a failure as a leader; it only leads to failure if you neglect to recognize that it might be time to follow. Are you passionate about a project? Are you motivated from within? Is there someone on your team who is really passionate about the project you are working on? Is their passion contagious and can they motivate others? You can’t fake passion and motivation. If you are unable to motive others, it might be time for you to follow.

Are you confident?

We want those we follow to have confidence in themselves so that we can feel confident in them. But, no one person can be an expert in everything or possess every possible skill. Is there someone on your team who is a subject matter expert? Do they know the industry inside and out? Do they possess skills that you don’t? As a leader, it’s okay to put your confidence and trust in someone who is more qualified for a task or assignment than you are. If you are not confident, it might be time for you to follow.

Know When it’s Time to Follow

Regardless of your position, if you cannot see beyond the status quo; if you can’t focus; if you are unable to motivate others; and if you lack confidence, it may be time for you to follow. When you have a team member who would be better at challenging the status quo, someone who can focus on a project, someone who can motivate others, or someone who has the necessary confidence and competence, it’s time for you to follow. Great leader know when to lead, but even more important, they know when to follow.

 

 

© 2016 Elizabeth Stincelli

 

Liz Stincelli is passionate about recognizing and inspiring the leader in each of us. She is the Founder of Stincelli Advisors where she focuses on helping organizations engage employees and improve organizational culture. Liz holds a Doctor of Management degree with an emphasis on organizational leadership.

Learn more about Liz by visiting her website, stincelliadvisors.com and connect with her on Twitter @infinitestin, Google+, and LinkedIn. You can contact her by email at stincelliadvisors@gmail.com.

 

Leadership, Trust

The Ultimate Determinate of Trust: Are They Friend or Foe?

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file00090469702“I can trust my friends; these people force me to examine myself and encourage me to grow.” —Cher

 By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

 

Trust is the foundation of all relationships and of good leadership. This applies to both our personal and professional lives. Whether you are a leader or a follower; a client or a supplier; a neighbor; or an acquaintance, on an unconscious level you are continually trying to determine whether another individual is a friend or a foe. When we trust, we feel that it is reasonable to expect kindness and concern from others and that they will look out for our best interest. When we distrust, we expect that they will act with cruel intentions and in their own best interest. When we trust, we feel safe. When we distrust, we feel the need to protect ourselves. So, what it the ultimate determination of trust? One simple question: are they friend or foe?

Inclusion or exclusion

It’s human nature to fear being excluded. We have succeeded as a civilization by banding together. In the times of our ancient ancestors, individuals who were shunned and left on their own would have been unable to thrive. Things have not changed as much as we sometimes think they have. We still rely on teaming together with other individuals with a common purpose. With friends, we always have a sense of inclusion and working together toward shared goals. With a foe, we often feel we are being excluded and left on our own. When we feel included, we start developing trust.

Safe or fearful

We all want to feel safe. Immediately upon meeting someone we unconsciously start to make judgments about if we feel safe, or if we feel threatened. Friends make us feel safe. We know we can be ourselves; we can share our thoughts and ideas. Foes make us feel fearful. We feel the need to protect ourselves; we keep our thoughts and ideas to ourselves out of fear of judgment and ridicule. When we feel safe, we start to trust.

Honest or deceitful

Friends are transparent. They are open and honest. You know what to expect from a friend and are never blindsided by dishonest motives. Friends share your goals and vision of success and the future. Friends handle disagreements fairly. Foes are deceitful. They twist the facts to meet the needs of their own agenda; an agenda that is self-serving. They are manipulative and resort to trickery and bullying when conflict arises. When others are honest, we feel we can trust them.

Authentic or fake

Friends are authentic. The friend you got yesterday is the same friend you get today and, the same friend you will get tomorrow. Friends respect you, they are always there for you, they are good listeners, and genuinely care about your well-being. You can count on friends to do what they say they are going to do. With a foe, you never know what to expect; they are fake and disrespectful. You can’t count on them, they listen only to respond, and they are only concerned with how they can benefit from the situation. When people are authentic, we feel good about trusting them.

Friend or Foe?

Are we included or excluded? Do we feel safe or fearful? Are they honest or deceitful? Are they authentic or fake? Subconsciously we are always evaluating the behaviors of others to determine if they are friend or foe. If the answer is friend, we trust. If the answer is foe, we distrust. In turn, others are looking at our behavior to signal whether we are friend or foe. Learn to embrace the behaviors and develop the friendships that allow for trusting personal and professional relationships.

 

© 2016 Elizabeth Stincelli

 

Liz Stincelli is passionate about recognizing and inspiring the leader in each of us. She is the Founder of Stincelli Advisors where she focuses on helping organizations engage employees and improve organizational culture. Liz holds a Doctor of Management degree with an emphasis on organizational leadership.

Learn more about Liz by visiting her website, stincelliadvisors.com and connect with her on Twitter @infinitestin, Google+, and LinkedIn. You can contact her by email at stincelliadvisors@gmail.com.

Change, Fear, Leadership

Overcoming the Fear of Change in the Workplace

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file9861310649818“Our dilemma is that we hate change and love it at the same time; what we really want is for things to remain the same but get better.” —Sydney J. Harris

 

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

 

I love the above quote from Sydney Harris; what an oxymoron, we want things to get better but we don’t want anything to change. This applies in both our personal lives and in the workplace. As leaders, our fear of change is compounded in the workplace. We have learned to control people and things the way they are but, what will happen if things change? Will we lose control? Or, might we get left behind? Does the need to change mean we were wrong in the first place? How will change impact our progress? So, how can we overcome the fear of change in the workplace?

This is the way we’ve always done it

We have to start with doing away with the mindset that “this is the way we’ve always done it, so this is the way we’re going to do it.” There is no guarantee that what has worked for us in the past will continue to work for us in the future. In fact, quite the opposite is true. If we don’t challenge the status quo we will not be prepared to meet the demands we will encounter in the future. You must develop the courage to reexamine the situation and reevaluate your thinking. Are your decisions influenced by your biases? How can you be prepared to confront the unexpected and seize new opportunities if you do not encourage and embrace the change and innovation necessary to stay ahead of the pack?

You fear the unknown

Change forces you to step out of your comfort zone; it exposes you to a new world and new experiences. We fear that change is unpredictable and the thought of the unknown can be terrifying. While facing the unknown requires taking on a certain amount of risk, it is also a great way to build confidence and open yourself up to a whole new perspective and a world of new opportunities. To overcome the fear of change in the workplace, learn to embrace the opportunities that await you on the other side of uncertainty.

You think you know everything

When you think you know everything you are going to fear change. Effective change requires the participation of employees throughout your organization. And guess what, you are going to find that some of them know things that you don’t. No one knows everything, not even you. That’s where shared responsibility and cooperation comes into play. Successful organizations capitalize on the individual strengths and knowledge of their employees. To overcome the fear of change in the workplace, learn to accept the fact that you do not, nor should you, know everything.

You don’t trust your employees

In order to overcome the fear of change in the workplace, you must hire the right people, give them the training they need, and then let them do their jobs. When you don’t trust your employees, you will fear change. You will question their ability to make the decisions and take the actions necessary to implement change effectively without disrupting business operations. Encourage an attitude of teamwork and set the example by developing trusting relationships with your employees.

You will lose control

As a leader, your biggest fear is that you will lose control. This fear is magnified whenever change is involved. This fear rolls the fear of the unknown, thinking that you know everything, and lack of trust in your employees into a demon that will kill any effort at change, innovation, and progress. If you fear the loss of control you probably have a micromanagement problem. Employees need to feel competent and in control of their own work. Micromanagement and excessive control undermines relationships, trust, engagement, performance, and loyalty. To overcome the fear of change in the workplace, focus on helping your teams work well together and make sure employees are engaged and feel valued instead of fearing that you will lose control.

Overcome the Fear of Change

Things cannot get better yet remain the same. Change is a necessity; we must change or we become obsolete. As a leader, you must learn to be comfortable questioning the status quo. Then, you must embrace the change that is required to achieve success today, tomorrow, and into the future.

 

© 2016 Elizabeth Stincelli

 

Liz Stincelli is passionate about recognizing and inspiring the leader in each of us. She is the Founder of Stincelli Advisors where she focuses on helping organizations engage employees and improve organizational culture. Liz holds a Doctor of Management degree with an emphasis on organizational leadership.

Learn more about Liz by visiting her website, stincelliadvisors.com and connect with her on Twitter @infinitestin, Google+, and LinkedIn. You can contact her by email at stincelliadvisors@gmail.com.

 

Culture, Leadership

Four Ways You are Making Your Employees Feel Small

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IMG_1205“Good leaders make people feel that they’re at the very heart of things, not at the periphery.” —Warren Bennis

 By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

 

Without even realizing it, you may be making your employees feel small. Too many leaders let their ego, pride, and hidden agendas get in the way of doing what is best for the employees they are supposed to be serving. You can’t succeed alone and making employees feel small is one of the quickest ways to disengage and disenfranchise the very people who have the skills and abilities you need. Learn to recognize these four leadership behaviors that make your employees feel small.

Your ego is front and center

Your attitude, as a leader, has a huge impact on your employees. When your ego is front and center, your attitude will belittle employees making them feel small. Your ego screams that you identify yourself with power and superiority. It separates you from your employees rather than building community and cohesion.

You micromanage

Nothing appears to demonstrate a lack of trust more than micromanagement. When employees do not feel you have confidence in their abilities to do their jobs, it makes them feel small. But, if you are micromanaging, chances are it says more about you than it does about your employee’s abilities. One of the most important tasks of a leader is to make sure teams work well together and that employees feel engaged and valued. People need to feel competent and in control of their own work. Micromanagement undermines relationships, trust, engagement, performance, and loyalty.

You focus on their shortcomings

It’s important to employees that their work is significant and that they are making a meaningful contribution. When you focus on the shortcomings of your employees you make them feel that their contributions are not of value and this, in turn, makes them feel small. While it is not beneficial to overlook subpar performance, employees must see that you take as much notice of good performance as you do poor. As a leader, it is your responsibility to help employees overcome their shortcomings, not to continually rub their faces in them.

You have hidden agendas

When employees get the feeling that you are less than transparent and are operating based on hidden agendas, it tells them that you do not trust them enough to include them in the true agenda. This builds a culture of distrust that makes employees feel small. Hidden agendas make employees feel vulnerable and prevent the team from being able to work together toward shared goals. Your agenda should always be a shared agenda; hidden agendas never achieve positive results.

Start Making Employees Feel Valued

If you are ever going to succeed as a leader, you must stop making your employees feel small and start making them feel valued. Keep your ego out of it. Your employees need to see that your leadership is about them, not you. Stop micromanaging. Give you employees the training and support that they need and then let them do their jobs. Stop focusing on their shortcomings. Make sure that you acknowledge their strengths and help them to overcome their weaknesses. And, get rid of the hidden agendas. Develop a shared agenda where every employee is working toward the same goals. Your employees will perform to the level that your behavior tells them they should work at; stop making them feel small!

 

© 2016 Elizabeth Stincelli

 

Liz Stincelli is passionate about recognizing and inspiring the leader in each of us. She is the Founder of Stincelli Advisors where she focuses on helping organizations engage employees and improve organizational culture. Liz holds a Doctor of Management degree with an emphasis on organizational leadership.

Learn more about Liz by visiting her website, stincelliadvisors.com and connect with her on Twitter @infinitestin, Google+, and LinkedIn. You can contact her by email at stincelliadvisors@gmail.com.

 

Leadership, Obstacles, Opportunity

Turn Obstacles into Opportunities

helping hand 2If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” —Michael Jordan

 

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

 

It is so easy to become overwhelmed when we run into obstacles. How easy is it to just give up? To walk away? As Michael Jordan points out in the quote above, obstacles are inevitable. You can choose to overcome the obstacles you encounter or succumb to the fear and frustration that causes you to give up; it’s all in your attitude. Instead of seeing obstacles as roadblocks, start seeing them as opportunities. So, what opportunities do obstacles offer?

Opportunity to reevaluate

Obstacles give us the opportunity to reevaluate. Do we have a good grasp of the big picture? Did we have a solid plan? Did we stick to the plan? Is it time to look for a contingency plan that yields the same results? Have we done our due diligence? This is a great opportunity to look five steps ahead. Can you see the other side of this obstacle?

Opportunity to collaborate

Obstacles are a great opportunity to wake up and realize that we can’t do it all by ourselves. Where are we weak? Can we collaborate with someone who is strong in this area? Where will our energy and focus be most beneficial? Who can fill in the gaps? Who can we learn from? Who can motivate and inspire us?

Opportunity to gain confidence

What better way to gain confidence than to overcome an obstacle. Every time we conquer a challenge, we gain more confidence in our ability to overcome anything that is thrown our way. It changes our self-talk from “I can’t” to “I’ve done it before and I can do it again”.

Opportunity to grow

And last, but definitely not least, obstacles provide us with the opportunity to grow. We don’t grow when things are easy; we grow when things are tough. Obstacles help us to see where we need to improve our knowledge and skills; they challenge us and help us to stretch and to grow.

Start Seeing Obstacles as Opportunities

You will encounter obstacles; things will get difficult. Don’t let obstacles derail you. Use them as opportunities to reevaluate the situation, your plan, and the big picture. Use them as opportunities to find ways to collaborate and benefit from the strengths of others. And, use obstacles as opportunities to stretch beyond your comfort zone and to grow.

 

 

© 2016 Elizabeth Stincelli

 

Liz Stincelli is passionate about recognizing and inspiring the leader in each of us. She is the Founder of Stincelli Advisors where she focuses on helping organizations engage employees and improve organizational culture. Liz holds a Doctor of Management degree with an emphasis on organizational leadership.

Learn more about Liz by visiting her website, stincelliadvisors.com and connect with her on Twitter @infinitestin, Google+, and LinkedIn. You can contact her by email at stincelliadvisors@gmail.com.

 

Leadership

Four Reasons You Should Make Time for Your Employees

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DSC03551-BW“No matter how busy you are, you must take time to make the other person feel important.” —Mary Kay Ash

 

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

 

I know you’re busy. We’re all busy. But, we also all need to feel important. One of the best ways to make you leadership matter is to make your employees feel important. How do you do this? Simply make time for them. When you make time for your employees you benefit, they benefit, and the organization as a whole benefits. Here are for reasons you should make time for your employees.

It builds relationships

When you take time out of your busy schedule for employees it shows that they are important and that you care. When they know you care, you will gain their trust, respect, and support. These are the building blocks for the development of strong relationships. And, it is through relationships that your will have the greatest impact as a leader.

They become more engaged

When you make time for your employees you get a better understanding for who they are, what they do, what they want, and what they bring to the table. Your interest in them makes them feel important and when they know they are important they become more engaged in their work. Engaged employees tackle challenges head on, they want to learn new skills, and they become invested in giving 100% to their tasks.

They feel valued

Your time is one of the most valuable gifts you have to offer. When you make time for your employees they feel appreciated and valued. When employees feel valued they become loyal advocates for you as a leader and for the organization.

It keeps you in the loop

You will find no better opportunity for open communication than when you are spending time, face-to-face, with your employees. You get a better sense of who they are and they get a sense of who you are. You might just be amazed at how out of the loop you have really been once employees start opening up you. They will keep you in the loop because they see you care about them and are willing to invest your time in them.

Make Time

As a leader, you need to make time for your employees. It builds relationships, leads to more engaged employees, lets them know they are valued, and opens up the communication that keeps you in the loop. When leaders share their precious time with employees, everyone benefits. Don’t you think it’s time you make time?

 

 

© 2016 Elizabeth Stincelli

 

Liz Stincelli is passionate about recognizing and inspiring the leader in each of us. She is the Founder of Stincelli Advisors where she focuses on helping organizations engage employees and improve organizational culture. Liz holds a Doctor of Management degree with an emphasis on organizational leadership.

Learn more about Liz by visiting her website, stincelliadvisors.com and connect with her on Twitter @infinitestin, Google+, and LinkedIn. You can contact her by email at stincelliadvisors@gmail.com.

 

Leadership

How Hidden Agendas Impact Organizational Success

ageandas2“In reality, there are very few villains who view themselves as villains. They just have a certain agenda at a certain time.” —Michael Jai White

 

 

Hidden agendas make it impossible to unite your team and achieve shared success. They destroy trust and eliminate any hope for transparency. When hidden agendas are in play in your organization, your team is divided and it is every man for himself. When leaders and employees have their own agenda, they are looking out for their own best interest and not the interest of the whole.

Hidden agendas reveal motives

When you, as a leader, have a hidden agenda employees will begin to perceive you as devious. They will start to question your motives, words, and actions. Soon you lose their trust. Without trust, you lose your ability to influence others.

Hidden agendas are self-serving

When employees operate based on hidden agendas, they are working toward their own goals and what will benefit them the most. In order for an organization to be successful, every participant must be working toward the same goal.

Hidden agendas jeopardize morale

Hidden agendas are perhaps the single greatest morale buster within your organization. They conceal true motives and are in many ways deceiving. Once exposed it can leave your team feeling demoralized and betrayed. When morale has been compromised your effectiveness will suffer.

Hidden agendas endanger your company’s future

We can’t state it emphatically enough – hidden agendas on many fronts are a threat that reaches beyond the scope of your internal structure. Unfortunately, identifying hidden agendas can be difficult. Addressing them in time can be a real challenge for you as a leader. Here are a few questions that can help shed some light on hidden agendas and help you as a leader before it is too late.

Are we driven by our values or by our profits?

When you and your people are driven by values rather than by profits then hidden agendas become less important. When the driving force behind your organization is to put people over profits, honesty above cutting corners, and integrity over deception then the profits will follow.

Does our communication foster accountability and growth?

Open communication is the life-blood of a sound organizational structure. But it must go beyond that by holding people accountable for what they say and do. When the lines of communication are flowing and everyone’s voice is being heard then hidden agendas are more readily identified and confronted.

Are we building strong relationships within our teams?

We accomplish nothing alone. We need the collaboration and participation of every member of the team. In order to be successful, we must build strong relationships within our teams. And, relationships are based on trust; there can be no trust when hidden agendas are in play.

Are we working toward shared goals?

If we are not working together toward shared goals, each member of your team will be working toward their own goals. This is where hidden agendas take form. Each team member focuses their energies on doing and getting whatever they need to be successful regardless of how it will affect the success of the team as a whole.

None of us set out to intentionally undermine the success of our organization but, this is exactly what happens when hidden agendas are at work. Our motives become questionable. Our actions become self-serving. We jeopardize morale. And, we end up endangering the future of our company.

Our objective here is to not only raise awareness to the pitfalls of hidden agendas but to show a better way. The strength of your organization is found in its people working together toward shared goals and values. When hidden agendas are put to rest then the team can move forward together.

 

© 2016 Doug Dickerson and Elizabeth Stincelli

 

Doug Dickerson is an internationally recognized leadership author, columnist, radio host, and speaker. He is a contributor for the Las Vegas Tribune, Executive Secretary Magazine, and the Daniel Island News (South Carolina) just to name a few. Doug and his family live just outside beautiful Charleston, SC. In addition to writing and speaking, Doug enjoys all sports, cooking on the grill, and time at Folly Beach, (SC). Email Doug at: managementmoment@gmail.com.

Follow Doug on Twitter, catch his  podcast – Doug Dickerson Podcast , follow him on Instagram, The Management Moment Show Program Page and Dougdickerson.wordpress.com.

 

Liz Stincelli is passionate about recognizing and inspiring the leader in each of us. She is the Founder of Stincelli Advisors where she focuses on helping organizations engage employees and improve organizational culture. Liz holds a Doctor of Management degree with an emphasis on organizational leadership.

Learn more about Liz by visiting her website, stincelliadvisors.com and connect with her on Twitter @infinitestin, Google+, and LinkedIn. You can contact her by email at stincelliadvisors@gmail.com.