Category Archives: Organizational Culture

Create Meaning, Leadership, Leadership Development, Organizational Culture, Thrive, Trust

Don’t Just Survive as a Leader, Thrive as a Leader

October 16, 2014 Liz Stincelli

“A garden requires patient labor and attention. Plants do not grow merely to satisfy ambitions or to fulfill good intentions. They thrive because someone expended effort on them.” —Liberty Hyde Bailey

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

Leadership

Liberty Hyde Bailey’s quote does not just apply to gardening; it applies to leadership as well. You may manage to survive as a leader as a result of good intentions, but to thrive and grow as a leader you must expend purposeful effort. As a leader, you might survive by doing the bare minimum. But, thriving is about being connected, being engaged, giving of yourself, and promoting a positive environment. You must invest in yourself and in your people, in your relationships, and in your culture. You must devote energy to finding and sharing the meaning behind your work.

Relationships

Angela Ahrendts explained, “Everyone talks about building relationships with your customer. I think you build one with your employees first.” Building strong relationships with your employees based on trust and respect should be you first order of business as a leader. Leadership is not about you, it’s about others. You need to surround yourself with talented, passionate, and dedicated people and then focus your energy on supporting and engaging them. It’s your responsibility as a leader to help the people you serve to grow and prosper. Spend time with them and get to know them on a personal basis. Who are they? What are their aspirations? Learn to listen without judgment. Find out where their strengths lie and then give them the opportunity to focus on their interests. Take chances on them, it sends a great message of your trust and confidence throughout your organization.

If you want to thrive as a leader, be open, honest, and authentic in your words and actions so your people will trust you. Ensure that the relationships you develop are not one-sided, but are mutually beneficial. Focus on building a sense of community and belonging throughout your organization. And remember, relationships are all about communication so, communicate, communicate, and communicate some more.

Culture

Tariq Ramadan said, “Cultures are never merely intellectual constructs. They take form through the collective intelligence and memory, through a commonly held psychology and emotions, through spiritual and artistic communion.” This applies inside organizations as well as across cultures. Your organizational culture is not a set of policies or procedures; it’s not words in some handbook; it’s deeply ingrained in the behaviors and emotions of our employees. Your culture should illustrate the respect and value you have for the contributions and abilities of others. Develop a reputation for hiring great people, providing great training, and offering great opportunities. Create a culture where everyone thrives. Help those you work with find their voice and confidence. Encourage and value the contribution that diversity offers throughout your organization. Set an example of the collaboration and cooperation that will lead to success team building. Create a safe environment where employees can gain knowledge from failure without fear of judgment.

As within, so without; as you treat your employees, so your employees will treat your customers. If you want to thrive as a leader, exceed employee expectations and they will exceed customers’ expectations. Ensure that employees get face time with customers so they understand their needs. Teach employees, by the example that you set, to aim at improving the lives of customers not just making the sale. Encourage empowerment and autonomy, not conformity. Make the inclusion of employees in the decision making process a priority. Make yourself available to those you lead. Make sure your culture is constantly evolving in positive direction.

Meaning

Antoine de Saint-Exupery told us, “The meaning of things lies not in the things themselves, but in our attitude towards them.” Everyone is looking for meaning and purpose. People thrive when they find their work meaningful. It’s not the work itself; it is the relationship between the individual and the work they are doing. This is where attitude and perspective come in. Make sure every employee understands how truly important their job is. Help them connect the work they are doing to what is important to them and the organization. Employees will be more engaged when they are excited about the work they are doing.

As a leader, it is your responsibility to help those who follow you find meaning and align their work with their values. This makes achieving goals more satisfying. If you want to thrive as a leader, help them construct a positive way to view the world. This provides energy, focus, and fulfillment. Your employees will be more loyal and committed if they feel their work has meaning. Share your passion with them; build and maintain excitement about the journey you are on. Share a purpose that is inspiring at every level of the organization.

It’s Time to Thrive

We thrive and find strength by finding meaning and an inspiring purpose. As a leader, you must not only find meaning and an inspiring purpose for yourself and your work, you must also create meaning and inspire a sense of purpose in those who follow you. If you want to thrive as a leader, you must take an active role in developing yourself and your employees. Built strong relationships, develop an engaging and inclusive culture, and help those around you find meaning in their work. It’s time to stop merely surviving in your role as a leader. Step up to the plate, put forth the effort, and thrive as a leader.

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

Learn more about Elizabeth 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.

Collaboration, Empowerment, Engagement, Innovation, Leadership, Organizational Culture

Growing New Leaders

August 14, 2014 Liz Stincelli

“Growing other leaders from the ranks isn’t just the duty of the leader, it’s an obligation.” —Warren Bennis

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

Why Grow New Leaders?

Developing leaders throughout your organization places you in a position to conquer new leadership challenges where innovation and flexibility are the keys to success. When you build on the expertise within the ranks of your organization you improve efficiency and effectiveness. Growing new leaders allows you to tap into the talent and potential of your team members. Let’s look at three of the factors that promote the growing and nurturing of new leaders.

Environment

You must start by creating an environment where others have the opportunity and are encouraged to lead. Develop a culture where employees embrace collaboration and open communication. Value the diversity that offers a continual flow of new perspectives. Provide employees with an environment that challenges them in a way that engages and inspires. Encourage the sharing of ideas by asking great questions and valuing the answers you receive. Provide work that employees can feel passionate about. Network and relationship building are important factors in leadership. Help and encourage employees to build their network and develop strong relationships built on trust and respect. Implement programs where new leaders can be mentored.

Opportunity

If you want to grow new leaders you must provide them with experiences that help them understand who they are, what they stand for, and what their strengths and weaknesses are. Give them the opportunity to participate in solving difficult problems. Allow them to make mistakes and help them learn how to grow from the lesson these mistakes teach. Encourage them to share their ideas and allow them to participate in planning and implementation of new ideas. Every employee has valuable ideas, insights, and perspectives; engage them in productive conversations. When employees feel like they are an integral part of the organization they will be more motivated and engaged in growing as a leader.

Aptitude

Give employees the training and experiences they need to develop leadership skills. These skills will enable them to have a positive influence on colleagues, make informed decisions, and contribute new ideas. Help them develop an understanding of their own biases and how these biases can impact decision making. Teach them to appreciate the benefits of obtaining diverse points of view. Help them develop the ability to ask the right questions so they can make sense of overwhelming amounts of information. Teach them the value of networking. Create in them an ownership mentality. And, most importantly, serve as a role-model of good leadership and show them how to bring out the best in others.

Everyone Wins

Everyone wins when you grow new leaders and develop the leadership pipeline throughout your organization. When you have individuals with leadership ability at every level of your organization you increase the speed at which you can respond to change, your ability to be flexible, and your ability to respond to uncertainty. When you become more involved in the leadership development of your employees you will experience improved employee and customer satisfaction. By growing new leaders, your organization becomes more nimble and innovative, able to respond more quickly to customer needs and changes in the business environment.

Change Management, Collaboration, Communication, Engagement, Leadership, Organizational Culture, Planning, Team Building

How Are You Managing Change?

August 7, 2014 Liz Stincelli

“Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts.” —Arnold Bennett

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

Why Change

Fight it all you want, change is inevitable. When we fail to embrace change we cause ourselves undue stress and waste valuable time and resources. Why change? Change becomes necessary when the needs of our organization, customers, or employees change.

How We Change

Once we realize that needs have changed, and therefore we need to evolve; we must set a realistic change goal. Every level of management must roll-up their sleeves and get involved. Employees must understand and believe the reason for the change and the benefit to them personally. The organization must be committed to pursuing the long-term vision and the change requirements associated with it. Here are four factors that will help you manage change.

Purpose

Have a clear purpose. How will this change influence, improve, and impact others? What problem are you solving or what are you improving on? How will it benefit you customers? How will employees benefit? How does this change fit into the overall organizational objectives? People’s main concern is their own well-being; your employees need a clear understanding of your purpose and how they will be impacted by the change.

Plan

Create a proper plan for implementing change. Spend extra time formulating a good plan. Build flexibility in the plan. Set clear goals, identify milestones, and outline the timeframe. Ensure that goals are ambitious, yet attainable. What scope does the plan cover and what are the deliverables? Identify what success looks like. Determine what relationships and resources you will need to accomplish your goals. Do your plans for change fit with the vision of the organization? You must determine a budget for the plan. Specifically identify who will be accountable for each task. Then, bring the right team of people together to implement the plan. Check results early and often to ensure you are not veering off course.

Culture

Develop an organizational culture that embraces change. Your culture should encourage a sense of responsibility, camaraderie, and generosity. Encourage the development of strong relationships throughout your organization. Let employees share in the leadership responsibility. Make sure you have the right people serving in the right roles. Provide engaging work for your employees and allow every employee to use their expertise in achieving shared goals. Build loyalty by promoting a positive culture that encourages employee participation. You should encourage innovation and allow for mistakes. Help employees develop collaborative and decision-making skills. Promote transparency. Create an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect where teams are motivated and engaged.

Communication

Successful change management is more dependent on communication than on strategy. Make sure you are clearly communicating with your employees early and often. Set an example of the level of communication that is expected. Talk truthfully about change. Be genuine in both your words and actions. Clearly outline ownership and accountability. Promote a common understanding of the long-term vision of the organization as well as the immediate goal. Listen more than you speak and ensure that you understand what’s being said. Communication is the only way to succeed. If your communication isn’t reaching your team, you won’t be successful at managing change.

Take-Away

Change is inherently uncomfortable, but the fact is we must change or we become obsolete. Failing to recognize the need for change can result in wasted time, energy, and resources. You can minimize the fear and resistance associated with change by defining and sharing a clear purpose for the change; by setting realistic goals; and evaluating who and how others with be affected by the change. Communicate the purpose, goals, and benefits to all parties that will be impacted. Always be transparent and open in your communication. Develop a culture within your organization that is agile and embraces change. Create a plan for the implementation of change and outline how success will be measured. Engage employees in the process of identifying the need for change, formulating a plan, and implementing the change. When employees are invested in the change process managing change can be a positive, transforming experience.

Communication, Empowerment, Engagement, Leadership, Organizational Culture, Success, Team Building, Trust

So, You’re a New Leader

July 24, 2014 Liz Stincelli

So, You’re a New Leader

“The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been.” —Henry A. Kissinger

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

A New Leader

So, you’ve been promoted into a leadership position. While, as the leader, you are now responsible to plan and direct the actions of those you lead, more importantly, you must learn to inspire and empower them. You are now under the scrutiny of your new team. They want to know if you are worthy to be followed. It’s up to you to earn their trust and respect. They are going to be looking to you to provide a sense of purpose that each of them can buy into.

What Now?

Are you prepared to lead? One of the very first things you must do as a new leader is to determine where you’re starting from, where you need to be going, and the obstacles you may face. You need to learn how things really work on the front lines so you will be better prepared provide direction and make decisions. You need to get to know your team and earn their respect. Here are some starting points for your leadership journey.

Self-confidence

Followers need to know that you believe in yourself. This is not arrogance but confidence. Do your homework; make sure that when you speak you know what you are talking about and then trust yourself and your judgment. Set out on a quest to continually gain new knowledge and experiences. Show followers that you are competent to lead. Live your life as an example that you can be proud of.

Establish a foundation

Establish a solid foundation of principles, expectations, and values. Develop and clearly demonstrate through your words and actions a shared purpose and vision. Provide meaningful work where followers can take pride in their contributions. Demonstrate the authenticity of your intentions through transparent and open communication.

Develop a culture that values consistent behavior, the sharing of knowledge, and encourages collaboration. Put the right people in the right roles and show a commitment helping them become successful. Commit to quality and set up measures to monitor results. Ask great questions and really listen to the answers. Foster an environment of strong relationships, teamwork, and collaboration.

Engage

Be supportive of your employees. Clearly outline your expectations and give them the opportunity to come up with their own ideas rather than you dictating what they should do. Value each member of your team for what they can contribute not for their position. Remember, you don’t have all the answers so trust the knowledge and skills of your team members. Engage and encourage each of your followers to participate in the leadership of the organization. Help followers to continue to develop personally and professionally.

Encourage your team to challenge the status quo with innovative thinking. Urge team members to voice differing perspectives, not for conflict, but to improve performance. Encourage team members to connect authentically and show them how by the example you set. Form a diverse team to ensure a continual supply of new perspectives. Emphasize accountability and ownership. Give credit to team members where and when it is due.

Character

Your character will play a pivotal role in your success or failure as a leader. Make sure your service is focused on others and not self-serving. Know what you stand for and why. Be committed to your values and principles. Always be authentic. Lead with purpose and compassion. Demonstrate patience and strength under pressure.

Build deep and meaningful relationships with those you work with. Show everyone they matter by giving them your time and making them feel valued. Show them that you recognize and appreciate their efforts. Demonstrate your competence. Do what others won’t and be willing to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty. Be courageous and embrace the lessons that failure has to offer. Show humility. Be fair and consistent in your leadership. Be a good listener. Always practice what you preach. And, strive to inspire and motivate those around you.

Intentions

Lead for the right reasons. If your intentions are not authentic your employees will quickly see through the façade and you will lose their trust and respect. Lead not for the benefits to you personally but to leave a legacy through the lives you have impacted. Be a compassionate leader. Share your wisdom. Help others grow and reach their full potential. Share and grow your vision. Always stand by your principles. Inspire all who come in contact with you. Serve to encourage and lift others through inspiration and hope.

Take-Away

As a new leader you must determine where your team is, where they are going, and how they are going to get there. You need a strong vision for the future that your team can support. If you always put the needs of your team before your own they will become your loyal supporters. Don’t lead for the sake of the position; take this new opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those you work with. Leadership is a journey, not a destination.

Engagement, Innovation, Leadership, Organizational Culture, Success

The Key to Continued Success: Innovation

July 17, 2014 Liz Stincelli

The Key to Continued Success: Innovation

“Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow.” —William Pollard

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

Innovation

It would be foolish to think that we can continue to be successful by doing the same things tomorrow that we did yesterday. Innovation allows us to create something new that meets an unmet need and provides value. The responsibility for innovating cannot be placed on a few, select individuals; innovation has to be everyone’s job.

How Do We Create It?

Innovation takes the effort of the whole organization. When you take all the small ideas that employees have to offer and combine them, you often come up with one, great idea. To capitalize on this one great idea, we must give valid consideration to every idea. Successful innovation requires the igniting of passion throughout the organization. The focus should be the customers, both internal and external, that we serve. Let’s create an environment that encourages innovation.

Culture

What type of culture fosters innovation? It is up to organizational leaders to create and maintain a culture where innovation can thrive. One of the most important features of this type of culture is an emphasis on learning. The organization should encourage and facilitate the process of continual self-improvement for employees. The culture should emphasize the importance of purposefully creating a new future. There should be a shared definition of innovation throughout the organization. The focus must be on continuous improvement and the prevention and solving of problems. To come up with useful, innovative ideas, employees need to be given time to become familiar with the needs of the customer. They need the opportunity and resources to experiment with ideas.

Principles

What do principles have to do with innovation? Innovation does not happen overnight. It’s about thinking long-term and requires focused commitment. A shared vision will guide innovation towards the achievement of organizational objectives. The vision should clearly outline our principles and our principles should guide our innovative efforts. Strong principles allow us to challenge the status quo while remaining true to the strategic direction of the organization.

Relationships

How do relationships impact our ability to innovate? Camaraderie between team members is the result of healthy relationships. These strong relationships allow us to work together to connect and combine ideas. Relationships with both internal and external customers are developed when we create exceptional interactions with them. It is essential that we develop mutual trust and confidence in each other. People who feel inspired are more committed and will go the extra mile to help the organization succeed. Every employee should strive to inspire those around them.

Attitude

How does our attitude affect our ability to innovate effectively? Attitude has a huge impact on innovation. We need to be open-minded and receptive to new experiences, ideas, and perspectives. We must be willing to tackle the difficult issues. We should find inspiration in the challenge. We must keep a positive and collaborative attitude even during disagreements.

Behaviors

What sort of behaviors increase the odds for successful innovation? The only way to get good ideas is to get a lot of ideas without judgment. These ideas can be evaluated for usefulness later. Employees must be encouraged to experiment with new ideas and concepts. They should be allowed to let ideas evolve and grow over time. We need to explore a wide range of solutions. The focus needs to be on outcomes and making sure everyone involved knows the vision, strategic goals, and desired results. There should be a healthy tension between where you are and where you are going. This tension should ignite passion but not competition.

Take-Away

Will what you did yesterday be sufficient for tomorrow? The answer is no. Long-term success goes to the organization where innovation is built into the culture. The truth is, you must learn to innovate or you will become obsolete. You never know where the next great idea will come from. So, create a culture that fosters innovation and involves every employee in the process.

Learn more about Elizabeth 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.

Collaboration, Communication, Empowerment, Engagement, Leadership, Organizational Culture, Team Building, Teamwork, Trust

Let’s Collaborate

July 10, 2014 Liz Stincelli

Let’s Collaborate

“If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples, then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.” —George Bernard Shaw

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

Collaboration

Collaboration brings us together to work towards a shared objective. If we can collaborate effectively we increase our chances for success. Collaborating with others offers us the opportunity to be part of something larger than ourselves.

We can achieve more together than the sum of what we can achieve individually. Successful collaboration creates win-win situations where all parties benefit. People are most productive and satisfied at work when they feel supported, rewarded, and aligned with the work they are doing. Effective collaboration puts the right people in right roles and provides them with the voice, support, and encouragement needed to be successful. Here are a few factors impact your odds of collaborating successfully.

Culture

The culture of your organization will either foster or destroy collaboration. The culture should promote the attitude that there is always something new to be discovered. You never know where the next great idea will come from. A healthy culture encourages employees to ask questions. It challenges employees to wonder what might be possible if we work together. Collaboration helps us to feel energized and connected as we work in a team environment. Develop a culture that engages employees to participate in collaboration without competing with each other. Encourage the development of the authentic connections between colleagues that builds a sense of community. Promote a culture that encourages and rewards collaboration and advances a shared vision to guide collaborative efforts.

Relationships

Successful collaboration is dependent on building strong, authentic relationships. These relationships allow us to influence and inspire others. Get to know colleagues on a personal basis. Always treat each other with respect. Use your relationships to develop a spirit of cooperation and offer encouragement and support.

Communication

Communication connects us with others and is a key factor in effective collaboration. Communication should always be respectful. In a collaborative environment people should be given a voice to express themselves in a constructive manner. Encourage others to ask questions and challenge the status quo. Clearly communicate shared goals and objectives. Resolve disagreements quickly and in a respectful manner. And, remember to express appreciation for the contributions of team members.

Trust

Trust is an important component of any successful collaboration. The collaborative environment must reduce the fear of judgment that hinders participation and productivity. Develop an atmosphere that encourages others to share ideas in a safe and respectful environment. Show compassion for colleagues. Set an example of how to treat others and how to work together effectively. Treat colleagues as equals. Develop a code of conduct so that situations are handled consistently and fair.

Focus

To collaborate effectively the team should focus on cooperation and developing connections between members. Every participant should be encouraged to bring the best of themselves to the table. To be successful, teams should focus their energy on outcomes not problems. Create a Collaborative environment with shared objectives that focus on what’s best for the organization as a whole.

Take-Away

You must build collaboration into the culture of your organization. The culture should empower individuals to work together to accomplish more than would be possible if they were working alone. A positive, collaborative environment encourages team members to share opinions and ideas, promotes cooperation, and develops strategic partnerships.

When we work together we can accomplish more that we ever could working individually. When we join forces we all win. Now, everyone, roll up your sleeves and let’s collaborate.

Collaboration, Leadership, Organizational Culture, Team Building, Teamwork

Building Your Team

June 25, 2014 Liz Stincelli

Building Your Team

“Unity is strength… when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.” —Mattie Stepanek

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

Teamwork

In order for a team to successfully achieve their goals, team members must be willing and able to share knowledge, experience, and skills in the coordination and completion of the work at hand.

Building Your Team

So you have a project to accomplish. You are given a team with which to work. The question now becomes, how do you build your team so that, as a whole, you are successful? Here are a few areas that can impact the level of success your team achieves.

Collaboration

Working as a team towards shared goals requires collaboration. Collaboration must be built into the very culture of the organization. A culture where individuals are empowered to work together to accomplish more than would be possible when working individually. Collaboration provides a real sense of community. Successful collaboration requires clearly identified objectives and boundaries. Then, engaged employees should be allowed to operate freely within those boundaries. The most effective collaborative environments encourage team members to voice different perspectives, foster a spirit of cooperation, and develop strategic partnerships.

Cohesion

Cohesion provides team unity as a whole. Cohesion requires a sense of community and a shared vision to work towards. Create a team with the right mix of members where everyone serves in the roles that best fit their strengths. Team members should learn to empathize with each other. Members should be willing to share their knowledge and previous experiences to help others. Successful teams communicate and learn from each other.

Respect

Show that you admire the abilities and accomplishments of team members. Treat everyone with respect. Develop mutual trust within the team. Respect your colleague’s ability to do their job. Remember that everyone has something to contribute. Bear in mind that the team succeeds or fails as a whole.

Support

Give assistance and never leave anyone behind. Each team member must roll-up their sleeves and contribute to the work to be done. Make sure the team has the resources they need to achieve their goals. Help team members keep their eyes on what is really important. Develop a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities and then support each other in those roles. Act as a mentor or advisor to those members who need additional guidance.

Take-Away

How well we work together as a team determines our success or failure at achieving our desired results. You cannot sit idly by and expect your team to succeed. Make a conscious effort and focus your energies on building your team.

Communication, Leadership, Organizational Culture

Are You Communicating Effectively?

June 19, 2014 Liz Stincelli

Are You Communicating Effectively?

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” — George Bernard Shaw

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

Communication

Success in every area of life is dependent on our ability to communicate effectively. Communication is a means of connecting with others to convey information, suggest ideas, share thoughts, and express feelings. We often feel that we have communicated our message effectively only to find that the receiver has a completely different understanding.

Are You Communicating Effectively?

Communication is intended to be a two-way process meant to result in a mutual understanding by all parties involved. A mutual understanding does not require consensus, but it does require that everyone has comprehended the message in the same way. Many factors contribute to the understanding that is derived from communication. Here are a few you may want to consider when you ask yourself if you are communicating effectively.

Your message

Who is the audience your message is meant to reach is one of the first questions you need to ask yourself. It is important for each individual to feel like you are speaking directly to them. This may require different approaches for different audiences, even if you are sharing the same message. Use relevant, inspirational, and simple stories to illustrate the important points you are trying to make. Explain why your message is important. Verify that everyone has the same understanding of what was discussed, conclusions reached, and what is expected going forward. Be patient, if you want people to internalize your message, they must hear it multiple times.

Employees want to know where the organization is going, what it will look like when they get there, what difference are they making, why is it important to you, and why should they help you. Communicate objectives and expectations clearly. And, always be truthful.

Words and actions

Make sure that what you say and what you do are congruent. Others will only follow what you say if they see it is important to you by your actions. Say what you are going to do and then do it. Communicate authentically. Be fair, open, and supportive in your dialogues with others. And, most importantly, make it clear by both words and actions that you are available to discuss any concerns others may have. Remember, communication is a two-way street.

Connecting with others

Communication is all about connecting with others. Take a walk around the office and engage in conversations with those you work with. Make sure your message is designed to fit the recipient. Communicate at every level of the organization. Share a view of the bigger picture. Talk about the goals of the organization and ask about personal goals. Engage employees in conversations by asking questions and really listening to what they have to say. Let them be involved in formulating solutions to problems. Make sure that acknowledgement of the vital role that each one plays in the success of the organization is included in your communication.

Take-Away

The first rule of communication is making sure you are listening as much as you are talking. Employees want to be kept in the loop. Share with them where the organization is and where it is going. Connect with employees on a personal level. And, if you want them to believe what you say, ensure that your words match your actions.

Communication, Empowerment, Leadership, Organizational Culture, Teamwork, Trust

Six Ways to Enhance Organizational Structure- with co-author Doug Dickerson

June 13, 2014 Liz Stincelli 1 Comment

Six Ways to Enhance Organizational Structure

The productivity of a work group seems to depend on how the group members see their own goals in relation to the goals of the organization. – Ken Blanchard

When was the last time you took a hard look at the effectiveness of your organizational structure? While most organizations have one, do the people in your organization know it or understand it? The time may be ripe for you to take a fresh look at yours and consider these six ways to enhance it.

Empower your leaders

Regardless of what your present organizational structure looks like its functionality should empower its leaders. Successful leaders thrive in an organizational structure that fosters creativity, unleashes potential, and doesn’t stifle progress. This happens when less emphasis is placed on hierarchical structure and more emphasis is placed on empowering the right people in the right places. Empowerment elevates the performance of leaders and encourages behavior that earns the respect of followers. This respect allows leaders to build partnerships within the organization that encourage open, two-way communication and foster a sense of loyalty.

Give ownership

Ownership occurs within your organizational structure when there is buy-in from the bottom up and system wide. If ownership is not shared then the structure is self-serving and not empowering. People want ownership and sense of belonging to a great cause. Without ownership that can’t happen. Ownership holds everyone on the team accountable for their decisions and actions. In order for employees to take successful ownership of their work they must clearly understand expectations. They must also have milestones where progress is evaluated. Ensure that employees are serving in the right roles, give ownership, and celebrate their victories.

Expand borders

Organizational structures don’t define you, you define them. As such, your organizational structure should not be a document of containment but a blueprint of open boundaries to grow and succeed. It should not box people in but should free them to do what they do best. As your organization grows so should your structure but in a way that facilities your growth and not in ways that impede it. Provide employees with the opportunity to be more flexible about how, when, where, and with whom the work gets done. Employees want to be involved in designing and managing their work tasks. Offer employees choices and the ability to personalize work. Allow employees to share ideas and be involved in the implementation of these ideas. As you expand your borders, provide opportunities for employee growth and focus your energies on the results that really matter.

Think lateral

Employees need to have a level of control over their work tasks. A top-down organizational structure hinders the ability of decision-making at the lowest level possible. Decision making on the front-lines allows issues to be identified and addressed quickly. In a lateral structure, employees understand where they fit and how they impact the success of the organization. A flat organizational structure allows employees at all levels of the organization to be empowered and given autonomy over their work. This less rigid structure allows for flexibility and promotes a feeling of equality and inclusiveness. When lateral thinking is put into action it allows for swifter response times that can translate into happier customers, gratified clients, and a healthy bottom line. Lateral thinking is empowering, efficient, and very effective.

Build trust

The support needed to successfully achieve organizational goals is gained by developing relationships based on trust and commitment. The organizational structure can enhance or impede factors such as open communication, management follow-through, accountability, consistency, and concern for employee interests all of which foster a sense of trust. Therefore, building trust is a deliberate action, not something left to chance. It happens as relationships are given priority, it grows in an atmosphere of community, and it pays huge dividends when everyone is engaged. Without trust you have nothing. With it your potential is unlimited.

Find common ground

Employees prefer to work with others they see as similar to themselves. When the organizational structure provides an inclusive environment with common goals a sense of community is developed. Finding common ground helps in the successful pursuit of these shared goals. The organization must foster a shared purpose so that employees understand why the organization exists and why they do what they do. Finding common ground is a fundamental condition of your success. You need to define, share it, but most of all; your team needs to own it. Common ground is your path forward.

Does your organizational structure support the goals you trying to reach? The continued success of your organization is dependent on your ability to continually evaluate and enhance your organizational structure. You can enhance your effectiveness by taking these steps to ensure that your organization is ready to succeed in the 21st century.

Doug Dickerson is an internationally recognized leadership speaker and columnist. He is the author of two leadership books. He is the director of Management Moment Leadership Services. To learn more visit www.dougsmanagementmoment.blogspot.com

Elizabeth Stincelli is passionate about recognizing and inspiring the leader in each of us. She is the CEO of Stincelli Advisors where she focuses on helping organizations engage employees and improve organizational structure. Elizabeth holds a Doctor of Management degree with an emphasis on organizational leadership. Learn more about Elizabeth by visiting her website, www.stincelliadvisors.com

Empowerment, Leadership, Motivation, Organizational Culture

Do Employees Want to Be Motivated or Do They Want to Be Happy?

June 4, 2014 Liz Stincelli

Do Employees Want to Be Motivated or Do They Want to Be Happy?

“Motivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it.” —Dwight D. Eisenhower

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

Motivation

Motivation provides us with our reasons for behaving in a particular way. Each of us is motivated by something different. If you can identify what incentives will motivate individual employees, you can use incentives, almost like a bribe, to get the behaviors you want.

How do we motivate?

If you want to successfully motivate employees you must first determine what excites them, what gives them purpose, and what they role want to play in the organization. Establish clear performance metrics with specific goals that can be measured. Be clear about the benefits and provide support. Communicate clearly, consistently, and often so employees know where the stand in relation to the goals they are pursuing. Provide positive feedback and compelling incentives. Make sure you are rewarding the right behaviors. Offer rewards for attitude as well as skill. Incentives can range from profit sharing, which gives employees a vested interest in the success of the organization to small rewards such as movie or dinner gift certificates. You can take an employee to lunch. Make sure you are celebrating organizational successes. Continually offer challenges to be met.

What does it look like?

Motivated employees work towards meeting organizational goals based on the desire to receive the incentives offered for performance. An organization where incentives are used to motivate employees operates with a defined system for determining what will motivate each employee, setting clear and measurable goals, and tracking progress. Employees successfully reach organizational goals based the rewards they receive for exhibiting desired behaviors.

A Culture of Happy Employees

Happy employees are more productive. Happy employees are also loyal employees. An organization with a culture that focuses on providing an employee friendly work environment will have employees who are inspired to work hard based on a love of their job.

How do we achieve it?

Employees want to be empowered, to be allowed to take ownership of their work, and to tackle challenges on their own. You must provide clear expectations and parameters for performance and then allow employees to have freedom and control over their work tasks. Allow for a degree of flexibility in when and how the work gets done. Employees want jobs that utilize their talents. They want opportunities to continue to develop their skills as they work along a planned career path. Provide a support system that helps with career planning and offers continuous training. An employee friendly environment offers perks such as a great benefit package, paid leave, flexible schedules, telecommuting, and educational opportunities. This type of organization encourages employees to have fun at work with parties, fun contests, and group charity work. These types of activities build camaraderie throughout the organization. And don’t forget to offer praise for a job well done.

What does it look like?

Money will not buy employee engagement or loyalty. When people are in the right roles where they are passionate and committed giving the organization their best efforts they are more likely to be happy and enjoy their work. Expectations are clear. Communication is open. Leaders are visible, supportive, and appreciative. There is a culture of continuous employee development. Employees find great meaning and satisfaction in their work. And, everyone participates in the celebration of organizational success.

What Do Employees Want?

So, the question is, do employees want to be motivated based on incentives or would they prefer an environment where they’re happy to work? To achieve results that are mutually beneficial to the organization and employees, a combination of incentives and positive work environment seems to be most effective. Employees like to have clearly defined goals and it’s always nice to know that there will be a reward designed specifically for you based on your motivation as an individual for achieving those goals. Employees want to feel valued and receive credit for their contributions. They want to work for an organization that is willing to help them continue to develop along a career path that supports their strengths and passions. And, they want control and flexibility in performing their work tasks.

Take-Away

Motivating employees is a valuable tool for achieving organizational goals but, don’t just throw money at them, give employees the opportunity to build a career in a job they enjoy. Organizations with a high degree of employee engagement consistently out-perform those with little or no engagement. Employees are more committed to the success of the organization when they are offered work that is interesting, they are communicated with, they feel engaged, they have control over their work, and their contributions are appreciated. Create a culture that offers incentives for reaching goals and provides support for the personal aspirations of employees.

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

Employee Advocate | Leadership Consultant | Author | Speaker