Four Steps for Avoiding Employee Burnout
“That’s the thing: You don’t understand burnout unless you’ve been burned out. And it’s something you can’t even explain. It’s just doing something you have absolutely no passion for.” —Elena Delle Donne
You expect a lot from your employees. And, as hard as they try, even the best employees burnout from time to time. The work still needs to get done so, how can you as a leader help avoid employee burnout?
Their passion not yours
Our passion is what energizes us. One of the biggest causes of burnout is working hard on someone else’s passion. When you find ways for employees to use their own passions in pursuit of shared goals, they are more likely to stay energized and avoid burnout.
Challenging opportunities
After performing the same tasks over and over again we start operating on autopilot. Challenging opportunities keep employees engaged in their work. When they are engaged, they are far less likely to experience burnout.
Part of the big picture
No one wants to feel like a small, insignificant cog in a big machine. Every employee needs to know that their contributions are an important part of a bigger picture. When employees feel that they are an integral part of something bigger than themselves, they are less likely to succumb to burnout.
Show gratitude
We all want to know that we are appreciated. When you show gratitude to employees for their hard work and appreciation for their unique talents, they are more likely to devote 110% of their efforts to the success of the whole. When employees see that their work is appreciated, they will be energized.
Energize Your Employees
Energizing your employees is the key to avoiding employee burnout. Incorporate their passion into their work. Continually offer them challenging opportunities. Make sure they understand how important their role is in the big picture. Show gratitude for their contributions and acknowledge the value of their unique talents. Don’t let your employees’ job just become a job. Avoid employee burnout by making work meaningful, rewarding, and energizing.
© 2017 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 change attitudes, change communication dynamics, improve collaboration and problem-solving, engage employees, and strengthen 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 Growth Hacks Week 35
Culture: Not Merely a Handbook
“If I can impact an executive and his or her team, I can help to change the culture of an organization.” —Srikumar Rao
Just like you can’t legislate morals, you cannot build culture by policy alone. Culture is far more than just words in a handbook, it is more than some vision painted in the hallway; culture is constantly changing, it adapts with every interaction that takes place. One of your greatest challenges as a leader is to guide the development of your culture. So, if it is not built by policy, what does build culture?
It lives and breathes
Culture is a living, breathing thing; it needs care. If you, as a leader, neglect the culture of your organization it will fail to flourish. It will slowly become toxic with the ability to poison everyone who works with your organization. Conscious care builds culture.
It evolves
Culture is constantly changing. Every act can potentially have an impact on it. Your culture can evolve in ways that benefit employees and customers alike or evolution can lead it down the path to destruction. As a leader, your actions set the example to your employees. And, positive actions build culture.
It is bigger than the sum of its parts
Culture is built out of the relationships, interaction, and the dynamics of the people in the organization. But, culture is much bigger than the sum of its parts. Every member of your team plays an important role in the organization. Valuing the contributions that individuals make to the success of the whole builds culture.
What are You Building?
Culture cannot be written into existence by any policy. Culture lives and breathes; make sure to care for it. Culture is constantly evolving; guide it in a positive direction. Culture is built on the individual relationships and interactions that make up the whole; value every contribution. Your behavior, as a leader, is what builds culture.
© 2017 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 change attitudes, change communication dynamics, improve collaboration and problem-solving, engage employees, and strengthen 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 Growth Hacks Week 34
Three Steps to Earning Employee Loyalty
“If you’re not loyal to your team, you can get by for a while, but eventually you will need to rely on their loyalty to you, and it just won’t be there.” —Tim Schafer
I don’t care how smart you are, where you went to school, or how fabulous you think you are every time you look in the mirror; none of us succeeds alone. Your success takes family, friends, colleagues, and connections; a whole team of people have contributed to getting you from where you were to where you are now. And, you will need their continued loyalty to get to achieve your next great aspiration. When push comes to shove, will your employees be there for you? Here are three steps to earning employee loyalty.
Earn their respect
Do not assume that you are owed respect based merely on your position. Respect must be earned on a daily basis through your words, actions, and policies. Set an example; be someone worth looking up too. When times get tough, that is when your respect will be put to the test. Will your employees remain loyal?
Earn their trust
Employees are always watching. And, like respect, trust must be earned on a daily basis. Are your words and actions in alignment with your stated values? Are you transparent? Are you the same person regardless of who you are with? Employees will only remain loyal when they know they can trust you.
Have their backs
If you want your employees to remain loyal, they must feel safe. In order for them to feel secure they must know that you have their backs. If you support your employees not only during periods of success, but also during times of failure, they will know you their backs.
Show Your Loyalty
When your actions earn the respect of employees; when they know they can trust you; and when you have their backs, it shows employees that you are committed to being loyal to them. And, when you show employees how loyal you are to them, they will be loyal to you in return. You’ll never make it alone; start proving your loyalty today.
© 2017 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 change attitudes, change communication dynamics, improve collaboration and problem-solving, engage employees, and strengthen 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 Growth Hacks Week 33
Four Steps for Energizing Your Employees
“Super-ambitious goals tend to be unifying and energizing to people; but only if they believe there’s a chance of success.” —Peter Diamandis
If you want to energize your employees in working toward shared goals, they must believe that success is possible. I’m not just talking about company success, but also success for them as individuals. Here are four steps for energizing your employees.
Invest in them
When employees see that you are willing to invest your time and resources in their growth and success, they will be energized. As they grow so will their potential to make more meaningful contributions toward shared goals. When you invest in your employees, they will be willing to invest their best resources into the success of the organization.
Encourage them
When you encourage employees to overcome their fears and chase their dreams, they will become energized. We all want to be encouraged and to know that someone believes in us. When your employees feel encouraged, they will give 110% to achieving shared goals.
Provide opportunities
When you provide employees with new and challenging opportunities it shows that you trust in their abilities. Being challenged and given opportunities energizes employees. When employees know that there are ample opportunities, they will proudly contribute to the success of the organization.
Have their back
Make sure that employees feel safe. When you show them that you have their back in success and in failure, they will be energized. When employees know that you have their back, they will be willing to stretch beyond their current capabilities to reach higher and add even more value to organizational objectives.
Give Them a Reason to Believe
If you want to energize your employees, you must give them a reason to believe that they can be successful. They need to know that they can succeed personally as they are contributing to the success of the organization. Invest your time and resources in them. Give them encouragement. Provide them with challenging opportunities. Show them that you have their back. Give them a reason to believe that they can succeed and they will be energized.
© 2017 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 change attitudes, change communication dynamics, improve collaboration and problem-solving, engage employees, and strengthen 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 Growth Hacks Week 32
Developing Cheerleaders within Your Organization
“When you encourage others, you in the process are encouraged because you’re making a commitment and difference in that person’s life. Encouragement really does make a difference.” —Zig Ziglar
We all need encouragement. Everyone in your organization from the C-Suite down to the front-line needs someone cheering them on. How nice would it be if we had a whole organization of cheerleaders; every employee encouraging every other employee? How much benefit would be derived not only from being encouraged by others but from knowing that you are making a difference? So, how do you develop cheerleaders within your organization?
Inspire passion
When people feel passionate about what they are doing, they naturally become a cheerleader for the cause. And, if they are cheering for the cause, they will also be cheering on those working toward that cause. Inspire your employees; help them see the meaningful purpose behind all their daily tasks.
Create community
When people feel like they are part of a community, they have a vested interest in the success of that community. Make sure every employee finds some commonality and sees that they fit into the work community despite their differences. When they know they are part of the community, they will cheer on their fellow members.
Set the example
When you, as a leader, cheer others on you serve as an example of support and encouragement. Your employees are watching you for signals of expected behavior. Make sure they see you cheering for each of them and they will soon follow your example.
It Makes a Difference
As Zig Ziglar said, “Encouragement really does make a difference.” Inspire passion in others so they will become cheerleaders for the cause and those working toward the cause. Create community where every member wants to see every other member succeed. Set the example of encouragement and support so others have a behavior to model. Develop your culture into one of commitment to the support and cheering on of others; what a difference it will make.
© 2017 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 change attitudes, change communication dynamics, improve collaboration and problem-solving, engage employees, and strengthen 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.