Tag Archives: Communication

Communication, Employee Engagement, Leadership, Leadership Development, Trust

Become an Exceptional Leader

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“One rare and exceptional deed is worth far more than a thousand commonplace ones.” —Saint Ignatius

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

 

Exceptional Leadership

Exceptional leadership is not about you, it’s about those who follow you. It is the responsibility of the leader to steer the ship. But, an exceptional leader goes beyond just setting the course, they help their team to shape their ideas into something meaningful and then empower and encourage them to see their ideas come to fruition. Exceptional leaders focus on helping others achieve success. They have a strong sense of purpose and communicate that purpose to others through their words and actions. They develop strong relationships built on trust and respect. And, they engage others in their purpose by providing meaningful work and opportunities that inspire others to become the best they can be. Start working on becoming an exceptional leader today.

Communication

Rollo May believed that, “Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy, and mutual valuing.” Exceptional leaders understand the value of open communication in building a trusting, safe environment where employees feel their ideas and contributions are valued. This type of environment fosters as sense of community and the collaboration necessary for true innovation and success. Exceptional leaders use conversations to build connections by giving others their undivided attention. They use conversations as a means of provoking questions not providing answers. This allows them to incorporate the contributions from a variety of sources into one, awesome idea.

Trust

Stephen Covey tells us, “Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.” Exceptional leaders are authentic, approachable, and compassionate. They empathize with others on a deep and personal level. We trust people who share our values, who do what they say they will do, who authentically invest in our relationship, and who treat us as they wish to be treated. Exceptional leaders understand that without trust they have little or no influence.

Engagement

Ian K. Smith said, “I think happiness is a combination of pleasure, engagement, and meaningfulness.” Exceptional leaders understand that everyone wants to feel engaged and of value. People want to know there is a purpose to their tasks, to be given control over their work, and to be encouraged to make it their own. Exceptional leaders see the value of the skills, experience, and knowledge that employees throughout the organization have to offer. They provide meaning and create opportunities for employee to engage in contributing to a purpose that speaks to them on an individual level.

Become an Exceptional Leader

Exceptional leaders bring people under a common purpose and then allow them to create their own ideas and provide the support they need to flourish. People will follow an individual in a position of authority because they have to; they will follow an exceptional leader because they want to. Commit to becoming an exceptional leader; build open communication, earn trust, and encourage engagement. You will make a difference in the lives of those who follow you and they will reward you with the loyalty and support you need to bring your leadership vision to life.

 

 

© 2015 Elizabeth Stincelli

 

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.

 

Communication, Engagement, Leadership, Respect

Do You Really Want to Communicate?

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“To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” —Tony Robbins

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

 

Communication

Just because you are talking doesn’t mean you are communicating. Are your conversations one-sided? Are you listening with judgment? Are you so busy formulating a response that you miss the message? The point of communication is to try to create a shared perception of the world. Develop the habit of really engaging in conversation. Learn to show respect when communicating. And, recognize that, while there may be differing points of view, you can still communicate effectively.

Engage

Nelson Mandela said, “A good leader can engage in a debate frankly and thoroughly, knowing that at the end he and the other side must be closer, and thus emerge stronger.” You and the other side will never get closer to the same understanding if you do not engage in good, two-way communication. It’s difficult to have a productive conversation that is confrontational, demeaning, or judgmental. To have constructive conversations, try asking questions that will draw on a positive memory or feeling; this deepens the sense of well-being and trust. When we feel at ease we are more likely to be open to having productive conversations. Interact directly whenever possible. Make others feel like they are part of the conversation and that their input is valued. In a successful conversation both parties walk away feeling that they have been heard and have a better understanding of where the other is coming from.

Respect

Bryant H. McGill believed, “One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.” Ask others for their perspectives or personal opinions; this shows you have respect for them and their input. Share the floor. Don’t act as if it’s your way or nothing. Be confident but not arrogant when you’re communicating. Learn to paint the big picture for others and help them to see how they fit in. Have enough respect to give credit where it is due. Only speak for yourself and remain genuine and receptive. Make it clear how much you care about the success of others and that you respect and value their opinions.

Two views

Harper Lee explained, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.” If you want to really communicate you must acknowledge that there are differences in how any two people view reality and situations. Learn to focus on what others are saying at the moment without interrupting or passing judgment. Then, confirm your understanding and ask follow-up questions. Don’t dance around uncomfortable questions, answer first and then elaborate if necessary. This open give and take is what allows you to create a shared understanding of the situation.

Make the Effort

Truman Capote stated, “A conversation is a dialogue, not a monologue. That’s why there are so few good conversations: due to scarcity, two intelligent talkers seldom meet.” In order to have good conversations you must learn to engage not lecture. You must show respect. And, you must recognize that there are two differing points of view involved in every conversation. We all find it difficult to communicate sometimes but, good conversations can happen if you are willing to make the effort.

 

 

 

© 2014 Elizabeth Stincelli

 

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, Communication, Conflict Management, Leadership, Team Building

Resolving Conflict-It’s Not about Winning

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“Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means.” —Ronald Reagan

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

 

What Causes Conflict and How Do We Resolve It?

Conflict is the mental struggle that arises when our ideas, needs, wishes, or demands are in opposition to those of others. Conflict is inevitable when you bring people together from different beliefs and backgrounds. When we spend time in conflict with each other we are wasting energy and destroying any sense of camaraderie. Conflict does not resolve itself and only escalates if not addressed. Unresolved conflict can result in the loss of productivity, cooperation, collaboration, and creativity. Let’s look a little deeper at some of the factors that cause conflict and how we can resolve them.

Cognitive bias

Cognitive biases are thinking errors that impact how we interpret the world around us. These biases often occur when we try to over-simplify how we process information. Biases cause irrational thinking and affect our ability to make sound decisions.

Biases can influence in simple ways such allowing the way you currently feel to color the way you interpret the world around you. They can permit your judgment to become dependent on previously provided evidence with little regard for new evidence. You may have the tendency to listen only to information that confirms your preconceived beliefs or to interpret information in a way that confirms these beliefs. Your expectations could be unconsciously influencing how you perceive the outcome of interactions. It is also easy to let ourselves get caught up in group think and adopt the beliefs of others without proper evaluation.

When we experience a cognitive bias it impairs our ability to rationally interpret information and experiences. It is easy to fail to recognize and compensate for our own biases. We must be aware of these biases and how they impact our thinking in order to prevent and resolve the conflict they may cause.

Ambiguity

Conflict often arises when we assume all parties are talking about the same thing. Often we find that each participant to a conversation has their own definitions and meanings which are not in agreement with each other. In order to eliminate ambiguity we must come to the same understanding, with the same definitions and meanings by asking open-ended questions which you do not have preconceived answers for. Listen with the intent of gaining an understanding of how other parties perceive the situation.

Many times conflict involves the perception we have of the role we play in a group differing from how others see it. Conflict becomes more likely when we are operating under different assumptions about our roles and responsibilities than those we work with. Clear, written communication can be effective at keeping ambiguity to a minimum. Make sure you know what the conflict you are experiencing is really about. Work together to assign clear roles, define reality, and eliminate ambiguity.

Communication

The most successful approach to resolving conflict is open, two-way communication. In order to communicate effectively you must learn to listen without passing judgment. Each party to the communication will apply their own definitions and meanings; therefore, you can’t just listen to the facts. You have to ask probing questions and come to a consensus on the definition and meaning of the facts. Also, don’t just listen to others to figure out how you can get them to agree with your point of view. Listen to really understand and appreciate their reality so you can understand where they are coming from.

Be clear and consistent with communication from the very beginning of the relationship. Ask questions and keep an open mind. Talk through and test the feasibility of proposed solutions together. Prepare in advance for difficult conversations. Define how you see the problem. What points do you think are important? Come prepared to propose possible solutions. Make sure your message is clear and concise. When working to resolve conflict, watch the tone and language that you use and keep your emotions out of the discussion. Be an active listener and show yourself to be transparent and trustworthy. Focus on mending relationships before turning your focus to tasks.

Spanning boundaries

To resolve conflict we must learn to build bridges between management, employees, suppliers, and customers. We must develop strong relationships between people with differing beliefs, experience, and knowledge. By clarifying the role that each individual plays and the purpose of the team you can capitalize on the power that individual differences bring to the table.

Establish commonality by creating a shared vision, building trust, and coming together to achieve a higher purpose. Co-create something greater than could be achieved individually by combining a shared vision and strategy with the expertise, resources, and experiences of each individual. Span boundaries by accepting and appreciating the diversity that builds a great team.

It’s Not about Winning

Conflict is inevitable. It’s usually rooted in poor communication and the inability to control our emotions. When working to resolve conflict, listen with the intent of developing a connection, not to merely respond. Don’t communicate with the goal of getting the other person to agree with your point of view; communicate to bring differing points of view together to co-create something that is new.

When dealing with conflict, keep your emotions in check and maintain moral high ground. You do not have the power to change others so you may have to look at ways you can change your approach to managing relationships to avoid and resolve conflict. Conflict can be about bringing differing opinions together and co-creating something fantastic. Don’t think of resolving conflict in terms of winning. It’s not about seeking to defeat an enemy but about finding common ground for cooperation, compromise, and collaboration.

© 2014 Elizabeth Stincelli

 

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.

 

Communication, Employee Morale, Leadership, Morale, Organizational Culture

The Killing of Employee Morale

The Killing of Employee Morale

“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.” — Henry Ford

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

 

The Importance of Employee Morale

We all know that happy employees are productive employees. Content employees are less likely to waste time their own time as well as that of their co-workers. They are more engaged in their work and feel they have a vested interest in achieving company goals.

        Are We Killing Employee Morale?

Morale can prove to be fragile. One poorly handled situation or unpopular decision by management can send morale spiraling out of control. Here are a few factors that can kill employee morale.

                       Lack of Communication

When we don’t have all the information, we fill in the blanks with our imagination. And, our imagination can come up with some pretty terrifying scenarios. Lack of communication often leads to assumption and fear. Communicate with your employees. Share the current position of the organization and the vision for the future. Discuss strategic plans and the rationale behind the plans. And, most importantly, communicate the vital role that each one plays in the success of the organization.

                       Lack of direction

Employees want to be part of a successful team. But success is hard to achieve when you are not sure what direction you are supposed to be going or what success looks like. As leaders, it is our responsibility to make sure employees have the direction and tools necessary to achieve success. Make sure employees have a clear understanding of the objectives that the organization is working towards. Paint an encouraging picture of what success looks like. It is your responsibility to serve as a facilitator. Help establish goals, set parameters, provide them with the information, resources, and the direction they need, then, get out of their way and let them find the best way to do their jobs.

                       Lack of a voice

Gone are the days of employees who are content to work, day in and day out, like mindless robots. Employees want to be heard. They want a say in how their organizations are run and the freedom to design their work, their way. Employees know what’s happening on the front lines. They know what works and have great ideas. As leaders, we must engage them in conversations where we ask questions and really listen to their answers. We must also involve them in developing solutions to organizational problems.

                        Lack of trust and respect

Relationships that are built on trust and respect are the mechanisms we use to influence others. If you lack the trust and respect of your employees, they will follow you by force, not by choice. Earn trust and respect by showing that you are committed to your vision and that your words and actions are congruent. Your character will show in the values you live by, make sure you choose them carefully. Always keep your word, be fair, and consistent. Show your employees that you genuinely care about each one as an individual. Lead by example. And, prove yourself competent but not arrogant.

                       Lack of acknowledgement

Employees want to know that they are valued and their efforts matter. By simply acknowledging that we appreciate an employee’s contributions, we create loyalty and encourage continued hard-work. Tell your employees thank you. Say “good job, the team couldn’t have done it without you.” Make an employee’s day by simply giving them the credit they deserve.

        Take-Away

When morale is good, employees are more motivated, engaged, creative, and efficient. As leaders, we must develop healthy operating environments where we avoid morale killing behaviors. The skills and character traits that allow us to avoid these behaviors also strengthen our abilities as leaders.