Tag Archives: Opportunity

Challenge, Leadership, Opportunity

Challenges: Pitfalls or Opportunities?

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mountain“To be a champion, I think you have to see the big picture. It’s not about winning and losing; it’s about every day hard work and thriving on a challenge. It’s about embracing the pain that you’ll experience at the end of a race and not being afraid. I think people think too hard and get afraid of a certain challenge.” —Summer Sanders

 

The question is not if we will face challenges, but how will we show up when we do come up against them. We stumble over them every day, some are small, others seem insurmountable. Those who see challenges as pitfalls will struggle through life with the feeling that they can’t win for losing. On the other hand, those who see the opportunity in every challenge rise higher and higher using each challenge as a stepping-stone to success. So, how can you find the opportunity in challenge?

New perspective

A challenge is always a great opportunity to look at the situation from a new perspective. When things are going along smoothly it is easy to become content with the status quo. Bumping up against a challenge can snap you out of your same old ways of thinking and give you a new vantage point from which to view your situation.

Course adjustment

We often chug along content with the course we are on. Challenges can serve as stop signs, reminding us to look up and verify that we are, indeed, heading in the direction we want to go. Operating on cruise control often results in you getting ever so slightly off course; so slight that you may not even notice it at the time. The longer you remain on this new course, the further you end up from your intended destination. Using challenges as navigational reminders is a great way to keep on target.

Forced to innovate

It’s easy to become comfortable with the way things have always been. It is even easier when things seem to be running smoothly. But, facing a challenge often tosses you out of your comfort zone and forces you to innovate. Innovation is what keeps you fresh, new, and at the front of the pack.

Evaluate and expand your team

Challenges often help you to identify your own weaknesses. This is a great opportunity to evaluate who you need on your team, with the strengths that you lack, so that you can reach your goals. Use challenges as check points. Who do you have and who do you need? This is the perfect time to evaluate and expand your team.

Take the Opportunity

In order to be successful, you must learn to find the opportunity in every challenge. Look at things from a new perspective. Make course adjustments when necessary. See the opportunity in being forced to innovate. Evaluate and expand your team to meet your current needs. Don’t fall into the pitfall mindset; embrace challenge and take the opportunity.

 

 

© 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.

 

Collaboration, Communication, Community, Culture, Employee Engagement, Engagement, Leadership, Opportunity, Organizational Culture

Three Ways to Invest in Your Employees that Won’t Cost You a Dime

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“Transformation in the world happens when people are healed and start investing in other people.” —Michael W. Smith

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

 

Why Invest in Your Employees?

Your time is the most valuable gift you can offer, when you make time to invest in your employees, the work environment in your organization will become a much happier place. Happy employees are more productive and quality conscious which results in higher profits. They have better interactions with both colleagues and customers which results in better experiences on every level and they make better brand ambassadors for your organization. When you invest in providing experiences that instill a sense of pride and accomplishment in each employee, your employees will give 100% to the organization. So, how can you invest in your employees without spending a dime?

Engagement

Chuck Daly said, “There’s nothing like being involved with a team that can go that distance.” One of the best investments you can make in your employees is to engage them in their work tasks, their teams, and the organization as a whole. This engagement gives them a sense of pride and satisfaction in their work. Bring out the best in them by encouraging them to take control over their own work and to identify and find solutions to problems. Listen to what they value and want to accomplish. Don’t micromanage; give your employees the skills and resources they need and then empower them to design how their work gets done. The experience your customers have with your organization is directly linked to how engaged and satisfied your employees are; invest in the engagement of your people.

Opportunity

Bobby Unser believes, “Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.” Providing opportunities to grow, personally and professionally, in the organization is a valuable investment in your employees. When employees grow, your organization grows; when they excel, you excel. Your employees are your most valuable asset, don’t let them feel underutilized. Continually give them the opportunity to gain experience and control their own work tasks. Offer them mentorship opportunities and give them access to training and development resources. Prepare your people to move on to something bigger and better; invest in offering your employees opportunity.

Culture

Ken Robinson tells us, “The role of a creative leader is not to have all the ideas; it’s to create a culture where everyone can have ideas and feel that they’re valued.” Investment in your organizational culture is one of the most important investments you can make. When you develop a culture that inspires a sense of community and truly engages employees, you create a trusting and safe environment for collaboration. This type of culture is all-inclusive, embracing differences and a encouraging the sharing of ideas. It emphasizes the development of relationships and open communication throughout the organization regardless of title or position. A strong culture recognizes the value that every employee contributes to the success of the organization; invest in your culture.

Make the Investment

Bob Parsons advises, “Never stop investing. Never stop improving. Never stop doing something new.” When we think of making an investment, we see dollar signs. But, as leaders, there are many investments in our employees that we can make that won’t cost us a dime. And, the return we will see is immeasurable. Offer your employees engaging work, provide them with opportunities to grow, and create a culture that embraces a sense of community and the development of relationships. Make the investment in your employees and watch the return.

 

 

© 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.

 

Empowerment, Leadership, Opportunity, Relationships

Developing Talent in Your Organization: Getting More from Your Employees by Giving M.O.R.E.

aditya ram21“We cannot create observers by saying ‘observe’, but by giving them the power and the means for this observation.” —Maria Montessori

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

 

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While Maria Montessori was speaking about the education of children, her idea applies just as well to employees and how we develop the talent in our organizations. We want to hire the best and the brightest, we get really excited when we find them, and then they leave. Why? The only way to keep employees with great potential is to give them M.O.R.E.

Have you ever had the experience of pulling into your driveway after leaving the office and realizing that you drove the whole way home on auto pilot? Sometimes I have even found myself driving, going into auto pilot mode, and heading to the office when where I intended to go was Costco. This phenomenon makes me laugh at myself, but it also gets me thinking about engaging our minds in what we are doing when tasks become routine. What might we miss along the way? Will we end up at our intended destination?

So, what happens when our employees’ tasks become routine? If they are not challenged or engaged and their mind goes on auto pilot, what might they miss? What opportunities for improvement are we sacrificing? How long will employees with great potential stay with our organization if they aren’t challenged and offered opportunity?

As a leader, you must learn to recognize the talent in your employees and give them the stage to shine. When you dedicate time and resources to developing the talent in your organization, you turn ordinary employees into extraordinary employees. If you want to get more from your employees, you are going to have to give M.O.R.E.

Motivate

Lee Iacocca emphasized that we should, “Start with good people, lay out the rules, communicate with your employees, motivate them and reward them. If you do these things effectively, you can’t miss.” Your employees possess knowledge, skills, and experience that they want to share with your organization. When you encourage them to make the most of their talents and you invest in them, your employees will become motivated. You must recognize that each employee is unique; they possess different talents and are motivated in different ways. Show that you value their capabilities, help them further develop their talents, and motivate them based on their individual personalities.

Opportunity

Steven Spielberg believes, “The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves.” You must learn to see the extraordinary potential in each employee and give them the opportunity to reach it. Give them the necessary skills and resources they need and then let them tackle challenges on their own and in their own way. Provide a safe place for them to try, fail, and learn from their mistakes. Give employees the opportunity to become the best versions of themselves; let them learn from one another, design how their own work gets done, and make decisions on their own. Create opportunities for your employees and then help them see that opportunity is available all around them.

Relationships

Joyce Meyer tells us, “We can improve our relationships with others by leaps and bounds if we become encouragers instead of critics.” Build relationships with your employees based on mutual trust and respect. Invest your time and resources into bringing out the best in others; become their coach and loudest cheerleader. Build a strong sense of community where employees feel a sense of belonging and a vested interest in the success of the organization. Communicate openly and share information often so employees know where they stand as individuals, where the team stands, and where the organization stands. When employees know that you care and are looking out for their best interest, you will build strong relationships that foster trust and loyalty.

Empower

Tom Ridge explained, “You have to enable and empower people to make decisions independent of you. As I’ve learned, each person on a team is an extension of your leadership; if they feel empowered by you they will magnify your power to lead.” Engage employees in contributing to problem identification and solving conversations. Encourage them to make decisions and to share their knowledge and experience with others. Give them the tools they need and then empower them to make decisions and take control of their own work.

Give M.O.R.E.

Everyone benefits when employees develop their talents; productivity increases, quality improves, and morale strengthens. When you invest in your employees and provide them with opportunity you will be amazed how your culture, morale, and outcomes improve.

Your investment in the development of your employees is proof that you value them as individuals, that you recognize the contribution they make to the organization, and that you are excited about their potential. As your employees grow, so will the capabilities and success of the organization, and so will you as a leader.

Help employees reach their full potential; retain valuable talent, and improve the adaptability of the organization by giving your employees M.O.R.E.

 

© 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.