Have You Fallen Prey to the Seven Signs of a Bad Boss?

It's tough for employees to be engaged and focused on attaining key organizational and professional goals when they are under the influence of an ineffective manager or supervisor. 

And, the quickest way to ensure high labor turnover within your department as soon as the job market improves is to demonstrate the characteristics of a BAD BOSS.

1. Bad Bosses Have No Clear Goals. If your team has no clue of the goals or expectations they should be working towards, this may be a weak area for you. In such cases, that there are either no goals at all; the goals are unrealistic; or they are unclear to the team. This leads your team to believe that either their boss doesn’t know what they are doing, doesn’t care, or doesn’t want them to be in the loop.
2. Bad Bosses Deliver Poor or No Communication. These are the silent types, who revel in their team not knowing what they are thinking. Bad Bosses don’t feel it necessary to communicate how the company is doing, nor how employees are performing in their jobs. They just don’t communicate, and rarely show any emotion – good or bad.
3. Bad Bosses Hold No One Accountable. When there is no communication of team standards or goals, Bad Bosses really can’t hold anyone accountable for excellence or even mediocre job performance. Bad Bosses are apt turn a blind eye, allowing rampant compromise throughout the workplace – and in spite of their lack of accountability, they are not approachable and some employees even fear them.
4. Bad Bosses Often Blames Others. When things don’t go as they planned or expected, Bad Bosses are quick to point fingers at everyone except themselves – especially when their team doesn’t perform up to par. While self-accountability is out of the question, Bad Bosses find it easy to blame inefficient work systems, processes, and staff members (all within their sphere of control) for their inability to meet company-wide goals and performance standards.
5. Bad Bosses Have No Strategy for Improvement or Team Success. Stubbornly believing that strategizing is a waste of time, they just don’t bother with it. Bad Bosses have a false belief that they are doing fine as is; and because often the powers that be (senior leaders and board members) don’t hold them accountable for positive change, things remain in a constant state of confusion for both customers and employees.
6. Bad Bosses Never Delegate. To mask their fear of employee empowerment, Bad Bosses fail to properly train and delegate challenging tasks to their team members. They are cynical when it comes to their team, and don’t feel that anyone has the intellect or capacity to perform their job satisfactorily. Therefore, the team remains stagnant and virtually paralyzed in the absence of leadership.
7. Bad Bosses Don’t Mentor Others. To them training, development of staff, and mentoring is also a waste of time. They often say, “No one ever mentored or developed me and I turned out alright.” Bad Bosses have no concept of how to synergistically collaborate with their team to help them grow and excel in their jobs. Unfortunately, Bad Bosses practice “tough love” when it comes to on-the-job training.

Now take a minute and assess your current workplace. How many of these poor leadership behaviors do you or your leaders regularly exhibit? When you are treated like this, how does it make you feel?

If this information has helped you surfaced some of your blind spots, now is a good time to make a change in order to increase your effectiveness as a leader. And for more information on how to enhance your effectiveness as a leader, check out our popular book "The Leadership Book of Numbers, Volume 1"

http://tinyurl.com/3z46vsv.
 

Do You Possess the Six C's of Leadership?

There are Six C's of Leadership that anyone who has influence and power over a team of people should possess.

Having the ability to master these six characteristics is the embodiment of a highly effective and successful leader.

1. COMPETENCE - more than knowing "how to do" something, but also displayed in the level of confidence, finesse and effectiveness with which it is done.
2. COMPASSION - the balance of kindness and empathy.
3. COURAGE - doing what is right, even when it is unpopular.
4. CHARISMA - a positive energy and an enthusiasm that inspires others to change.
5. COMMITMENT - best demonstrated in the level of dedication and allegiance you have toward your team.
6. COMMUNICATION - the ability to share information in a clear and concise manner so that everyone understands.

Which of these Six C's of Leadership are your strengths? Which are oportunities for improvement? What will be your plan for personal change?

In the final analysis, becoming a person of influence that others want to follow begins with YOU.  Remember, exceptional leaders are competent, committed to the cause, courageous, great communicators, charismatic, and possess a great deal of compassion for others.

To read more on the Six C's of Leadership and other short tips for leaders on the go, check out our latest book, The Leadership Book of Numbers, Volume 1.  We guarantee it will help you grow your business, enhance your professional life, and lead others more effectively. 

When You Absolutely HATE Your Job

In my work as a Performance Consultant, Instructional Designer, and a Training Facilitator, I am exposed to all sorts of employees ranging from the extremely enthusiastic and loyal to those who ardently hate their jobs. I often think of what a miserable existence unhappy employees  must lead walking into the corridors of an office day-in and day-out that they absolutely despise.

Feeling compelled to help out, I have devised the three essential steps to take if you absolutely hate your current job.

#1 - Look within to determine why. Take some quiet time and ask yourself what is causing your dislike and displeasure with the job. In speaking with employees who feel this way, typical responses are that their skills and talents weren’t being properly utilized, or they feel overwhelmed with the volume of work they are required to perform each day. Some say that their boss is a total nightmare and difficult to work with, while others just feel the work environment (whether fast-paced or slow-paced) just isn’t a fit for them. Some also respond that ultimately the job significantly infringes on their personal values and/or family life.

#2 - Write down the Pro’s and Con’s of leaving to make a career transition. Before you start drafting your letter of resignation and throwing in the towel, consider the advantages of leaving. Your advantages might include happiness and peace of mind; more time with family; or the potential to make more money doing something that you love and enjoy. In contrast, disadvantages of leaving your current job might include financial instability until you find that new job; less money to meet your family needs; and potentially being unable to sustain the lifestyle you currently enjoy. Of course, if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages then its time to make a move.

#3 - Map out an Action Plan with specific time lines.  If you are committed to leaving in pursuit of a more self-gratifying career, then start networking inside and outside of work and securing professional references; attend as many company-sponsored training workshops as you can; update your resume and definitely refine your interview skills. Most of all, give yourself a timeline by which each of these tasks will be accomplished. Likewise, if you plan to stay put in your current job and stick it out, then start a hobby outside of work that you enjoy or do volunteer work in your community or church; network within the organization, looking for internal opportunities to grow and potentially be promoted within; seek training to enhance your skills; and most of all learn not to take every little thing at work so personal.

Bottom-line, while these three essentials are not be all inclusive, my hope is that it helps get creative juices moving in a more positive direction. If you hate your current job, don’t stay, consistently displaying a negative attitude that totally contaminates the work environment and morale of everyone else. Be proactive and work toward a strategy that will move you in the direction that opens doors to a more fulfilling, purposeful career.

The Mindset to Create a Culture of Excellence

Does your leadership team embody the mindset needed to create and sustain a culture of excellence?

In order to drive and sustain service, performance, and operational excellence a leader must embrace nine key paradigms. While a good majority of leaders believe in the concept of service excellence, only a small minority totally embrace it, act on it, and over time see significant results.

This is an excerpt of Chapter 5 from our popular book, The Leadership Book of Numbers Volume 1. As you read through these key paradigms, I encourage you to assess your behavior and consider which ones you need to improve on. At the end of this article is a link to assess the book and full article.

Highly Effective Leaders…

1. Are avid students of service excellence, and always striving for perfection in the manner in which service is delivered to the customer. They are never satisfied with mediocre or even good service, and persevere until they are able to consistently deliver the ultimate customer experience.
2. Find meaning and purpose in their work, and because of their strong commitment to the organization’s vision and mission, they easily inspire others to enthusiastically follow them.
3. Receive an intrinsic satisfaction from watching employees grow. Highly effective leaders thrive in a work environment that fosters employee empowerment and uncompromising levels of service for both internal and external customers.
4. Stay focused on the big picture, which is ultimately customer loyalty. The energy of their team should be channeled toward successful achievement of this business objective, which ultimately impacts bottom-line results.
5. Have high expectations and standards for themselves and their team. Unwilling to compromise company standards of service, they take ownership of their work (good or bad) and desire to work alongside other dedicated employees.
6. Are highly competitive, they do not enjoy losing or even coming in second place. Being number two is not an option in the minds of leaders consumed with excellence; it is achieved through their desire to be number one.
7. Know their attitude (good or bad) sets the tone for the team. These leaders are addicted to positive thinking and have no problem confronting negativity head on. Their positive, upbeat demeanor enables them to create great relationships with employees and customers alike.
8. Are empathetic in their helpful approach with people. Because of their genuine concern for others, highly effective leaders become fully engaged by listening with their ears and heart to find the essence of any customer or employee dissatisfaction. They are supportive of the uniqueness of others and emotionally sensitive.
9. Have an intense desire to share knowledge with their team. These leaders regularly collect information that is beneficial to the team, thus increasing its performance. They enjoy opportunities to learn more about the business.

Remember -- to drive excellence, productivity, and success within your team or organization, you must select a team of leaders who possess the mindset needed to embrace a culture of excellence. It does not happen by chance.

The Leadership Book of Numbers, Volume 1 
http://psbydesign.com/content/view/130/125/

The Purpose Driven Leader

Leaders of organizations are multi-dimensional.  Some are great at launching and building the business, others are great at sustaining a successful and financially viable business, and some are even adept when it comes to gracefully shutting down a business following a bankruptcy, merger or acquisition.

Regardless of where you fit in the leadership spectrum, the most memorable, endearing leaders are principle-centered, value-centered, others-focused, and driven by a strong sense of purpose. Recently we spent time with a CEO of a prominent health care organization, his actions and behaviors inspired me to define what it means to be a purpose driven leader.

Characteristics of a Purpose Driven Leader

Taking into consideration that at a minimum, all purpose driven leaders are highly competent in their field of work, there are ten key characteristics that set them apart from other leaders.

1. They are customer and employee focused. Purpose driven leaders understand that it takes engaged employees to create loyal customers.  Therefore, they put tremendous focus on creating an environment that helps all key stakeholders thrive.
2. They are people and process driven. Purpose driven leaders understand that you lead people, and manage processes; they know that both are vital in creating a culture of service, performance, and operational excellence.
3. They are principle and value centered. Purpose driven leaders are guided by honesty, integrity, respect for all, passion for what they do, and excellence in everything they do.
4. They have a strong sense of humility. It’s not about them; it’s about positively moving the organization forward. Purpose driven leaders have no problem putting their egos aside, in spite of their level of power.
5. They are open-minded, lifelong learners. Purpose driven leaders don’t pretend to know it all; they revel in the fact that there is always more to learn to enhance their effectiveness.
6. They are revered by their staff. People follow purpose driven leaders not just because of who they are in the chain of command, but also because of what they represent.
7. They are not afraid to admit failure. If it’s for the greater good, purpose driven leaders are not intimidated by failure, it only motivates them to more readily regroup and continue the good fight in achieving and sustaining organizational success.
8. They have a compelling vision. Purpose driven leaders regularly explain their vision for the organization with great clarity, inspiring the team to readily contribute to organizational success.
9. They are happy people. Purpose driven leaders have a positive outlook, and are approachable by all. Even if they’ve had a bad day, just got out of an upsetting board meeting, or just got off of the telephone with a livid customer, they don’t carry bad attitudes on their sleeves.
10. They never give up. Purpose driven leaders are tenacious, and continually in the pursuit of what is good and right for the organization, its customers, and employees.

While my list of key characteristics of a purpose driven leaders are not all inclusive, my hope is that it has inspired you to re-evaluate your leadership style, determine areas where you currently fall short, and commit to an action plan that will move you in the right direction. Why? Because as a purpose driven leader, I am sure you wouldn’t have it any other way.

The Ten Commandments of Leadership

Creating a work environment that fosters employee loyalty, trust and integrity doesn’t happen by chance. It starts with assessing your ability to govern yourself according to The Ten Commandments of Leadership. As you read them, I encourage you to assess your level of effectiveness in driving service, performance, and operational excellence in 2010.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS...

1. PURPOSE - I will have purpose and passion in what I do, or I will not do it at all.

2. RESPECT - I will treat every employee, top-down, with dignity and respect.

3. EXCELLENCE - I will set the example of excellence through my actions and behaviors to ensure I have painted a clear picture for my team of what excellence looks and feels like.

4. TEAMWORK – I will cultivate a work environment where employees are encouraged to share ideas, participate in process and system improvements, and work synergistically to provide a better product or service for our customers.

5. ACCOUNTABILITY - I will hold my team accountable for driving and sustaining excellence.

6. CHARACTER - I will exemplify integrity, courage, competence and compassion when dealing with difficult workplace issues.

7. CHANGE - I will seek new ways to improve the work environment for my staff, the quality of products we provide, and the service experience of our customers.

8. COMMUNICATION - I will foster a work environment of open communication, and practice empathic listening to ensure clarity of issues before making decisions.

9. SELF-DEVELOPMENT – I will commit to lifelong learning, to continually increase my competence, business acumen and effectiveness in guiding my team.

10. VISION – I will set the vision for my team, continue to reinforce it and help each team member understand their role in achieving it.

In closing, while these ten personal commitments to higher leadership effectiveness are not all inclusive, I challenge you to consider what are your ten commandments for leadership success? And most of all I encourage you to commit to the leadership values and qualities established within your organization that are vital to creating a culture of service, performance, and operational excellence.

Positioning Your Organization to Succeed

Economicst proclaim that the recession is over! So, is your team ready for the soon to come influx of new business? Well, to ensure your organization is strongly positioned and ready as the economy improves, consider these 8 Essentials for Plotting Your Post-Recession Course.

1. Survey your Customers Now. This will help you logically assess where gaps currently exist in customer service, employee performance, and day-to-day operations. Don’t rely on what you think customers will want and need when the economy recovers; ask them in an inconspicuous manner using a brief survey (paper or electronic) that is no more than 10-15 questions.

2. Refine your Strategic Plan.  Many prognosticators warn that organizations will rebound from this recession with a new definition of “business as usually”, often referred to as “the new normal.” Your new strategy must be one that allows your organization to perform with a high level of efficiency, productivity and sense of urgency, with fewer employees.

3. Retool and Retrain your Staff.  Employers who have continued to invest in training, despite the recession will regain a higher level of profitability quicker. This is largely attributed to their ability to retain their most loyal customers, due to their high level of employee engagement. However, if you were forced to suspend training activities over the past 12-18 months, now is the time to re-invest in employee training to refine their skills as it relates to customer service, problem resolution, and sustaining cost-efficiencies.

4. Refine Your Organizational Culture. During the past 12 months all anyone has been able to focus on is staying financially viable in the midst of the recession. Few leaders have spent any time reinforcing the vision, mission, values, and standards of excellence within their organization. And guess what? If you haven’t been talking about it like a broken record, most likely these important factors in the success of your business are no longer on the radar screen of your employees; resulting in a mediocre to poor customer experience.

5. Update Systems and Processes. Over the last 12 months most likely you were forced to improve efficiencies due to reduction in staff and budget cuts. Many of the systems and processes that were changed, updated, or eliminated may have resulted in increased worker productivity; but most likely no one has had time to document them in writing so that they can be duplicated and sustained with success. Now is a good time to update in writing those systems, process, and especially procedural manuals.

6. Step-Up Accountability at all Levels. If you don’t hold everyone accountable for maintaining cost-efficiencies, as the economy and the financial stability of your organization improves staff may become lax, wasteful, and subtly slip back into old, inefficient work habits. Continue routine monitoring and measurement of departmental expenses, productivity, and customer service; and when the numbers look “out of whack,” hold teams and leaders accountable for explaining why and what they plan to do to get the numbers back in perspective.

7. Re-energize Reward & Recognition. Even small acts of kindness that express value and appreciation go a long way in boosting worker morale, increasing productivity, and improving customer satisfaction. Simply put, there is no disputing that happy employees make happy customers. Inexpensive activities like pizza or ice cream sundae parties in the break room, a handwritten “thank you” note from the boss, or simply acknowledging “how an employee went above and beyond in their job” at a team meeting all go a long way.

8. Increase Marketing Activity. Evidence shows that companies who increased their marketing activity during the recession of the early 1980s grew 275% throughout that decade, compared with 19% growth experienced by those who cut back on their marketing spend.

Bottom-line, if your staff is not properly equipped with the skill and knowledge to succeed based on "the new normal" business model, our organization as a whole will be left behind during the next ecomonic boom.  So start with these tips, incorporate your own, and work aggressively to position your organization to succeed as the economy recovers!

6 Ways to Kill Empowerment

In my previous blog posting, I outlined the top four reasons why managers don’t empower their employees. Either they don’t have the time, think it takes up too much time, don’t want to take on the risk, or they believe it may show their lack of leadership. Whatever the excuse maybe, it is far outweighed by the positive benefits of employee empowerment. So, if you are striving to improve in this area, please be leery of the six ways you can instantly sabotage your efforts.

6 Ways to Kill Employee Empowerment
• Criticize or complain about the employee decision
• Punish decisions made by employees
• Don’t use mistakes as an opportunity to teach
• Don’t trust employees to make decisions
• Have an unwillingness to take risks
• Don’t recognize and reward good decision making

If you are guilty of any of these killer offenses, I urge you to step back and reassess your motivate for empowering others. Is it to help them grow, develop, and flourish in their jobs? Is it to create more work-life balance for yourself? Is it to increase your ability to achieve business goals through team involvement?

Bottom-line, employee empowerment (when done right) achieves results like: increased employee engagement, improved productivity in the workplace, higher customer loyalty, and ultimately increased profits. For tips and coaching strategies for properly empowering your team, effectively delegating new tasks, and gaining back your valuable time, check out some of the best practices we have posted on our website.

Delegation, Empowerment & Time Management http://psbydesign.com/images/articles/TimeManagementJuly09.pdf

Cultivating Employee Empowerment
http://psbydesign.com/images/articles/PSBD_Newsletter_Oct08.pdf