Yearly Archives: 2014 (Page 4)

Good employee training and development is a key to running a successful business. When employees are properly trained on key job functions and developed for more responsibility and knowledge as they grow, the organization thrives. In addition, employees thrive when they are continuously allowed to expand their horizons, making them less likely to leave you for another opportunity. Many leaders try to tackle all the training needs themselves within their own staff, but there are several benefits to using an external training agent for some of your training needs. Working with and experienced agent can help you identify needs and provide trainers that can deliver sustainable results.  There are many benefits to outsourcing training initiatives:

1. External trainers have credibility. When you are training employees on a skill that isn’t one of the job’s primary tasks, such as negotiation skills or people skills, bringing in an outside trainer can have many benefits. These people have instant credibility as experts in their field. Even if you have a few full time trainers on staff, it can be beneficial to bring in an outside trainer for some programs.
2. External trainers are creative.  Full time trainers spend their time learning new ways to develop the skills they train on. They are likely to have tricks up their sleeve that you wouldn’t think of. They are also masters at keeping the audience engaged. Their training often includes activities that bring home the important ideas in a fun and unique way.
3. External trainers can be cost effective. On the surface, using an outside trainer can seem expensive. But, when you factor in the cost of your time as well as the number of people you may be able to train quickly using a trainer, it can be well worth the up front expense.
4. External trainers free up your time. Your time is valuable and it is certain that other duties will fall by the wayside if you and your staff spend a lot of time training. Using an external trainer can help you keep business “as usual” going on, which drives sales and revenue generation for your business.
   

A good trainer can be one of your business’ most valuable assets. There are many different areas of training in which you can find agents with specialized credentials to help you make the most of your employees’ talent. Take the time to develop a good relationship with a trainer or trainers who can help you keep employee development moving forward without your business activities taking a back seat.

As a leader, there will inevitably be times when you must handle a delicate situation with an employee or customer. These are never easy, and can strike fear in the heart of even the most seasoned leader. However, when you follow a few simple preparation steps, you can lessen your own trepidation about the situation and help ensure that the news you’ll be communicating is received in the most positive way possible. These steps can help you do a better job at delivering bad news, as well as helping you to feel less stressed about this part of the job.

1.   Keep your cool. Don’t have a difficult conversation when you’re angry. It is better to put the conversation off until you have a cooler head. First of all, you are more likely to put the situation in perspective if you have a little time. By the time you’re ready to have the conversation you may have realized that the situation isn’t as dire as you originally thought. Plus, when you have a conversation with a cool head, you will look far more credible to the person you’re talking with. In particular, do not discuss bad news with a customer when you are emotional about the situation.

2.   Put the good with the bad. Never deliver all bad news. This is particularly important when you are coaching an employee regarding poor job performance. No employee is all bad, and it is important to reiterate the good things an employee does when you are delivering bad news. Otherwise, you risk morale decreasing and an employee become paralyzed and unable to continue to perform.

3.   Have the facts. Be sure you have documentation to support your case. This gives you credibility and helps decrease the chances that you look like a “hothead”.

4.   Offer a solution. When you can say “we can do this instead” to a customer, or “you should try this” to an employee, you are able to end your conversation on a positive note. Giving concrete ways that the bad situation can be improved or reversed helps the other party see a way of handling the problem, rather than leaving them feeling as though the situation is an impossible one.

Difficult discussions are often the most dreaded part of a leadership job. But, unfortunately, these are inescapable. Being prepared, being cool headed and offering a solution to the problem can help you turn a bad situation into one that creates significant improvement in your organization.

Today’s business environment is likely the most stressful in decades. The poor economy of the last few years has led to companies needing to do less with more. This is especially true when it comes to manpower. Those employees left after cuts and layoffs often are doing the work of two or three people. With so many things going on, it can be difficult to keep all the balls in the air. Today’s employee must be a master at managing priorities. Though it may seem like the amount of work is overwhelming, it is important to prioritize it to keep the workload under control. Here are some tips to manage the many tasks at hand.

1. Determine which items can wait. When you’re overwhelmed, it seems like everything is a priority. However, some items are definitely more important than others. The tasks that contribute to the bottom line generally should be handled with more urgency than other items. If necessary, enlist the help of your boss, or a colleague who effectively manages his or her tasks to help you sort out which items are “must do’s”, and which items are not. This will help you focus your day on the most important goals.
2. Block out time on your calendar. Schedule your day out for different types of activities. Give your most important tasks the most hours during the day, but block out some time to take care of those less important items, too. By blocking out just one hour per day to focus on administrative items that are less deadline driven than your more important tasks, you will find that you do get those less important items accomplished eventually.
3. Be proactive rather than reactive. When you spend your day putting out fires, you may leave feeling as though you’ve accomplished nothing. Being proactive in what you work on, rather than jumping from task to task as people call on you, will help you to accomplish more.
4. Don’t take calls all day. As you’re blocking out your day on your calendar, it may be wise to set aside some time to stay off the phone, if incoming calls distract you from finishing what you start. Even one hour of not taking calls or responding to email may help you make a significant dent in the pile of work that overwhelms you.

All of these tips can not only help you manage your priorities more effectively, but help you relax and be less stressed at work, as well. By working with intention rather than reacting to many different tasks and people vying for your attention, you’ll accomplish more in a day than you ever thought possible.

Our ability to communicate is comprised of many things besides the words we speak and the way we speak them. As most of us are aware, body language plays an extremely important role in how we are perceived by others. Though most of us may have learned the most basic rules of making eye contact and focusing on those we are talking to, there are other simple body language tweaks we can make that help us be more well received by those we seek to influence. Here are three simple tips you can try.

1. Take up a bit more space. A wider stance with the legs and an open position with the arms make you appear more confident. We are all aware that standing with arms folded across the chest makes us appear unapproachable, but many of us fail to recognize the difference a wide stance can make. Making your body appear more open makes people more trusting of you and more likely to accept you as an expert in your field. When you shrink away physically, people don’t believe you have as much knowledge to offer.
2. Relax those shoulders. Most people carry tension in their shoulders. This tension is more obvious to others than it is to you. Take the time to think about how you’re carrying your shoulders throughout the day, especially in the workplace. You will look more confident as a result of this relaxed posture. The bonus is that you will likely sleep better, and have less muscle tension and pain, as well.
3. Gesture. People who use their arms to gesture, and who tend to talk with their hands are perceived as more likeable. When you pair a wider stance and relaxed shoulders with enough gestures to make you likeable, you come across as having the powerful combination of being confident, knowledgeable and likeable.

Our body language habits are well ingrained in our everyday behavior. The first step to changing these habits is to recognize your current body language. Once you have a good handle on the things you may need to change, tackle on of these suggestions at a time. As you begin to hold one posture naturally and without thought, you can move on to adding the next one to your repertoire. You may be amazed at how your inner confidence improves as people begin to see more confidence in your body positions.

Every good sales person has lots of tricks up his or her sleeve, using different selling tools to meet different sales situations. As sales people hone their skills, they learn more and more ways to bring the right customers to the door. One of the most successful current selling trends is social selling. This technique is not only a great way to bring in new customers, but, because of the relationships it builds, it is also a great way to ensure that you retain the customers you sell.

 Social selling is all about building a relationship with a customer through social avenues. Social selling brings customers who want to buy from you,

regardless of the product you’re selling. This type of selling helps set you apart from your competition when you’re selling a product that most people need or want. It also helps to increase sales of products that are not necessities. People will choose to buy these products because of their relationship with you.

 Avenues for Social Selling

 There are many avenues for social selling. The first, and most important, is through your personal life. As a sales person, your personal life and work life are completely intertwined, particularly if you sell something that the general public needs or wants. As you go about your personal life, you should look at everyone as a potential customer, and be sure all of your friends and acquaintances know what you do for a living.

 There is a technique for in person social selling that is very important to learn, if you want to be successful. You don’t want to be the sales person that everyone wants to avoid at the cocktail party because they don’t want to be sold something. Good social selling requires you to let people know what you do, and make sure that people enjoy being around you. If you can accomplish these things, the people in your life will think of you automatically when they need or want your product. Strive for nothing more than to be the “expert” in your field for them, whether or not they are buying. Not all of your friends will buy from you at first, but if you manage your sales persona successfully, all of them will buy from you eventually, assuming you sell something they need or want.

 Social media is also a great avenue for social selling. Use LinkedIn, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter accounts to send out helpful advice or snippets of info, but do not use it to solicit sales directly. Use these tools as a way to keep your name fresh in people’s minds, not as a way to close the deal.

 Finally, remember professional networking. These events are great ways to make connections with other people. Again, this avenue is not necessarily about selling directly to the people you meet at these events. The goal is for you to pop up in their mind when someone they know needs your products. Professional networking is more about referrals than about selling directly to your network. You can probably only sell those in your network once, but if you manage the relationship correctly, you can sell to people they know indefinitely.

 Social selling is not only one of the best skills a salesperson can have, it’s also one of the most fun. When you begin to take advantage of this avenue, you’ll find that you make great friends and have a renewed fervor for your career.

In today’s business world, it is common to have a diverse group of team members. Not only will you find that you have people of many cultures, ethnicities and beliefs, but you will likely also employ a wide range of ages of employees, as well. Though you may take this fact for granted, you may not be leveraging the benefits you can gain from having cross generational teams in your workforce. Here are some benefits to putting people of different ages together for the purposes of work.

1.   Younger team members may be more tech savvy. As new technology rolls into the workplace, it is likely that you will find that younger team members embrace and understand the technology more readily than older counterparts. Use this natural technology bent to have younger employees help others learn and integrate new products and applications.

2.   Let more experienced employees help younger ones establish routines and organizational skills. With time, most employees become more organized and efficient, with better time management and follow up skills. Let these employees work with those “just out of college” employees who may have more trouble staying organized while juggling multiple priorities.

3.   Brainstorm for multiple perspectives. Age changes perspective on many things. When you need to really look at a problem from all angles, create a brainstorming team that is cross generational. You’ll generate many more ideas by looking at the problem from so many different perspectives. This is particularly important when you are discussing an item related to how consumers will perceive a product, since it is likely that your customer base will be made up of a wide range of ages, as well.

4.   Create good working relationships. You may initially think that camaraderie will be more easily established with teams that are close in age. However, teams that are made up of a wider range of ages and cultural backgrounds may have more harmony. Like families, close teams are established through multiple perspectives and embracing differences as well as similarities.

When creating your work teams, don’t be afraid to “mix it up”. You may find that by doing so you have more ideas floating around for how to improve productivity and be more successful. You may also find that some of the closest working relationships among your staff come from those who are one or even two generations apart.

The idea of a manager as an employee coach is one most of us have heard of. However, many people may not really know the difference between the two. Coaches and managers have many things in common, but there are some distinct differences, as well. Here are the primary differences between managers and coaches, as well as some guidance as to when each style is most beneficial. 

• Managing is all about directing activity toward specific outcomes. Managers manage processes, and direct the people using those processes. The desired result is generally related to a specific goal, and managers may give specific instructions that should be followed. Managing works well when a person is new at performing a task or lacks confidence in completing the task. It is also a good way to get results during a crisis.
  

• Coaching, on the other hand, is related to developing a person, rather than a process. Coaching requires offering advice and suggestions, leaving final decisions to the employee. It is focused on helping the employee grow into his or her potential, rather than on reaching a specific goal.
  

Which Should I Be?

As a business leader, you will likely use both the manager and the coach role at different times and with different employees. As mentioned earlier, crisis situations require management, as does developing processes with new or less confident employees. Coaching, however, takes your employees to the next level.

The employees who will respond best to the coaching style are those who are already performing at a high level, and who are ready for the next challenge. It also works well with employees who are creative and who are confident enough to try new approaches and think on their feet.

Coaching and managing must each be part of your repertoire as a leader. Managing processes and less experienced staff will help develop employees to performing at a high level. Once they have reached this level and have confidence in their abilities, coaching them will develop them in ways that can propel their career forward. Think of coaching as a way to develop your employees to take your place. This idea should not create fear, since you should always be grooming someone to fill your shoes as you move up the ladder as well.

The mindset that leads a manager to be a coach is one that improves the skill and confidence of both the employee and the coach, as well. As you develop into a coach for those employees who are up for the challenge, you will see benefits for both of your careers.

Most of us move through the day with the intent of accomplishing many things. If you’re like most of us, however, some days find you caught up in a whirlwind of unplanned activities at work that can leave you wondering where the day went and frustrated that you didn’t complete your planned task. Mindfulness is the act of moving through the day with purpose, and learning to separate the whirlwind that distracts you from the meaningful activities for the day. There are several ways to help improve your mindfulness as you go about your daily tasks.

 Make lists. Making lists is a two-part activity. The first is creating that “to do” list for the beginning of the day that highlights the things you need to accomplish. This helps you to achieve focus and have a daily plan. The second part of list making is to document what you accomplish. This may be as simple as marking things off that “to do” list as these are completed. At the end of the day, you can clearly see what you have accomplished and what might need to be moved to the following day’s list.           

 Speak with intent. Verbal communication at work is essential for an effective and happy workplace. Plan, for example, what you will say at staff meetings ahead of time, being mindful of the items that really need to be on the agenda, while also being mindful of the amount of time. Meetings that are unnecessarily long, or filled with agenda items that could just as easily have been communicated through a simple email are a waste of everyone’s time. People will appreciate attending your meetings if these are clearly important and effective.

 Structure the socializing. Happy co-worker relationships are another key to a happy workplace. However, socializing can waste time and decrease productivity. Be friendly with your coworkers, but make it a point to limit your own socializing to specifically carved out times of the day, being mindful of the amount of time you’re spending on each occasion. You may find that you get back an hour or more each week just by focusing on not over-socializing at work.

 These three simple tasks are really all about being more aware of how you spend your time. If you start by looking at how many unproductive days you have, and begin being more focused on how you spend your time, you will see your productivity increase immediately. Over time, you may find that you are accomplishing more than you ever thought possible in one day at the office.

Successful business leaders often spend much of their time communicating with employees and clients verbally. Often, this type of communication represents the leader’s strong suit, particularly when it comes to influencing people. However, it is just as important to be able to influence others through written communication. Improving your written communication skills can help increase your influence with those who work with you and those who benefit from the products or services offered by your company. Here are three tips to help you improve your writing.

1. Sweat the details. It is not acceptable for a business leader’s writing to be grammatically incorrect or to be riddled with typographical errors. If you are weak in the area of sentence structure, spelling or grammar, work to correct these problems before you begin writing letters or papers that will be read by others. A less than stellar command of the English language reflects poorly on your education and on your attention to detail. Enlist the help of a professional writer, if needed, to edit your work until you feel comfortable. Always have someone else proofread your work for typographical errors before it is released.
2. Master adjectives and adverbs. One of the most important keys to writing words that influence others is the ability to evoke emotion, empathy or action. An arsenal of adverbs and adjectives designed to help people feel what you want them to feel will make your writing more powerful and more likely to produce the desired results.
3. Practice. If writing for influence is new for you, be sure to practice a bit before releasing your work to the world. Start each communication by creating an outline to help you stay focused on the point you’re making. Read the work of others who write influential materials that command attention, and take note of their style, vocabulary and tone. You may even want to consider taking a class if business writing is to be an ongoing part of your job. Like most other communication skills, writing will get easier and better as you practice.
   

Dynamic prose can be one of the most commanding ways to influence an audience, whether it is designed to increase employee morale or improve sales. Mastering the art of the written word is important for any business leader who wants to leave a lasting mark on those in their circle of influence. Your work will be read over and over, allowing it to impact many different people over a long period of time. Make sure to follow these three tips to help make certain that your written words are just as powerful as those you speak.