Posts tagged “Leadership” (Page 6)

Learning to increase your productivity at work is a great way to improve both your professional and your personal life. When you can accomplish more in less time, you feel good about the work you’ve done and you make it home in time for dinner! There are many ways to work smarter rather than harder. One is to hone in on your own strengths. When you work using the tools and processes that work naturally with your natural abilities, instincts and personality, you will find that you get more done with less stress, and in less time.

Here are some examples of how altering your work habits to match your strengths might make you more productive.

1. Learn your learning style. Are you a visual learner, hands on learner or auditory learner? If you key into your own personal learning style, and then incorporate this style into your daily learning pattern, you should see yourself master new skills more quickly. This applies even if you’re not a full time student taking classes. For example, if you’re an auditory learner, you’ll find that you absorb more material at a faster pace if you listen to a book on cd as opposed to reading.

2. Assign tasks that are more difficult to you. As a leader, it’s certain that you delegate some tasks to others. Be intentional in how you assign tasks to others. Do those things that you are proficient at, and assign out those that don’t suit you. Not a numbers person? Find someone else to do the books.

3. Surround yourself with the right tools. There are many ways to accomplish some of the same tasks. If you need reminders, for example, you may function well with a calendar to keep you on task. For others, a structured day that includes certain tasks in the morning and others in the afternoon may work better.

Learning to adapt your work life to your natural strengths may seem a little selfish at first. But, when you realize an increase in productivity, you’ll see that working with your strengths and your weaknesses is just a smart way to get business done.

The more you learn about the people surrounding you, the better you will become at developing their skills, your own skills, and the better you will be at satisfying your customers. One of the most important pieces of being a good leader is being a good communicator. And, one of the most important aspects of being a good communicator is being able to ask great questions.

Knowing What to Ask

Asking the right questions helps you to get to the bottom of a situation, so that you can learn from it. This aspect of asking questions involves the “who” “what”, “when”, “where” and “why” that helps you to truly understand the situation. Asking the right questions involves digging deeper to understand the reasons behind the simple answers.

Learning to ask the right questions can help you to get to know employees and customers better, so that you can target your conversations and actions for the future, as well as helping you to focus on the important details of right now. Alternating factual questions with questions about feelings and perspectives will help you to get to the bottom of any situation. You’ll learn more about how people think and about their culture and belief systems, since these things affect their overall behavior and perspective.

Knowing How to Ask

Asking the right questions is important, but so is asking the questions the right way. When you take the time to phrase questions properly and ask them in the right tone of voice, you are certain to get more and better information. It is important to make your audience feel comfortable. When others are threatened by your questions, or how you ask them, you’re certain to miss out on some of their reasons, their concerns and their motivations. Keep your tone calm and friendly. Learn to mask irritation in your voice and facial expressions that give away your thoughts.

Body language is also an important part of knowing how to ask questions. Pay attention to your posture and how you hold your body when talking to others. It is critical to not look or sound confrontational when asking questions.

Asking the right questions in the right way can help you develop into the leader and communicator you desire to be. As you learn more about those you work with, you’ll find more and more ways to improve yourself and your business.

As a leader, there are many obstacles that can get in your way of success. Problems with employees, financial restrictions and even customer problems can slow you down and impede your progress. However, there’s one other obstacle that might be holding you back that you never even thought of. It’s yourself, and the ways you may be setting yourself up to fail.

Here are some common examples of how we get in our own way.

1. Overcommitting. When you commit to more that you can accomplish, you set yourself up to always be behind in your work. Establish limits so that you can finish what you start. Don’t say yes to another project just because you feel bad saying no. Find others you can delegate projects to so that you can focus on your most important tasks.

2. Poor time management. Are you always late? Do your appointments always run long? Are you often at work late because you don’t feel as though you’ve accomplished anything? Get a schedule and stick to it. When you manage your time effectively, you will be far more productive.

3. Micro-managing. It’s critical to learn to delegate. Many leaders make the mistake of thinking that no one can do things as well as they can. It is imperative to learn to turn a job over to someone else and let them do it their way. It is ok to expect results, but when you attempt to manage every piece of how a project gets done, you get in the way of your productivity and the productivity of others.

4. Lack of organization. When you are disorganized, you cost yourself time, and often other resources, as well. Plan your day ahead of time, and keep your work in an orderly fashion so you can always get right to work.

When you streamline these four areas of your work life, you will find that you are far more productive than before. It is critical to ensure that you set yourself up for success, rather than become your own worst enemy.

It takes great character to issue a heartfelt apology. However, apologizing when you are wrong is critical to being a good leader and to being respected by those around you.

Of course, the first step in an authentic apology is the realization that you do, indeed, have something you need to apologize for. Sadly, many people never make it past this step. But, once you do, here are some tips for ensuring your apology rings true with the person you’ve wronged.

1. Apologize right away. As soon as you realize you’ve made a mistake, apologize. When you wait, the person you’ve offended may assume you only finally apologized because they seemed hurt, rather than because you did the wrong thing. In addition, when you’re in no hurry to apologize, it leaves the impression that your wrong is not bothering you.

2. Don’t make excuses. Your apology should never contain the word “but”. When you make an excuse part of your apology, you imply that it wasn’t really your fault. Owning up to your transgressions wholeheartedly shows maturity.

3. Let them know what you’re doing to fix it. If it is possible to fix the situation, do so. Let the person you’ve wronged know what steps you have taken or will take to correct the situation and when.

4. Acknowledge how your action was wrong. If you were rude, say so. If your behavior was insensitive, let the other person know that you know it was insensitive.

5. Don’t apologize if you don’t mean it. If you are insincere, it is usually fairly obvious. If you don’t think you owe someone an apology, then don’t give one.

6. Move on. Once you’ve apologized and corrected the situation, don’t continue to linger in the problem. Neither you nor the person you’ve wronged wants to be constantly reminded of something negative.

The ability to apologize when needed is critical growing as a leader. When you apologize authentically, people recognize that you are human, yet are mature enough to acknowledge your failures. Your sensitivity to the feelings of others only makes you more appealing and respected.

One aspect of branding that many people may fail to consider is their word and their reputation for keeping their word. This aspect of branding is critical to everyone in their business and personal.

Be a Person of Your Word

One of the most important aspects of being respected in business is being a person of your word. When people know they can count on you to do what you say, you earn their respect and their trust. Being of a person of your word means being accountable to what you’ve promised in both the big things and the little ones. Be on time for appointments, be prepared, and complete tasks when you say you will complete them.

Avoid Surprises

Surprise birthday parties are fun, surprising someone with the news that something isn’t going to get done isn’t fun. Part of being a person of your word includes being proactive in letting others know when something can’t be completed according to plan. When you give others advance warning, it allows for a contingency plan. Being honest about your mistakes and failures is important to your brand. No one is perfect, so it is critical to be forthcoming.

Work on Your Brand

Working diligently to create your brand as being a person of your word, and then to protect it, will help you to gain business over the long term and will help you to keep that business, as well. When people know that they can trust you to be up front with them and to keep your word, they will trust you in good times and in bad times. If you are not a business owner, being a person of your word is still important, and still brands you. Being known in your office or your company as someone who gets the job done and keeps their word is a big step toward being known as someone who can be trusted with greater responsibility.

Consider your own personal brand and take the time to look for ways to improve it. In particular, take a hard look at whether you are seen as a person of your word. If you are lacking in that area, list ways you can improve, and make a commitment to start today.

Many things about our attitude help determine our success. However, our state of mind and view of the world may be one of the biggest determiners. All of us spend some of our time reminiscing about the past, and looking toward the future, all while living in the present. However, the wrong mix of these three times of your life can impede your success. Are you spending the right amount of focused on each time of your life?

• Your Past – Remembering your past offers many benefits. The lessons learned in your past can help guide you to better decisions today. Relationships formed in your past can be valuable today, and are part of what has shaped your personality. On the other hand, spending too much time in your past can be harmful. Thinking too much about who you used to be may prevent you from being everything you can be today. And, holding onto old ways of doing things can prevent you from learning new technology or improved techniques.

• Your Present – Your present is where your mind should be most of the time. This is where you experience your life, so be sure not to miss it. As you’re living your life, however, remember the lessons of your past and maintain the relationships you’ve had for years. In addition, remember to plan for your future. Many people think only about today, and fail to prepare for their life ahead. This can be especially true when it comes to money. Failing to plan for your financial future can make enjoying the present much more difficult later.

• Your Future– It is important to plan for your future. However, it is also important not to spend too much time waiting for your future to bring you happiness or prosperity. Many people have the mentality that they’ll be happy when they make their first million, or when they have the new car, or when they get married. Too much time spent focusing on something that hasn’t happened yet causes you to miss the happiness and opportunity that exists today.

Your past, your present and your future are all important parts of who you are and who you will become. Allow each of these times of your life to help you to be the best you can be today, and to prepare for being even better in the future.

As a leader, you’re bound to face crises and emergencies from time to time. It is human nature to react with stress when faced with crises, whether real or imagined. Over time, you’ve likely learned to take certain steps to ensure quick and proper resolution to the crises you face. However, you may be missing the all-important first step to facing any stressful situation. For the purposes of this discussion, we’ll simply call that step “breathing”.

While we realize that stress doesn’t likely make you actually stop breathing, it can cause you to act in a panic mode, that creates additional stress on your body and that may cause you to make poor decisions. “Breathing” in this sense means taking a couple of important steps.

1. Slow down and take a minute. This part of the process really does involve taking a physical deep breath and slowing down for a second. In a panic, you’re likely to overreact due to an adrenaline rush. Slow down the adrenaline by physically calming your body. Take a walk, head to a quiet place for a few minutes, or listen to some music. Use whatever methods work to help slow your heart rate and calm your mind.

2. Think the situation through. Sometimes, it’s helpful to consider the worst possible outcome in a situation. Often, when you realize what the worst possible outcome could be, you’ll realize that the “crisis” isn’t really a crisis after all. If the worst possible outcome is very serious, you’ll know that you’re justified in reacting swiftly.

3. Consider multiple options. There are almost always several choices in how to handle a situation. Taking the time to consider several options before you make a choice helps ensure you take the best course of action. When you reach this phase, it’s often a good idea to discuss the options with someone else. When you’re stressed, you may not see all the pros and cons of each decision.

Sometimes, there is no perfect answer to a stressful situation. It is important to accept your own decisions and move forward from them.

Stressful situations can paralyze leaders. However, when these situations are handled calmly and effectively, leaders build resilience and credibility with others. The next time you’re faced with a stressful situation, take a minute to “breathe” and see if you find that the situation isn’t really as stressful as you first imagined.

It is tempting to assume that people who are highly resilient are born that way. However, most people who are resilient have developed the skill over time. This means that resilience is something that anyone can master, given time and attention.

One of the most important keys to resilience is self-awareness. Learning more about yourself, and how you respond to life’s curveballs can really help you to develop the resilience that will help you meet your goals. This self awareness really boils down to answer three key questions about your own personality.

1. What brings you down? Stress comes to everyone. However, for most of us, certain stressors are more debilitating than others. For example, your children may be able to place a guilt trip on you that no one else can match. Understanding which stressors in life really have the ability to make a dent in your attitude and bring you down is critical. When you know which events are likely to affect you most, you can prepare for them and plan your response ahead of time.

2. What lifts you up? It is equally important to understand what picks you up when you are down. For example, some people gain energy and perspective by being around other people, while others recharge with solitude. Knowing exactly what steps you should take to bounce back will help you to do so more quickly and with less time lost to a negative outlook.

3. What drives you? It is also critical to have a constant reminder of why you’re pursuing your goals. Maybe you are working for financial independence, or maybe you’re working toward making a tangible contribution to your community. Whatever your reasons, it’s important to have these close at hand at all times. When obstacles get in your way, you’ll recover much more quickly when you can quickly and easily remember why you started on this journey in the first place.

Resilience is critical, but it is something everyone can achieve with the right focus and tools. Understanding the answers to these three key questions can help you to bounce back from whatever life throws in your direction.

Conference calls can be a very valuable business tool, because these allow people from different locations to meet without the time and expense of travel. However, conference calls can also be terribly misused, and become a waste of time for participants. If you’re planning or attending a conference call, be mindful of these ways you can ensure you’re handling the calls in a polite manner.

• Distribute an agenda – start and stop on time. Any kind of meeting can be a time waster if it runs too long. Before hosting a conference call, create an agenda, and set a time limit for the conversation surrounding each agenda item. This ensures you get through all the items on the agenda without running overtime. If issues remain unresolved, schedule a separate meeting with the needed parties for another time.

• Arrange call in non-lunch hour times. When people are eating they are more likely be distracted.

• Treat the same as a face-to-face meeting. Participate with the assumption your line is never muted. You wouldn’t answer a call or send a text if you were face-to-face with someone. The same applies on a conference call.

• One person speaks at a time.

• Don’t shuffle papers. This can be very annoying to the other people on the call. If you have notes, make sure you slide them quietly.

• Do not use hold button, especially if you have music playing when people are on hold.

• Speak loudly, clearly and identify yourself when you speak. One pitfall of conference calls is that it can be hard to identify who is speaking. Be sure to let people know who you are before you begin making your point.

• Don’t schedule regular meetings that don’t need to be regular. Nothing brings a yawn to the mouth and a roll to the eyes like a scheduled conference call that is too frequent. “Update” calls that keep people on the phone for hours without disseminating truly useful information are non-productive.

Like any other business tool, conference calls can increase productivity, if used properly. At the same time, these can be the most dreaded part of an employee’s day when the time causes employees to be away from the work that must get done without any resulting benefit. Use conference calls to make your group more efficient, but beware of the time wasting trap.