Need Inspiration?
7 Sources to Motivate Greatness in Any Leader
At a recent speaking event, author Patrick Lencioni shared some difficult yet practical insights about the realities of being a leader in the workplace. After sharing how workplace leaders can reduce the three signs of a miserable job and help employees enjoy work more by making work relevant, making success measurable, and paying attention to everyone on the team, a member of the audience asked a striking question:
“As the boss, who pays attention to you?”
“No one,” Lencioni replied. He followed up by explaining that this is a tough reality many business leaders face. There’s a reason people say it’s lonely at the top – because often, it is. If you own a business or are a CEO, it’s important to know who you are and have the strength of character to encourage, motivate, and lead others.
Whether or not you have a direct sounding board within your organization, it’s important to ensure you have sources you can turn to for advice, for perspective, for feedback – even for constructive criticism. Great books, while an important part of a leader’s toolbox, can only take you so far.
So, here are seven sources you can use to fill up your inspiration tank and build the confidence it takes to navigate your team to greatness.
1. A hobby. Hopefully, you love what you do for a living, but even the most well-intentioned leaders can quickly reach burnout if they neglect to have a life outside of work. So, find a hobby that offers a change of pace or setting once a week. It may sound strange, but a hobby may be just the source of rejuvenation and inspiration you need to get a fresh outlook on your job, your team, and your business as a whole.
2. Relationships outside of work. Research shows that business owners have a hard time defining the lines between work and life. That’s OK. In fact, working your business as hard as you can is what this economy demands. But, don’t neglect the relationships you have with people outside of work just because you’re working hard. Lencioni himself said that a great home life is what provides him with the inspiration he needs to continue thriving while working hard.
3. Refresher courses. Leadership training is a great way to brush up your management skills and ensure that you’re providing the best possible direction for your team. An added benefit of many leadership courses is a chance to network with other business leaders who attend. So, seek out learning opportunities in your community, or find out how to sneak in some training on your next business trip.
4. A business or leadership consultant. If you’re looking for advice or insight on solving a new or difficult problem, consider seeking an experienced consultant to offer their input and direction. Make sure to do your research and hire the consultant that best meets your business culture and current needs.
5. A trusted employee. Sometimes, insight and inspiration can come from the sources closest to your business. Consider having lunch with a trusted employee to get their ideas about the current state of your business, improvements that can be made, and observations from the ground level. Make sure to keep your conversation professional, not personal.
6. A peer group. Membership in leadership and professional organizations can be great – and not just for networking. Working closely with a group of professionals at your level can offer camaraderie and support common to the needs and demands of your industry or market.
7. A mentor. By far one of the most effective ways to grow and develop as a leader is to have a trusted, experienced mentor to guide you along the way. If you don’t already have a mentor, be proactive and seek one out. Keep in mind that you don’t necessarily have to have a mentor in your own field or industry. Look for someone who is generous, thoughtful, well-respected, and honest. A mentor who embodies integrity will be able to guide you through the many twists and turns the business world can bring.
In our current economic reality, don’t forget that your team needs you – your direction, motivation, and leadership – right now more than ever.
You owe it to the people who work for you to make sure you’re at your own personal best, every day. So for the sake of your team, make sure you are thriving and inspired. After all, the best leaders know they can only pour out what’s been poured in.
Maximize Your Productivity
Equip Yourself for Daily Success
As a business leader, you manage more than just a personal workload. From supervising people to creating business strategies to managing day-to-day activities, it can be difficult to gauge – much less control – your own daily productivity. So, use these five tips to focus your own workload so you can effectively lead your team.
Minimize Distractions
Distractions are a normal part of the workday, especially when you manage people. You can’t control the unanticipated needs of your staff, the unexpected problems that may arise, or the needs of clients and customers that may require your immediate attention. But, unplanned distractions don’t have to derail your productivity. That’s because some distractions you can count on – like e-mails, phone calls, and meetings. So, start by managing the distractions that are a part of your daily activity, and you’ll be better equipped with the time you need to handle the unexpected.
Reduce Stress
Stress is increasingly common – and expensive – in the workplace. It’s estimated that U.S. employers spend nearly $300 billion on problems related to stress in the workplace each year. The stress a leadership position creates can be difficult to overcome, especially if you’re not taking active steps to reduce your stress level. Not only does a high stress level affect your physical health and lower your personal productivity, it can affect your communication and leadership styles, too. So, make stress management a priority – not just for your workforce, but for yourself as well.
Organize Your Workspace
Trying to have an organized, productive workday is nearly impossible in a messy, cluttered workspace. Stacks of paper, unread books, and a messy desktop act as visual distractions that remind you of work you haven’t accomplished, adding to already high stress levels. An unorganized filing system or computer desktop may mean you’re spending too much time looking for documents. Plus, a cluttered workspace can quickly spiral into an overwhelming mess. So, take some time once a week to make sure your e-mail inbox is cleared, your desk is tidy, and you can find the things you need to complete your daily activities with ease. Then, conduct a more rigorous deep cleaning session several times a year. This will keep the mess to a minimum and maximize your productivity.
Take a Break
It’s common that leaders and business owners work long hours and rarely take breaks or vacations. But, a recent article in the Harvard Business Review cited research that breaks actually have a positive impact on performance. The study showed that children performed better in school when they had a regular recess. The article pointed out that the same is true for adults. So, take time each day to get out of your office. Stop skipping your lunch break. Schedule a vacation, and get away. Turn off your cell phone for an hour each day. When you give yourself a break, you’ll have your head in the game and be better equipped to focus on the tasks at hand.
Make a Daily Effort
As a business leader, every day is different. That’s why it’s important to be flexible with your schedule and prepare for the unexpected. But don’t use the chance of unplanned work as an excuse to forget about your daily activities. Never forget that your long-term results are a product of what you do each and every day. Take time daily to set your own expectations for what you want to accomplish. Being responsible for how you use your own time at work will set the ultimate standard of professionalism for your team – and it will help you get more done.
It’s important to remember that you’re not just a manager or business owner or leader in the workplace; you’re a person, too. You may not be able to control the circumstances of every day, but you can control how you respond to them. And how you respond will determine what you accomplish. Start by using these ideas, and you can equip yourself and your team up for success.
Managing Cube Life
4 Small Issues that Can Become Big HR Problems
Managing employees who work in close proximity to one another every day can be challenging. Every work team forms its own unique norms over time and evolves as staff members come and go.
Keeping tabs on the ebb and flow of your work team is an important part of any manager or business owner’s job. That’s because sometimes, even the smallest of problems can become major headaches if they aren’t dealt with quickly - and properly.
As you observe the dynamics of your work team, watch for these four issues – to make sure they don’t become big HR problems later on.
1. Conversations marked by “too much information.” In the workplace, it’s natural for people to build relationships and communicate with each other. Actually, it’s healthy for employees to become friends, and it’s good for your team if everyone gets along. Employees who share close bonds will often share with each other details about their home and personal lives. But sometimes, employees in a comfort zone may take things too far and share a little too much information. This has the potential to lead to several types of HR issues. For example, employees who take conversations about their romantic life too far may cross the line into sexual harassment. So, to prevent cubicle conversations from becoming an HR obstacle, interject yourself into discussions that take an inappropriate turn, and let your staff know there are certain lines that are unacceptable to cross while they’re on the clock.
2. Workplace gossip. Workplace gossip may focus on co-workers, leaders, clients, customers, vendors, or even your organization as a whole. It may happen in person, through e-mail, or via text message. In any form, workplace gossip is distracting and unproductive at best. It can also increase employee turnover. But it can lead to bigger HR issues than just worker productivity and retention. Gossip can inspire workers’ compensation claims or support harassment and discrimination lawsuits. Tell employees that gossip in any form is unacceptable in the workplace, and consider addressing the issue in your employee handbook. To avoid gossip that often emerges when there’s a communication void, talk openly with your team when personnel or company changes occur.
3. Personality conflicts. People don’t always mesh well together, and you will find at least some level of personality conflict on most work teams. It’s natural for people who work closely with each other day in and day out to occasionally grate on each others’ nerves. But, keep close tabs on employees with a history of conflicts. It’s rare, but small employee conflicts that escalate or persist can result in acts of workplace violence or create the basis for a hostile work environment – two legal liabilities to avoid. Handling conflict is never easy, but it’s always best to address personality conflicts when they first emerge and deal with hot-tempered employees clearly and promptly, outlining your expectations for proper professional conduct.
4. Jokes that go too far. Humor is important in the office. It helps us connect with each other and offers a break from the norm. But keep a careful eye on how employees joke with each other. From practical jokes that go too far to risqué chain e-mails some employees share in the workplace, inappropriate jokes can be the basis for some major HR issues. For example, a joke that mocks a protected class such as age, race, or gender, may be grounds for a discrimination lawsuit. So, set the standard for workplace humor by sharing positive ways employees can joke with one another. And, if an employee crosses the line, deal with the issue quickly and directly.
This short list cannot capture every small detail of cube life that has the potential to become a full-blown HR nightmare. But the truth is, most HR issues start out small and can be avoided if the proper steps are taken. That’s why it’s important to act promptly and document the actions you take to deal with issues when they arise.
If you’re not sure how to handle an HR issue that arises in your workplace, subscribe to our HR Hotline to access the advice of our team of certified HR experts. Contact your local Express office for more information.
Exchange is a publication of Express Services, Inc., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Copyright 2009.