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Entries by Mike Figliuolo

4 Ways to Get Great Business Results through Workplace Equality

May 23, 2016 /0 Comments/in Books, Career, Communications, Entrepreneur, Guest Blogger, Leadership /by Mike Figliuolo

Women are a valuable part of any corporation’s workforce. How you treat your female employees says much about your business philosophy and your attitude towards equality. Today’s post is from Carlynne McDonnell, author of The Every Woman’s Guide To Equality (CLICK HERE to get your copy). The goals of any business, large or small, should always include corporate/organizational pride, employee productivity and healthy profits. How an employee feels about his or her work performance and work environment directly affects his or her productivity and job satisfaction, which in turn affects the corporate culture and ability to make money. Respected, valued employees make a company strong. Conflict or dissension or feeling under-valued or under-appreciated will always affect how work is performed. A low level of employee satisfaction allows for a less committed, less productive work-force. I was hired into an engineering group as a non-engineer, and in my group, I was the only “professional” female. This was no secret – I have a Master’s degree in Public Policy and had worked for five years in the Legislative Department before I moved to a new assignment. However, every year, when it was time for my review, I was always downgraded for not being an engineer. Not being an engineer – not a secret! I was also asked to outline in writing every project that I had worked on the past year and what I had accomplished. None of my male co-workers was asked to do that. And my raise was pre-assigned before my review, usually low, though it never ended up being that low after higher management intervention. I have always been a hard-working, over-achieving, team-playing, brand- and company- loyal person. I never expected special treatment – only equal treatment. I relied on my work ethic and strong sense of commitment, and […]

How rigorous is your organization about business planning?

May 19, 2016 /0 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Entrepreneur, Leadership, Poll, Strategy /by Mike Figliuolo

Our poll today asks: How rigorous is your organization about business planning? – Very — we write thorough business plans: 21% – Somewhat — we’ll write OK business plans: 36% – Not very — we rarely write business plans: 31% – Not at all — what’s a business plan?: 13% Business Plans Aren’t Only for Startups. Any time you’re investing in something new to grow your business, it helps to lay out a plan. The extra time spent up front thinking about how you’ll roll things out, the barriers and risks you face, and contingency plans you can put in place now will save you headaches down the road. There are many myths about business plans and how they’re only for entrepreneurs. If you can get past those and look at business planning as part of the normal course of doing business, you’ll find your new ideas fare better in the market with far fewer negative surprises. Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below! – Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC Did you enjoy this post? If so, I highly encourage you to take about 30 seconds to become a regular subscriber to this blog. It’s free, fun, practical, and only a few emails a week (I promise!). SIGN UP HERE to get the thoughtLEADERS blog conveniently delivered right to your inbox!

Getting the Most out of Your Alma Mater

May 18, 2016 /0 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Career, Communications, Leadership /by Mike Figliuolo

Your college education is worth much more than the math and English you learned. If you’re not taking advantage of (and giving back to) your alma mater, you’re missing out on some great opportunities. My college experience was… well… less than fun. The United States Military Academy prides itself on giving you the most spartan of college experiences. We never cracked the top 500 of “Best Party Schools in America” while I was there. That said, the education I received there was stellar and set me up to be successful in almost any field I chose to enter. Many of you have similar experiences. You went to a university or vocational school and learned a lot of things that can be applied to your chosen career. But classroom learning is only a small part of the gifts that were imparted to you. You learned how to socialize, live independently, manage your budget, deal with debt, prioritize, manage your time, and have a good time with great friends. You also built a network of people who have shared experiences and beliefs. A group of people who are willing to help out just because you both have a class ring from the same school. These assets can do more to advance your career than any physics or philosophy class ever could. But that only happens if you nurture and use those assets judiciously. Using Your Skills Think back to all the non-classroom stuff you learned in school. Look at what you can apply to your current job. Are there skills you’re not taking advantage of? Are there things you did well back in your school days but you don’t focus on now? It could be things like scheduling and planning your week or making sure you find time to socialize so you […]

How to Design an Attractive Benefits Package for Millennials

May 16, 2016 /0 Comments/in Balanced Lifestyle, Career, Guest Blogger, Leadership /by Mike Figliuolo

With graduates passing on more graduate jobs than ever, it’s critical to design a benefits package that will entice the best millennials to your business. Today’s post is from Matt Arnerich of graduate jobs specialists Inspiring Interns. For companies keen on attracting graduates into junior roles, there’s more competition than ever. Especially with the top talent supposedly turning down over 1000 graduate jobs in 2015 alone. As a result, it’s key that employers understand this new generation of graduates, and make sure the graduate jobs they offer are supplemented with relevant, enticing perks. It’s not about the money It’s becoming increasingly clear that there’s a shift in focus away from placing an importance on wealth alone for millennials. A 2008 survey conducted on 2,500 people born between the years 1982 and 2002 found that money ranked as low as 7th in terms of importance for their career. Harvard Business Review’s survey on ‘What millennials want’ was in agreement: family life, personal growth, education, health and friendship all came before a desire for wealth. For a group that will represent nearly 40% of the working population by 2020, these priorities need to be considered by companies in order to continue to attract and retain the best talent and, in turn, continue to grow. The average graduate today will have an estimated 10 jobs before they turn 38. If they are not satisfied, they move on. You need to know how to build your benefits package to attract the best candidates and to ensure that you can retain them. Work – Life Balance

How “in touch” with the front lines are your leaders?

May 12, 2016 /0 Comments/in Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our poll today asks: How “in touch” with the front lines are your leaders? – Very — they understand the front line very well: 13% – Kind of — they generally know what’s going on with the front line: 36% – Not very — they are mostly in the dark about the front line: 35% – Not at all — they have no idea what’s going on with the front line: 16% Get Out of Your Office. How can you run a business if you don’t know how it’s running? Sitting in your office all the time and managing your organization without ever seeing how things are working on the front line is akin to driving your car by remote control from your laptop. Get out there. You might learn something. It only takes a few hours a year to walk around your operations. Of course you can invest more time than that and leaders who “get it” tend to do so. Put a recurring appointment on your calendar to meet with your front line in their environment. You’ll be much better informed about problems and opportunities before they happen. Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below! – Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC Did you enjoy this post? If so, I highly encourage you to take about 30 seconds to become a regular subscriber to this blog. It’s free, fun, practical, and only a few emails a week (I promise!). SIGN UP HERE to get the thoughtLEADERS blog conveniently delivered right to your inbox!

Innovate or Evaporate

May 9, 2016 /0 Comments/in Books, Guest Blogger, Innovation, Leadership /by Mike Figliuolo

Innovation requires dedicated time and a specific mindset around breaking out of old norms. Leaders can create this environment relatively easily. Today’s post is by Dr. Rob Fazio, author of Simple is the New Smart (CLICK HERE to get your copy). Many people talk about innovation, but very few are actually innovative, let alone create an atmosphere of innovation. Too often we get caught up in the land of “have to” rather than “would love to do.” While daily tasks need to be done to keep a business running, they do not need to be the only thing you do and certainly you want inspire people to innovate. Innovation is about seeing things differently, so you have the opportunity to do things differently. When people think about innovation, they tend to think of it more of a revolution, like the creation of the iPhone. While the iPhone is brilliant and changed the way people communicate, operate, and live, not every innovation has to be earth shattering. The trap people typically fall into is saying to themselves, “it’s the way we’ve always done things.” As complex as our minds are, they are also simple. Once we write a script, our minds like to stick with it, similar to a code in software development. If “it’s the way we’ve always done things” is your typical reaction, you need to ramp up on the innovation. Simple Success Strategy: Innovation Creation Being disruptive in a positive way is a theme for a lot of clients I work with. The idea is to rock the boat just enough to get people thinking differently, or innovatively, but no so much that you lose focus of your direction and sink the ship. Being disruptive in a positive way is about creating space for people to think differently […]

How well do you stick to priorities after you set them?

May 5, 2016 /0 Comments/in Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: How well do you stick to priorities after you set them? – Very well — I rarely deviate from my priorities: 15% – Well — I mostly stick to them but deviate occasionally: 73% – Not well — I have difficulty sticking to my priorities: 11% – Not at all — I neither set nor stick to priorities: 1% Flexibility Matters. Things change every day. While it’s important to set priorities, don’t be afraid to deviate from them as required. Clearly it’s a balance. The most important thing to do when you do deviate from them is let your team know why the priorities changed. Help them understand why things move up or down. If you don’t explain it to them, they’ll feel whipsawed and won’t be able to see the bigger picture of how priorities are set and managed based upon challenges or opportunities the organization faces. Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below! – Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC Did you enjoy this post? If so, I highly encourage you to take about 30 seconds to become a regular subscriber to this blog. It’s free, fun, practical, and only a few emails a week (I promise!). SIGN UP HERE to get the thoughtLEADERS blog conveniently delivered right to your inbox!

Why Boiling Ideas Down Will Always Burn You

May 4, 2016 /1 Comment/in Books, Communications, Leadership /by Mike Figliuolo

Getting to the essence of an idea by “boiling things down” can lead you to create less-than-compelling arguments and recommendations. Instead of boiling things down, think instead about creating a core idea that will resonate with your audience. I hear it all the time: “Let’s boil this idea down.” That’s a huge communication mistake. What people are trying to do by “boiling it down” is get rid of all the extraneous information in surrounding their idea in order to find something crisp that they can share with others. The hope is that that crisp idea will be exciting and compelling. Given I’m Italian, let’s make rotini. No, not spaghetti. I prefer rotini because it holds the sauce better. How does one make rotini? You boil a pot of water, throw in a bit of salt, then throw in the rotini. You boil it until the pasta is soft to your liking. When you do all this, some of your water disappears into the air through a magical scientific process. When done correctly, you’re left with wonderfully firm yet tender rotini that’s ready to receive a generous portion of red sauce with pancetta and garlic tossed in. No, this hasn’t turned into a cooking blog. Bear with me. Let’s imagine the rotini is your idea. The water is all the extraneous stuff around your idea. When you boil your idea down and get rid of all the extraneous stuff, are you left with something crisp and compelling? No. You have a soggy, wet noodle. Communicating ideas requires a different approach than boiling things down. It’s pretty simple. Try this instead…

3 Steps for Dealing with an Upset Team Member

May 2, 2016 /10 Comments/in Books, Communications, Guest Blogger, Leadership /by Mike Figliuolo

When team members are upset, there are three steps you can take to quickly help them work through their issue and feel better again. Today’s post is by Marc Robertson, author of Working With Millennials (CLICK HERE to get your copy). Whether you are leading a small team or a large company, eventually you are going to have either a colleague or report that is emotionally upset. We all are human and we all lose it now and then. Your task as a leader is to get that person “un-upset” and back on track so they feel supported and become productive once again. After having coached many leaders facing this issue over the years I determined there were three basic steps to dealing with an upset employee. STEP 1 Acknowledge that they are upset with the simple phrase “I hear you.” This doesn’t mean you necessarily agree with why they are upset – the why isn’t important at first – the fact that they are upset is! A common mistake is to say “Oh don’t worry about that. It will work out.” We think we are making them feel better by saying that, however we are actually making matters worse, by making it seem that their being upset isn’t valid. “I hear you” says I respect you, and I’m paying attention to you right now. Many times this alone will calm someone down. However, let’s assume it’s more serious and you are going to have to keep going. STEP 2 The second step is to tell them you know how they feel; you’ve been there yourself. Again you may not have faced the specific issues they are dealing with, but you definitely know what it feels like to be upset, so you DO have something in common with their plight. […]

What are the most important “services” you provide your team?

April 28, 2016 /0 Comments/in Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: What are the most important “services” you provide your team? – Directing — setting direction, priorities and coordinating efforts: 29% – Doing — making decisions, clearing obstacles and getting things done: 26% – Delivering — ensuring quality and managing change: 5% – Developing — training, coaching and growing your team: 39% Point and Build. 70% of you spend your time either pointing your team in a direction or building that team. Clearly worthwhile pursuits because the stronger you make your team, the more effective they’ll be in meeting their goals. Don’t overlook delivery though. You’re the last stop in terms of quality. As for managing change, you play a critical role in moving the organization through the inertia that slows all change. If you can maintain a balance of services you provide to your team, they’ll perform well and always get what they need from you. Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below! – Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC Did you enjoy this post? If so, I highly encourage you to take about 30 seconds to become a regular subscriber to this blog. It’s free, fun, practical, and only a few emails a week (I promise!). SIGN UP HERE to get the thoughtLEADERS blog conveniently delivered right to your inbox!

Improve Your Culture, Buy a Chicken!

April 25, 2016 /1 Comment/in Books, Communications, Guest Blogger, Leadership /by Mike Figliuolo

Building a remarkable organization is all about building the right culture. By focusing on values, living them every day, and remembering how your people create value for you and you for them, you can create the distinctive culture you seek. Today’s post is by Dr. Randy Ross, author of Remarkable! (CLICK HERE to get your copy). I was having lunch with a friend who told me about an interaction that he had with one of his team members. Apparently, he caught wind that a young lady who reported directly to him was at her desk, crying inconsolably. After inviting her into his office, he began to inquire about what had upset her so. Being a newlywed, she was experiencing difficulty adjusting to married life and a number of challenges had come their way, compounding the stress. But, the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back was that her favorite chicken had died suddenly from an unknown cause. When she shared the news of her departed fowl friend, he wasn’t sure how to react to the non-cackling conundrum. Not living in a rural area, he was in a quandary imagining how, or even why, she would have chickens. But holding his intense curiosity at bay, he expressed great empathy and comforted her to the best of his ability. When she left his office, he knew exactly what to do. He needed to buy a chicken. But buying a chicken turned out to be far more complicated than looking for little cluckers on Craig’s List. Evidently, purchasing live poultry is highly regulated. After doing a little research, he located a hatchery several states away that eagerly schooled him on purchasing her preferred egg producers.

How well do reorganizations go in your organization?

April 21, 2016 /2 Comments/in Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: How well do reorganizations go in your organization? – They’re great — smooth with no issues: 5% – They’re OK — we get through them with one or two issues: 42% – They’re bad — we really struggle with them: 33% – They’re horrible — our reorgs are typically a disaster: 21% Change is Painful. 55% of you say your reorgs go much worse than planned. People dislike change. That’s a given. One of the biggest reasons reorgs fail is because we don’t think about the human component of them. We move a box on an org chart, change some responsibilities, and keep on truckin’. Unfortunately if you don’t account for the personalities, aspirations, and skills of your people, you could be precipitating a mass exodus from the organization. Spend some time thinking through the implications of the changes you’re making. It could make all the difference in the world. Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below! – Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC Did you enjoy this post? If so, I highly encourage you to take about 30 seconds to become a regular subscriber to this blog. It’s free, fun, practical, and only a few emails a week (I promise!). SIGN UP HERE to get the thoughtLEADERS blog conveniently delivered right to your inbox!