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Ryan Shaw

About Ryan Shaw

This author has not written his bio yet.
But we are proud to say that Ryan Shaw contributed 252 entries already.

Entries by Ryan Shaw

When you put a team member in a stretch role, how much of that role should they know how to do?

February 4, 2021 /0 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Career, Leadership, Poll /by Ryan Shaw

Our reader poll today asks: When you put a team member in a stretch/developmental role, how much of that role should they know how to do before you give it to them? 90% or more: 2% 70%-90%: 16% 50%-70%: 51% 30%-50%: 25% 0%-30%: 5% Balancing risk and growth. Developmental roles are purely a balance between risk and growth. If you don’t take any risk on people, they can’t grow. If you take too much risk, they’ll possibly struggle and fail. Finding that sweet spot can be challenging. Most successful growth roles I see put someone in the “they know 70% of the new role” range. About 67% of you fall in that space. If they know too much about the new role, they’ll grow a bit but then that growth curve flattens out. For those of you putting people in roles where they know less than 50% of the new job, be prepared for them to fail if you don’t provide them significant amounts of coaching and support along the way. Most important of all – have a conversation with this person and clearly communicate how much of a stretch it is and ask them how you can best support them in that role. 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!

When someone misses a deadline they set, how do you handle it?

January 28, 2021 /1 Comment/in Business Toolkit, Career, Leadership, Poll /by Ryan Shaw

Our reader poll today asks: When someone misses a deadline they set, how do you handle it? I hold them just as accountable as if I had set it. 59% I let it slide a bit because they’re learning to self-manage. 33% I blow it off — it was their deadline to set, and it’s theirs to manage. 7% Deadlines matter. Whether you set the deadline or your team member does, holding them to it is highly important to the majority of you. Other commitments are often made based on that deadline and your team member slipping can have follow-on effects. For those of you who are more lenient, this is a teaching opportunity. Help your team members understand how to better estimate deadlines as well as plan and prioritize their work so they meet them whether those deadlines are self-imposed or not. Show them the consequences and knock-on effects of them missing that deadline. Demonstrate how their miss causes issues for their colleagues and customers. Over time their ability to set accurate deadlines and meet them as committed will improve. It’s one of the most critical skills you can teach your team members. 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!

How comfortable are you with reading, understanding and executing contracts?

January 21, 2021 /0 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Career, Leadership, Poll /by Ryan Shaw

Our reader poll today asks: How comfortable are you with reading, understanding and executing contracts? Extremely: I understand contracts well and have no issues executing them 18% Very: I’m familiar with most contracts and am mostly comfortable executing them 36% Kind of: Contracts sometimes confuse or intimidate me, but other times I’m comfortable 28% Not very: Unless it’s a simple contract, I prefer to leave contracting to the experts 14% Not at all: I want nothing to do with contracting in any situation 4% Practicing Law without a License? Slightly over half of you are very or extremely comfortable with understanding and executing contracts. That’s a great skill to have given how prevalent they are in everyday business. If you’re in the minority who aren’t as familiar or comfortable with contracts, that’s fine too as long as you’re represented by competent counsel. In any case, it’s a good skill to have because the better you understand contracts, the more effectively you can point out any “business” issues to your attorneys (who mostly read contracts for their legal implications and not necessarily the business implications). Even if you’re not the one signing the contract, knowing what’s in there can help you identify and mitigate business risks and prevent your organization from entering a bad deal. Stop being intimidated. Read the contract. Get familiar with their structure and terminology. Your understanding of contracts will be an asset to your organization. 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 […]

How would you characterize your organization’s attitude toward customer service?

January 14, 2021 /0 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Career, Customer Service, Leadership, Poll /by Ryan Shaw

Our reader poll today asks: How would you characterize your organization’s attitude toward customer service? We go out of our way to exceed expectations 61% We do our best to meet expectations 32% We try to meet expectations but don’t worry too much if we don’t 6% We do the bare minimum to get by 1% Is meeting expectations good enough? IN a hyper-competitive world, a clear majority of you are going out of your way to exceed your customers’ expectations. It doesn’t take much and it goes a long way. For those of you satisfied with meeting customer expectations, recognize that your competitors are trying to push beyond those expectations. Fall short enough times and you’ll find those customers are no longer yours. We all know it’s less expensive to keep an existing customer than it is to acquire a new one. If you’re one of those “meeting expectations” firms (or even the ones who don’t really care too much about meeting expectations) just recognize your marketing team will be very busy and very expensive but your finance team might not have a lot of work to do when it comes time to count your profits. Ignore customer service at your own risk! 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!

How generous of a person would you say you are?

January 7, 2021 /0 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Career, Leadership, Poll /by Ryan Shaw

Our reader poll today asks: How generous of a person would you say you are? Extremely: I give freely and often sometimes until it hurts 13% Very: I regularly give what I can to others 41% Kind of: I’ll give to people and causes I’m passionate about 35% Not very: I’ll occasionally do generous things but not often 9% Not at all: I rarely give to others unless I’m encouraged to 3% Others before self? Generosity has many benefits beyond the actual act itself. Giving can foster connections, understanding, empathy and community. The item or action given doesn’t have to be large to be meaningful. During especially challenging times, generosity can turn someone’s entire day, week or month around. Don’t give until it hurts. Hurt shouldn’t be part of the equation. But do consider giving for the sake of giving. Occasionally, others will hear of your generosity and hopefully be inspired to be generous, as well. We’re all weathering the same storm — consider how you might make someone else’s experience a bit more pleasant or bearable. 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!

Which of the following statements best reflects your situation related to getting promoted?

December 31, 2020 /0 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Communications, Leadership, Poll /by Ryan Shaw

Our reader poll today asks: Which of the following statements best reflects your situation related to getting promoted? I was promoted within the last 3 months: 12% I expect to get promoted within the next 3-6 months: 11% I expect to get promoted in the next 6-12 months: 14% I’m more than 12 months from being promoted: 63% Getting close? Looks like a lot of you (25%) see yourselves in line for a promotion within the next 12 months. The question is, what are you doing to secure that jump? If you’re not already acting “as if” you’re in that role, consider doing so. Many times it’s not about “can they perform at that level?” but instead the conversation is, “Are they already performing at that level?” When there’s uncertainty in the market, organizations tend to assume less risk which puts your promotion in question. Start acting as if you have the role in terms of the size of your contributions and your acceptance of responsibility. For the 63% who see it more than 12 months away, what can you commit to in the next year to get yourself ready for the next role and get yourself the visibility you need for your leaders to see yourself as ready? Build a plan now. Execute it in the coming year. Without action, it’s simply wishful thinking. 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!

Do You Have a 2021 Business Vision?

December 28, 2020 /1 Comment/in Business Toolkit, Communications, Guest Blogger, Leadership, Project Management /by Ryan Shaw

A critical part of effective leadership and success means the understanding of including all stakeholders and total collaboration in your leadership model. Today’s post is by Kim Lorenz, author of Tireless (CLICK HERE to get your copy). It’s that time of year again – many organizations have started diving into accomplishing their strategic business goals and objectives for 2021. Do you have a 2021 business vision? In my years of experience as an entrepreneur, business owner, partner and CEO, I have come to realize that if you can learn to see opportunity, can innovate, and look past the “obvious,” you can achieve almost anything. To me, a critical part of effective leadership and business success means understanding the importance of including all stakeholders and total collaboration in your leadership model. Stakeholders are both internal to your company, some in higher levels of management, and often are suited best to contribute fresh ideas and perspectives, mainly because they are often the ones in the trenches and closer to the actual issue you might be addressing. Unfortunately, when business decisions are made due to a lack of knowledge and failure to seek understanding and input from others, millions of dollars can be wasted. Sadly, these poor decisions, whether in the non-profit or for-profit arena, are not typically discovered for many years down the road, so the losses pile up needlessly. With this in mind, I encourage leaders in this New Year to strive to gather more information and consult with others (who might know something they don’t) in every decision they make. Remember, you must be willing to meet with the people who do the work every day – and recognize that they are significant, valuable stakeholders who can help you craft smarter business decisions. 

As the year comes to an end, what are your expectations for next year?

December 24, 2020 /0 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Career, Leadership, Poll /by Ryan Shaw

Our reader poll today asks: As the year comes to an end, what are your expectations for next year? It’ll be much better: 32.43% It’ll be slightly better: 42.96% It’ll be about the same: 16.28% It’ll be slightly worse: 4.92% It’ll be much worse: 3.41% Optimistic views. 75% of you feel like next year will be better than this one. Hopefully that’s the case! 2020 certainly has been extraordinary. The question to you as a leader is what are you doing right now to set next year up to be successful? Are you building talent? Putting together your plans? Building organizational flexibility and capabilities? Better years don’t just happen magically. They’re much more likely to occur if you’re putting in the effort early to make sure you’re ready to capitalize on opportunities that present themselves. As this year winds down, take advantage of some of the quiet time to plan for next year. Take action now to set you up for success later. Don’t wait for Q1 to put things in motion! 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!

Your Business Reflects Your Ethos

December 21, 2020 /0 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Communications, Guest Blogger, Leadership /by Ryan Shaw

Communication is crucial to effective leadership. With all professional relationships, one must clearly convey and maintain company guidelines and standards. Today’s post is by Sarah Y. Tse, author of 7 Years on the Front Line (CLICK HERE to get your copy). Your business reflects your ethos, which explains why it is critical to communicate company culture and goals clearly to new employees, new clients, and new suppliers. A leader lays the ground rules, describes operations, distributes priorities, and defines the values of the business. I focus a tremendous amount of energy into verbal and non-verbal communication. Asking questions, activating curiosity, and engaging as an active listener assists me in assessing clearly if an interviewee is a match, or if a supplier and client will connect and provide for my needs. I see applicants as potential consultants, asking myself, “will this person provide the services he promises?” I notice their body language and verbal reactions to my questions, especially eye contact, which communicates confidence and honesty, or lack thereof. I learned to pay attention to a “feeling” of unsettledness. I pursue questioning until I understand the answer. If there continues to be an “unsettledness,” I listen to my inner spirit and may choose not to hire that person. I select people whom I believe will be assets to my business and examine their character. I observe the chemistry between the two of us and other staff members. Is there a willingness to take initiative and complete tasks efficiently and correctly?

When you get knocked “off center” by unexpected problems, how long does it take you to recover?

December 17, 2020 /1 Comment/in Balanced Lifestyle, Business Toolkit, Communications, Leadership, Poll /by Ryan Shaw

Our reader poll today asks: When you get knocked “off center” by unexpected problems, how long does it take you to recover? A few minutes: 23.86% An hour or so: 27.23% A few hours: 17.60% A day or two: 24.33% Several days to a week: 6.98% Returning to center. There’s no shortage of things to knock us off balance. Events big and small can throw us off at any given time. What’s important is how quickly you’re able to regain your center and get back in balance. For the large portion of you that get thrown off for a day or more, don’t feel bad about it, but do look to do something about it. Find a way to regain your perspective faster. Whether it’s exercising, taking a walk, talking with a friend or co-worker, listening to music, meditating or any other form of resetting yourself, you’d do well to try it. Being off center for too long affects performance, stress and general happiness with the world around you. Let yourself experience the stressor, react to it, but then quickly put it in its place. You’ll find that regular application of these skills will reduce the amount of time it takes you to get back to center and back in balance. 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!

Leading in Crisis: Four Leaders Who Did It Right

December 6, 2020 /0 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Communications, Leadership, Project Management, Training /by Ryan Shaw

Join our free webinar about how to continue to learn and evolve and lead your organization through crisis. As the Coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic slowdown continue, leaders need to become more deliberate students of how to lead in a prolonged crisis. To help with that, thoughtLEADERS will be offering a free webinar called Leading in Crisis: Four Leaders Who Did It Right. We’ll be sharing case studies of four exceptional leaders as they faced significant crises and the perhaps unconventional wisdom they gained from those experiences. The webinar is a one-hour session you can attend live or on-demand, free of charge, and will be taught by Paul Smith and Gary Ross, the thoughtLEADERS principals who developed the firm’s courses Storytelling for Leaders and Leading Through Change.

Navigating The Choppy Waters Of Disagreements

December 2, 2020 /0 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Career, Communications, Leadership /by Ryan Shaw

The how-to’s and don’t-do’s of disagreement, at work, but also in life. Today’s post is by thoughtLEADERS principal Maureen Metcalf. As leaders, we continue to face an increasing level of complexity. With political shifts happening across the globe, we are finding more than ever before that we are working with people who have dramatically different views than we have. Many are even violating the time-held rule not to discuss politics or religion at work. For many, these discussions, along with a barrage of political demonstrations and news coverage, have left us feeling overwhelmed and often concerned about our immediate and long-term future. Many people appear more agitated, and agitated people are less effective employees, family members and friends. An emerging leader and MBA student, Ben, recently told me that he watched two of his staff members come close to physical blows because of a political disagreement. His department is not directly impacted by the political discussion at hand, yet tempers are still high. The challenge for Ben was restoring a civil and supportive working relationship after people crossed lines that are hard to uncross.

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The Elegant Pitch
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