Career – Page 2 – thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World

7 Tips for How to Use, Not Lose, Your Power at Work

February 21, 2022/0 Comments/in Career, Guest Blogger, Leadership /by Trevor Jones

Getting promoted comes with an increase in power. Use that newfound power wisely. If you do, your leadership position will improve. If you don’t, it could spell disaster for you.

Today’s post is by Victor Prince, one of our thoughtLEADERS instructors and co-author of Lead Inside the Box: How Smart Leaders Guide Their Teams to Exceptional Results (CLICK HERE to get your copy).

Congratulations! You just got the big promotion to management. People now report to you, you have some budget, and you have some decision-making authority. In short, your new role comes with power.

Just like electricity, power is a very useful asset but can be dangerous if misused. Here are 7 tips for how to use your power so you don’t abuse or lose it.

1. Don’t Use it for Personal Gain – Some potential pitfalls are easy to spot but many are more gray than black or white. What starts as “relationship-building” with vendors can slide into contract-steering after a few too many fancy dinners. What starts as “team-building” in the office can slide into inappropriate requests outside the office. Now that you have power at work, you have to keep a firewall between your work and personal needs so you aren’t seen as using your work power for personal gain.

2. Don’t Play Favorites – Now that you have power, people will ask you to use it to help them. They want a decision to go their way. They want more staff or a bigger piece of the budget. Whatever it is, you know and like some people more than others so you may unintentionally factor that into decisions. Favoritism is a slippery slope to trouble. People not getting favored treatment will notice and criticize you for it. People benefitting from your kindness may come to expect it. Stick to the facts and merits. Whenever making a decision, think about how you would explain your decision if someone accused you of favoritism.

How does your organization approach strategic initiatives?

February 17, 2022/0 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Career, Leadership, Poll /by Trevor Jones

Our reader poll today asks: How does your organization approach strategic initiatives?

We focus on a small set of initiatives and execute them quickly 31.46%
We try to focus but often get distracted which leads to little getting done 27.70%
We bite off too many initiatives and never finish anything 26.76%
We rarely pursue anything strategic — it’s all tactical 14.08%

Focus, focus, focus. 54% of you seem like your eyes are bigger than your stomach and bite off too many initiatives that the organization simply can’t get done. While it seems like you’re getting a lot done by working on multiple projects, you’re likely slowing your efforts down because you’re diluting your energy. It can be hard to say “no” to something so instead, try saying “not yet.” That will help you push off initiatives to work on later and overcome objections of people who feel like they’re being said “no” to. People generally respect and understand prioritization. Focus on a smaller set of projects, execute them quickly, and move on to the next batch. Focused energy drives speed. And for those who only focus on the tactical, focus on carving out time for a strategy session where you assess where you’re headed long-term. If you don’t set aside time for that discussion, you’ll always be working on the small stuff.

– Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

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When handing down responsibility, do you delegate or do you abdicate?

February 10, 2022/0 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Career, Leadership, Poll /by Trevor Jones

Our reader poll today asks: When handing down responsibility, do you delegate or do you abdicate?

I delegate and make sure I stay in touch with the task to ensure it’s done right 90.12%
I abdicate and hand things off then hope for the best 4.35%
I don’t really understand the difference between those approaches 5.53%

Getting the benefits of delegation. A huge portion of you are doing delegation right – pass the task off and give responsibility and authority for completion to the person it lands with but stay in touch to make sure it gets completed correctly. For those who just abdicate, expect to be unpleasantly surprised at some point. When you completely disengage and don’t follow progress, you might get news you don’t want. You’re also doing a disservice to the person you hand it off to. They may need your help but might be afraid to ask for that help. For those who didn’t understand the differences between delegation and abdication, hopefully that’s clear now – it’s about maintaining the connection to the person who is doing the work.

– Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

How attractive is the employee benefits package offered by your organization?

February 3, 2022/0 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Career, Leadership, Poll /by Trevor Jones

Our reader poll today asks: How attractive is the employee benefits package offered by your organization?

Extremely: It’s best in class 8.61%
Very: Our benefits are better than most companies 38.23%
Somewhat: Our benefits are middle of the pack 32.15%
Not very: Our benefits are lacking in a few key areas 12.91%
Not at all: Our benefits are bare-bones 8.10%

Benefits make a difference. 47% of you say you have a solid benefits package. Congratulations. Make sure your employees understand the value of those benefits when they evaluate other job opportunities. It’s easy to focus on just cash compensation but benefits are a huge difference-maker and might help you retain your team members in a competitive market. For those with weaker benefits packages, is it a function of poor benefits or a lack of knowledge of what you have? Spend some time with your HR team and have them walk you through your entire benefits package. The better you understand it as a leader, the better you can take care of (and retain!) your people. If your benefits truly are weak, bring it to the attention of the HR team and let them know it impairs your ability to source and retain great talent. If enough leaders raise the issue, something might change.

– Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

As the year-end approaches, how did the year turn out for you versus expectations?

January 27, 2022/0 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Career, Leadership, Poll /by Trevor Jones

Our reader poll today asks: As the year-end approaches, how did the year turn out for you versus expectations?

Significantly better! I’m shocked at how well we did 14.54%
Better than expected 39.83%
As expected 20.93%
Worse than expected 20.05%
It was a disaster, and we never expected it to be this bad 4.65%

Better than expected. 55% of you reported you had a better than expected year this past year. 15% of you were surprised at how well you did. Why did this happen? Look at your expectations and how they were set. Were you too pessimistic? That might have led you to miss opportunities early in the year because you were timid. Did you miss a major market trend? How will that trend play out next year? Don’t simply be satisfied with having a fantastic year – consider the reasons it happened and what you can take advantage of in the coming year. For those who did worse than expected, evaluate your market assessment practices. Did you fall prey to the tyranny of the numbers (e.g., “goal is last year +10%”)? How might you do a better job of identifying market drivers and forecasting more accurately in the coming year? Learn from your experience this year to have a better year next year.

– Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

How open is your leadership team to new strategic directions?

January 20, 2022/0 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Career, Leadership, Poll /by Trevor Jones

Our reader poll today asks: How open is your leadership team to new strategic directions?

Very: They’re happy to shift to a new strategy that makes more sense 25.85%
Somewhat: It takes strong effort to compel change 37.64%
Not very: It takes a massive market shift to get them to move 26.40%
Not at all: Don’t even bother talking to them about new directions 10.11%

Moving with the market. 62% of you expressed a willingness on your leadership team’s part to shift strategy as the market shifts and new opportunities emerge. A word of caution here – be sure you’ve set out a clear mission and vision for the organization to serve as a north star. Without that, you risk meandering and getting distracted by the latest trend instead of driving your organization to a chosen destination. Being too willing to change course can put you at a disadvantage versus more focused competitors. For those with leadership teams less willing or even unwilling to shift, recognize the market is always moving. Either you change your business or the market will change it for you with the latter being significantly less desirable. If they’re unwilling to move, show them a cost of inaction – what does their world look like in the future if they don’t take action today? Sometimes seeing that stark future picture can spur them into action.

– Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

How You Can Lead with Influence

January 17, 2022/0 Comments/in Books, Career, Communications, Leadership, Upcoming Events /by Trevor Jones

The notions of perception, visibility, and influence are the keys not only to better performance for your organization but they’ll also help you advance your career to the next level.

Today’s post is by Joel Garfinkle, one of our thoughtLEADERS instructors.

How often have you looked at a situation in the company and thought of a better way to do it? Or felt that change was needed… but didn’t know how to make it happen? Sometimes we feel frustrated that we aren’t in a position or job title that has the power to make those changes.

But there are some techniques and methods designed to turn you into a strong influence in your company regardless of your title or position. Getting Ahead: Three Steps to Take Your Career to the Next Level introduces the value of Perception, Visibility and Influence.

When you understand how to use perception, visibility and influence – the PVI model – you can lead from where you are right now. Those around you recognize your value. They respect your opinion and you have the skills to influence decisions and changes.

Start with Yourself

Sometimes advancing in leadership means changing cultural patterns and beliefs. You may have been taught to “not push yourself forward,” or “don’t ever volunteer for something.” You’ll need to push aside these well-meaning teachings in order to gain an unexpectedly powerful way of taking leadership.

The first step in perception is to examine how you see yourself. It’s not uncommon for people who want to be leaders to feel insecure – feel like a fraud. Here’s the secret. You’re likely better than you think.

So how can you raise your perception of yourself?

How effectively do you help your teams arrive at their own solutions rather than giving a solution to them?

January 13, 2022/0 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Career, Leadership, Poll /by Trevor Jones

Our reader poll today asks: How effectively do you help your teams arrive at their own solutions rather than giving a solution to them?

Very effectively: Almost everything we do is the team’s idea 17.52%
Effectively: I help them often but sometimes drive my own solution 71.89%
Not effectively: My solution often dominates the conversation 7.37%
Not at all: I almost never use the team’s solution and always default to mine 3.22%

Let them own the solution. While the majority of you responded that you let your teams develop and implement the solution to a problem, there is a pretty strong hint of leaders driving their own solutions. While you’re responsible for leading the team, it doesn’t always have to be your solution. Sure, your solution might be the best one but is it significantly better than the one the team generated? If there’s only a marginal difference, try letting the team run with theirs. They’ll be more excited about it, learn more effectively from where their plan had shortcomings, and be more invested in the outcome which should lead to better execution and higher engagement. Reconsider your role in the problem solving process and move from problem-solver-in-chief to being the enabler of your team building, executing, and learning from their own solutions.

– Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

How strictly do you enforce contract terms when someone backs out of a deal?

January 6, 2022/0 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Career, Leadership, Poll /by Trevor Jones

Our reader poll today asks: How strictly do you enforce contract terms when someone backs out of a deal?

Very: That’s what contracts are for. There need to be consequences 42.22%
Somewhat: If it’s last minute with no good reason, we’ll enforce. Otherwise, not really 41.21%
Not strictly: We’ll only enforce terms in the most egregious cases 13.56%
Not at all: We may as well not have signed a contract 3.01%

Terms matter. A large portion (42%) of you strictly enforce contract terms when one party backs out of a deal and another large portion (another 41%) enforce them if it’s a last-minute change. Contracts have consequences. Parties should expect to be held to the terms of an agreement. The implication for you is, as you’re going through a contracting process, be sure everyone clearly understands all the terms and that the triggering of a penalty clause won’t cause excessively punitive consequences. Make consequences proportionate to the offence otherwise you run the risk of permanently damaging a relationship or getting pulled into litigation which may be seen as a cheaper option than paying the penalty. Fair contracts with reasonable consequences are always a best practice.

– Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

How clear is your organization’s mission and vision?

December 30, 2021/0 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Career, Leadership, Poll /by Trevor Jones

Our reader poll today asks: How clear is your organization’s mission and vision?

Crystal clear: It’s direct, differentiated and inspiring. 20.36%
Very clear: I generally know where we’re headed. 30.17%
Clear: Even if it is a little generic and uninspiring. 28.42%
Not clear: I’m not sure where we’re really headed. 12.28%
Opaque: We don’t have an articulated direction. 8.77%

Setting a clear vision. Half of respondents know their organization’s mission and vision and find it very clear and generally compelling. For the other 50%, even though many stated their vision and mission are clear, it lacks inspiration and for the remainder it’s not clear at all. People want to share a higher purpose. It connects their efforts to something larger than them and gives meaning to their work. Invest the time in crafting a clear, compelling mission and vision statement. Eliminate the buzzwords. Make it short, memorable, and inspiring. Repeat it constantly and make it ubiquitous across the organization. Sharing it once isn’t enough. Once people see how their work connects to what the organization is trying to achieve, it helps them take action without direction and can generate more passion for their work.

– Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

How would you describe the mindset of the majority of the leaders in your organization?

December 23, 2021/0 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Career, Leadership, Poll /by Trevor Jones

Our reader poll today asks: How would you describe the mindset of the majority of the leaders in your organization?

They’re always willing to put the organization’s well-being ahead of their own interests 27.68%
They mostly put the organization first but sometimes act selfishly 40.22%
They’re often self-centered and occasionally put the organization first 21.77%
They always come first before the organization’s interests no matter what 10.33%

Organization first… mostly… While about 70% of you report leaders in your organization either always or mostly put the organization’s interests ahead of their own, an alarming 30% of you said those leaders are putting their interests ahead of the organization’s. Such behavior is catastrophic. People see it happen and then emulate that behavior because the mindset is “well if they’re taking care of themselves first, they’re not taking care of me so I have to take care of myself.” Before you know it, no one in the organization is doing right by the organization and everything crumbles. So what can you do? A few things. First, remind people of your organization’s values. If they’re not prominent, make them top of mind. Second, when you see self-interested behavior, ask questions to clarify why the behavior is the right choice for the organization. People generally know when they’re doing something wrong or selfish. Third, lead by example. When you put the organization first, people know it and they emulate those behaviors too.

– Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

Are You Becoming a Leadership Dinosaur?

December 20, 2021/0 Comments/in Career, Entrepreneur, Guest Blogger, Leadership /by Trevor Jones

Leadership is a skill that requires constant practice. The world changes and brings new challenges every day. How can you ensure you’re staying fresh as a leader and not going the way of the dinosaur?

Leadership abilities can grow stale and out of date. While most leaders have good intentions, and want to do a great job, the early excitement for the position can quickly turn into frustration from the demands.

Leadership isn’t for the faint of heart, and it isn’t ‘learned’ once you’ve attended a leadership conference. It is a challenging skill that must evolve with your personal growth and a changing workforce.

Make a choice to be the leader who is continually growing and maturing in leadership abilities and new skills for leading the team. This podcast will provide insight on whether you might be going the way of the leadership dinosaur and how you can turn that around.

Here at thoughtLEADERS, I’m fortunate to work with some incredibly bright people. Maureen Metcalf is one of them. She recently discussed the topic of staying fresh as a leader with Steve Caldwell at Manager Mojo. They got together on his podcast to discuss how to keep yourself from going the way of the dinosaur. Listen to the podcast here:

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