Our reader poll today asks: What do you do when you find your passion for your work waning?
I find new ways to reengage with the work to make it exciting again 35.98%
I take a break from it because I’m probably burned out 30.58%
I look for a new type of work that will excite me once again 16.54%
I’ve never had a passion for my work 7.55%
I’ve never lost my passion for the work I do 9.35%
A fresh set of eyes. When you lose interest and passion for your work, many of you (67%) try to look at it with a fresh set of eyes to reignite that passion. That can be in the form of taking a break because you might be burned out (31%) or coming at the work from a different perspective and finding something new and exciting about it (36%). This can be in the form of new developmental challenges, figuring out ways to improve your results, or appreciating a different aspect of the work itself. A significant number of you (17%) look for new work that will excite you. For leaders reading these results, think about how these approaches apply to your team members. Sometimes you need to force them to take a break. Others, you’ll have to help them see their work from a different angle to reenergize them. And for that 17% looking somewhere else, consider role changes they can make within your organization and facilitate those changes because if you don’t change their situation, they’ll take their talents elsewhere.
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!
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20140203-EKG-Pulse-Graph-with-Glowing-Blue-Line-Narrow.jpg?fit=833%2C258&ssl=1258833Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2022-11-24 13:00:172022-11-24 01:08:06What do you do when you find your passion for your work waning?
We took a recent survey of 1,000 employees and compiled the top behaviors that hybrid managers can improve (and avoid) to keep their team engaged and productive.
Today’s post is by Alyssa Mertes, Lead Copywriter at Quality Logo Products
Managers face unique challenges leading hybrid teams across multiple work environments. The good news is that many hybrid managers appear to excel at it. A new Quality Logo Products survey on boss habits reveals that over half (51%) of hybrid employees think their bosses manage employees “very well.” On this measure, hybrid managers outperformed both their remote (45%) and on-site (39%) counterparts.
In today’s challenging employment landscape, however, businesses need to do all they can to retain and engage quality employees. This often starts with improving relationships and satisfaction in the workplace. In fact, around 64% of employees surveyed said that their relationship with their boss is their most important one at work.
In this article, we’ll discuss five managerial behaviors to improve and five to avoid to keep your hybrid team happy and productive.
The Top 5 Managerial Behaviors to Improve
Communicate well
If you want to improve your workplace leadership in a hurry, your communication skills make a great place to start. While nearly half (48%) of employees say that hybrid bosses communicate “very well,” it’s hard to overestimate the importance of this skill. In fact, employees ranked interpersonal communication style as the second most important management quality in a boss.
Your team members need useful information that helps them understand what they are doing and why they are doing it. Good communication requires both clarity and transparency, whether that means explaining your expectations well, providing the necessary context for projects, or owning up to your own mistakes as a manager.
Listen thoughtfully
Good communication starts with careful listening. If you’ve always thought that strong leadership means doing most of the talking, try to flip the script and spend more time listening. Keeping your ear on the ground not only generates goodwill with your employees, but can also lead to improvements in team productivity and maybe even some innovative ideas for the company.
Respect your team’s opinion
Make your listening even more meaningful by valuing what team members bring to the table. An overwhelming 83% of employees said that respecting others’ opinions is a key attribute of a good boss. Employees who feel valued are more likely to respond in kind by respecting others, exhibiting honesty, and maybe even going the extra mile for you.
Treat employees fairly
Full-time employees spend around one-third of their waking hours at work. So, feeling that their boss treats them fairly can make a huge difference in overall satisfaction—in fact, 91% of employees say they want fairness from their boss. Try to delegate tasks equitably, give credit where it’s due, and present any negative feedback privately rather than calling out employees in front of others.
Give feedback often and positively
Nearly half (46%) of hybrid employees think their bosses give feedback “very well,” but that means over half think otherwise. No one likes to work in a vacuum, but the dangers of disconnection rise for employees working remotely.
Take steps to raise your visibility by regularly acknowledging your employees, encouraging informal check-ins, and letting them know they can contact you with questions or feedback. Always remember to keep it positive: providing actionable feedback in a constructive rather than destructive style can make the difference between demoralizing team members and inspiring them to do their best.
The Top 5 Managerial Habits to Avoid
Talking down to employees
More than any other attribute, employees dislike condescension in their boss. Around 78% of professionals indicated this as a mark of a bad manager. When a boss exhibits arrogance—whether by acting superior, talking down to employees, or simply wasting people’s time in meetings—workplace morale can suffer.
Creating a negative work environment
Striving for a competitive edge in business does not mean that your business’s work environment needs to feel competitive. Nearly three-quarters of employees surveyed named “creating a hostile or competitive work environment” as a major negative in a boss.
Just like in sports or any other team environment, infighting weakens the group rather than strengthens it. A great leader knows how to make a team competitive without pitting its members against each other in a negative way.
Micromanaging your employees
If you think that micromanaging poses less of an issue for remote employees, you are right—but that doesn’t make it any less important. In fact, hybrid bosses may rate more highly with employees because they don’t stand over them telling them what to do. Micromanaging ranked as the number three characteristic of the worst bosses, with 75% of employees saying they dislike it in a manager.
Appearing out of touch
When describing a bad boss, one of the worst characteristics that employees chose was “out of touch.” Even more than “pushy,” “annoying,” or “inept” bosses, employees don’t like leaders who don’t seem to understand the realities of what they do every day. Listening thoughtfully and respecting your team’s opinion will help you stay in touch with their needs.
Blaming employees when things go wrong
Good managers give credit to their team. Great managers never take credit themselves, unless they’re taking credit for failures. While it may not always seem fair, part of being a leader is having extra responsibility. Your job involves figuring out how to get the best out of your employees, not blaming them when things go wrong.
Conclusion
If you manage a hybrid team, take heart that hybrid employees are generally more satisfied with their bosses than their remote or in-person counterparts. To make sure your team members feel the same, keep raising your own personal bar with some of the tips suggested in this article. Your employees will appreciate it—and hopefully stick around for the long haul!
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!
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/20221121-Number-5.jpg?fit=1920%2C1280&ssl=112801920Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2022-11-21 08:00:562022-11-21 02:46:395 Managerial Behaviors to Improve (and 5 Habits to Avoid) for Hybrid Managers
Our reader poll today asks: How often do you give family and friends professional or work advice?
All the time 6.67%
Sometimes when I think they need to hear it 25.08%
Sometimes but only when they ask for it 51.12%
Rarely — only if I see them making a big mistake 12.06%
Never — I keep business and personal separate 5.07%
Trying to help. Over 80% of respondents are willing to offer professional and work advice with more than 30% offering it whether it’s solicited or not. For the 51% of you offering advice upon request, ask yourself if you’re telling them what they want to hear or what they need to hear. Sometimes people are looking for confirmation of a decision they’ve already made and they might not be open to advice counter to that position. If that’s the case, you run the risk of shouldering the blame if things don’t work out for them even if they had already made the decision you tacitly approve. For those offering unsolicited advice, be sure you understand their wants and goals. Often we give advice based on what we want our futures to look like. As good as that advice might be for you, it could be exactly the wrong advice for them if they have different goals and aspirations. The bottom line is consider their wants and needs first before giving any advice. If your suggestions are consistent with helping them achieve their goals, it should help them drive the outcomes they desire.
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!
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20140203-EKG-Pulse-Graph-with-Glowing-Blue-Line-Narrow.jpg?fit=833%2C258&ssl=1258833Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2022-11-17 13:00:562022-11-14 06:19:24How often do you give family and friends professional or work advice?
Our reader poll today asks: How willing are you to “blow up” to force overdue action to occur?
Very: I’ll blow up whenever anything slows down unreasonably 4.04%
Somewhat: I’ll blow up when something important gets bogged down 22.43%
Not very: It takes an extreme situation to get me to blow up 49.77%
Not at all: I don’t see any value in losing my temper 23.76%
Keeping your cool. While 26% of you are willing to “blow up” when something is overdue, the other 74% report taking a calmer approach and avoiding blow-ups. While getting heated may feel good in the moment and can even prompt the right action, there are costs to doing so. Those explosions might damage relationships, negatively impact your personal brand, and can make you stress out more easily. Ask yourself if it’s really worth it to lose your cool. Most of the time the person who made the mistake knows they erred. Getting upset won’t necessarily change their behavior or performance. Consider walking away for a few moments then asking what needs to get done to rectify the situation and channel your energy in that direction. It seems like the vast majority of respondents to the poll take that approach.
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!
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20140203-EKG-Pulse-Graph-with-Glowing-Blue-Line-Narrow.jpg?fit=833%2C258&ssl=1258833Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2022-11-03 13:00:132022-11-02 03:20:03How willing are you to “blow up” to force overdue action to occur?
Our reader poll today asks: How do leaders in your organization view the world?
They’re exceedingly, and sometimes dysfunctionally, optimistic 17.05%
They’re reasonably optimistic 39.21%
They balance optimism and pessimism 32.95%
They’re somewhat pessimistic 7.95%
They’re exceedingly pessimistic 2.84%
Balanced optimism. While most of you reported your leaders skew optimistic, there’s a large group (17%) that believes the optimism is excessive. Being too optimistic can lead you to ignore risks, minimize obstacles, and not be as diligent as you need to be. Excessive optimism can also lead to lofty and soon to be missed expectations which can then cause a downward performance spiral. While optimism is important, if you find you’re too optimistic, find a skeptic in your organization who can help you find a more balanced view. Actively consider risks and challenges and accept some level of probability that they might occur. Balanced optimism can keep people engaged and motivated but not set them up for discouragement if things don’t play out as expected.
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!
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20140203-EKG-Pulse-Graph-with-Glowing-Blue-Line-Narrow.jpg?fit=833%2C258&ssl=1258833Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2022-10-27 13:00:232022-10-24 00:42:22How do leaders in your organization view the world?
Our reader poll today asks: How decisive are the leaders in your organization?
Extremely: They make decisions quickly as soon as they have enough information 11.90%
Very: They make rapid decisions but can occasionally get bogged down 37.30%
Somewhat: It takes a lot of effort to move them to make a decision 30.27%
Not very: They’re hesitant to make decisions and only do so when forced 13.51%
Not at all: They’re paralyzed by the notion of making a decision 7.02%
A 50/50 toss-up. It’s interesting that 50% of you report your organizations are decisive and the other 50% are indecisive. So what’s the difference? Risk tolerance? A need for information? A desire for consensus? When making decisions, weigh both decision risk and execution risk. Decision risk is whether or not you’re making the right choice. That’s driven by how much information you have and how much ambiguity you face. While it’s tempting to continue gathering more and more information to reduce decision risk, remember it takes time to do that which introduces new sources of risk. Execution risk is once you’ve made a hopefully good decision, does it get implemented or not. If you haven’t built the proper support in the organization for the choice you’re making, you might run into resistance which can prevent decision execution. And in those cases, you may as well have not made a decision at all. Balance time, information, decision risk, and execution risk. Know when you have enough information and support to move forward and make the call.
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!
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20140203-EKG-Pulse-Graph-with-Glowing-Blue-Line-Narrow.jpg?fit=833%2C258&ssl=1258833Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2022-10-20 13:00:022022-10-19 05:47:40How decisive are the leaders in your organization?
Our reader poll today asks: How involved are you with mentoring relationships?
Extremely: I have mentors and serve as a mentor to others 20.69%
Very: I have a mentor and/or serve as a mentor to one or two people 21.56%
Somewhat: I have a mentor but don’t mentor others 6.04%
Somewhat (2): I don’t have a mentor but I do mentor others 37.06%
Not at all: I’m not involved in any mentoring relationships 14.65%
Learning from experience. Mentoring relationships can be beneficial to all parties involved. For the mentor, it’s an opportunity to build connections, share experiences, and help others develop. For those being mentored, it’s help working through challenging issues by an experienced hand. If you’re in the large groups of respondents who don’t have mentors, consider seeking one out. You don’t have to face challenges alone and it’s okay to ask for help. Those relationships with your mentors can also turn into new opportunities because they’ll be able to point you to others you should know. If you’re not involved in mentoring relationships in any way, consider starting small and getting advice on a real issue you’re facing. Those small steps could blossom into a bigger relationship that rewards both of you.
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!
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20140203-EKG-Pulse-Graph-with-Glowing-Blue-Line-Narrow.jpg?fit=833%2C258&ssl=1258833Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2022-10-13 13:00:532022-10-12 22:09:04How involved are you with mentoring relationships?
Our reader poll today asks: What is your assessment of your current immediate team?
We’re truly a high-performing team, well above all others 17.18%
We’re a solidly performing team 50.77%
We’re an average team 20.61%
We’re a below-average team 6.10%
We’re a dysfunctional team 5.34%
Change your view of average. Almost 70% of poll respondents claim to be on an above-average team. Clearly that math doesn’t work. While the bias is natural to think your team is great, do you really have a clear view as to what average performance is and where your performance stands relative to that standard? When is the last time you went out and talked with other teams about what they’re doing well? Are you hitting the same performance levels as those teams? How can you improve your game? Don’t be satisfied with simply saying you’re above average. Go validate that performance and objectively assess how well you’re doing. There’s always room for improvement. Bias and complacency might be holding you back from achieving greatness. And if you’re in the 11% who said you’re below average or dysfunctional, you’re probably right and you need to put an action plan together immediately. Go benchmark great teams, pick one or two small tasks you can improve, and start a gradual performance improvement program.
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!
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20140203-EKG-Pulse-Graph-with-Glowing-Blue-Line-Narrow.jpg?fit=833%2C258&ssl=1258833Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2022-10-06 13:00:402022-10-04 01:52:22What is your assessment of your current immediate team?
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20140203-EKG-Pulse-Graph-with-Glowing-Blue-Line-Narrow.jpg?fit=833%2C258&ssl=1258833Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2022-09-29 13:00:002022-09-29 05:13:32How much do you trust your gut when a big, new opportunity presents itself?
Our reader poll today asks: When it comes to being coached, what kind of coaching do you prefer to receive?
I want a coach who only asks questions and I come up with my own answers 4.52%
I want a coach who offers advice and suggestions on what the answer is 9.04%
I want a coach who balances between asking and telling 86.44%
Ask and Tell. There’s a clear preference for coaching that strikes a balance between asking questions that help someone reach their own answers but also telling answers that can accelerate growth and development. For those delivering coaching, work to start with asking questions and push the person you’re working with to really think and come up with new ideas and challenge their way of thinking. That said, don’t let them get exasperated or discouraged and recognize when you should move into “telling” mode where you offer them some of your own suggestions. If you’re the person being coached, push yourself to think more deeply but don’t hold back from telling your coach that you’re out of ideas and could really use some suggestions. Finding the right balance will foster growth but also accelerate development and performance improvement.
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!
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20140203-EKG-Pulse-Graph-with-Glowing-Blue-Line-Narrow.jpg?fit=833%2C258&ssl=1258833Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2022-09-16 13:00:062022-09-15 04:27:38When it comes to being coached, what kind of coaching do you prefer to receive?
Our reader poll today asks: What is the biggest mistake you see people make after they get promoted?
They coast and figure “they’ve got this” based on the skills that got them promoted 13.46%
They start acting like a big shot and treat their former peers poorly 22.96%
They try to take on too much to impress others and get overwhelmed 36.94%
They act like a “know-it-all” and are unwilling to listen or learn 19.78%
Something else 6.86%
New title, same you. Clearly “big shot” behaviors like acting like a know it all, treating others poorly, or being overconfident are big “no no’s” once you’ve been promoted. They’ll alienate coworkers, turn off managers, and frustrate your team members. Remember – it’s the same you, just with a different title and pay grade. Stay grounded and focus on the work. But focusing on the work can carry a risk – taking on too much work to impress others. Be careful not to overcommit yourself. While you might succeed, you’re possibly setting yourself up to burn yourself out from taking on too much work or you might fail at multiple tasks because you’re not ready to take them on. Take a measured approach to your new role, focus on your core responsibilities, and continue being the great coworker that got you promoted in the first place.
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!
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20140203-EKG-Pulse-Graph-with-Glowing-Blue-Line-Narrow.jpg?fit=833%2C258&ssl=1258833Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2022-09-08 13:00:052022-09-07 03:44:47What is the biggest mistake you see people make after they get promoted?
Our reader poll today asks: When faced with a risky decision, what do you do?
I make the decision quickly, accept the risk, and am willing to adjust just as quickly 18.09%
I pause, gather more information, build a risk mitigation plan, then decide 64.19%
I delay the decision, gather a lot of information, and decide later 14.89%
I stall, get caught in analysis paralysis, and never make a decision 2.83%
Know the cost of waiting. 80% of you report waiting to make a decision until you gather additional information. While more information is always good to have, be sure you understand the cost of waiting. Sometimes that extra time you wait will cost you revenue, an opportunity to make a deal, the chance at hiring that great candidate when they get poached by another offer, or any other event that can occur during that waiting period. Be sure you know what information you want to gather and if it has the potential to change your answer or decision. If it won’t change the answer, make the decision now and avoid the risk of something bad happening while you’re waiting for your additional information.
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!
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20140203-EKG-Pulse-Graph-with-Glowing-Blue-Line-Narrow.jpg?fit=833%2C258&ssl=1258833Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2022-09-01 13:00:332022-08-16 23:22:55When faced with a risky decision, what do you do?
