Poll – Page 44 – thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World

Which type of skill do you value more in your team members?

August 6, 2015/0 Comments/in Career, Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: Which type of skill do you value more in your team members?

– Technical — being an expert at their work is key: 18.03%
– Functional — skills like leadership and problem solving are critical: 81.97%

It’s the soft skills that matter. While it’s great to be a domain expert in your field, clearly leaders value functional or soft skills more. Those soft skills can be applied to a broad array of issues, opportunities, and challenges and people who possess those skills are easier to move around the organization to solve other problems. What gets even more interesting is thinking beyond functional skills to “role-based skills” like devil’s advocate, cheerleader, driver, etc. Leaders who can manage all three critical types of skills are much more likely to succeed than those who stay focused solely on the technical competencies.

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! Read more

Which method do you use when allocating work?

July 30, 2015/0 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: Which method do you use when allocating work?

– To the first person available: 0.75%
– Based on skill set only: 5.09%
– Based on skill, availability and interest: 84.88%
– I shift resources to the highest priority item: 9.28%
– Based on first-in, first-out: 0%

Work allocation is multi-dimensional. Clearly allocating work requires multiple factors be considered. If you’re one of the small minority of leaders using only skill set or shifting resources based on priority, consider viewing work allocation more broadly and evaluating all the critical aspects of doling out assignments. Your team will perform better, be happier, and you’ll get more work done than you will by constantly shifting things around.

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! Read more

How comfortable are you asking questions you don’t know the answers to?

July 23, 2015/0 Comments/in Innovation, Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: How comfortable are you asking questions you don’t know the answers to?

– Very — I have no problem asking questions about any topic: 84.4%
– Somewhat — I don’t do it very often: 13.42%
– Not very — I tend to only ask questions I know the answer to: 1.34%
– Not at all — I avoid asking questions as much as possible: .84%

Questions lead to insight. Early in our careers, we’re trained to always have the answer. As we assume larger leadership roles, it is imperative that we lead the thinking rather than leading the work. Doing so effectively requires you to ask the questions you don’t know the answers to. In so doing, you can take the team beyond their current understanding of the world and lead them to explore new ideas, new opportunities, and new risks.

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 consider your team to be high-performing?

July 16, 2015/1 Comment/in Entrepreneur, Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: Do you consider your team to be high-performing?

– Absolutely — we’re a very high-performing team: 41.84%
– Kind of — we have moments of high performance: 47.11%
– Not really — we rarely have high-performing moments: 6.05%
– Definitely not — this team needs a lot of improvement: 5%

Be deliberate about high performance. Sometimes you get lucky and find yourself with a high-performing set of superstars on your team. More often than not, that’s not the case. If you want to get your team to be high-performing, you need to take deliberate steps to get them to that level. Things like succession planning, setting a vision, allocating work, and creating development opportunities will go a long way to upping your team’s game but you have to perform these activities rigorously, regularly, and in an intentional manner.

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 frequently do you use storytelling to lead people?

July 9, 2015/0 Comments/in Communications, Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: How frequently do you use storytelling to influence and lead people?

– All the time — I’m constantly telling stories: 45.03%
– Sometimes — I tell a story on occasion: 43.91%
– Rarely — I’m not known for telling stories: 9.29%
– Never — I don’t use stories at all to lead: 1.76%

Use the power of stories. Influencing and leading through stories is a tremendously powerful skill. While some may think storytelling is too much of an art or a soft skill, it’s actually a simple process and a skill you can readily build. Find examples of great stories and pay attention to how they’re crafted. The better you are at telling compelling stories, the more effective you’ll be as a leader.

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 well do you balance the workload across your team?

July 2, 2015/0 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Entrepreneur, Leadership, Poll, Project Management /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: How well do you balance the workload among the members of your team?

– Very well — work is allocated fairly and effectively: 28.57%
– Well — work allocations are fair for the most part: 61.9%
– Not well — work allocations are often unfair and ineffective: 7.79%
– Poorly — I have a great deal of difficulty allocating work: 1.73%

5 Considerations for Work Allocation. Balancing workload across your team is tricky business. As you do so, you need to consider 5 major aspects of workload distribution before you dole out assignments: priority, skill, availability, professional development, and personal interest. In considering all five of those elements you’ll not only allocate work more efficiently and effectively but you’ll also be building the skills of the members of your team in the process.

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 well do you take to being a team member on your team?

June 25, 2015/1 Comment/in Entrepreneur, Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: How well do you take to being “just a team member” and working alongside your team?

-Very well — I easily transition into the role of team member: 58.76%
-Well — sometimes I transition easily but other times I’m challenged: 34.4%
-Not well — I have difficulty changing my mindset and being a team member: 5.77%
-Poorly — I actively resist situations where I have to work alongside my team: 1.07%

Welcome to the team. It’s easy to forget what it’s like to be a team member when you spend most of your days leading that team. If you have difficulty stepping into a team role and letting someone else lead, you’re missing out on a great opportunity. There are huge benefits to regularly assuming a team member role including better understanding the work your team does and building stronger relationships with the members of the team. So every once in a while, free yourself of the mantle of leadership, roll up your sleeves, and join the team.

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 good are you at motivating yourself through challenging times?

June 18, 2015/0 Comments/in Balanced Lifestyle, Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: How good are you at motivating yourself through challenging times?

– Extremely — challenging times simply aren’t challenging for me: 8.95%
– Very — I’m able to easily motivate myself through challenges: 53.04%
– Somewhat — I can get through tough times but it takes work: 33.11%
– Not very — I struggle through challenging times: 4.39%
– Not at all — I need a lot of help from others to overcome challenges: .51%

Leaders must lead themselves. We’ll all face adversity on a regular basis. As leaders, there aren’t many people there to pick us up and motivate us through those challenges so that task falls on our own shoulders. The fastest way to pick yourself up is to establish a touchstone phrase or memory that can quickly reorient your thinking from “woe is me” to “let’s get moving.” The faster you’re able to reorient yourself, the faster you can get your team moving in a productive direction as well.

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 prevalent is the use of buzzwords in your organization?

June 11, 2015/2 Comments/in Communications, Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: How prevalent is the use of buzzwords in your organization?

– Extremely — it seems like everything we say is a buzzword: 25.69%
– Very — buzzwords creep into normal conversations: 40.39%
– Somewhat — the occasional buzzword gets thrown around: 27.06%
– Not at all — we rarely use buzzwords: 6.86%

Words with no meaning. Sure, buzzwords sound great but they get in the way of communicating clearly. At worst, using buzzwords makes you sound silly or arrogant. If you want to get your point across, speak simply and directly. Leave no room for interpretation. There are some horrible phrases we tend to use and the worst of those buzzwords can make us sound ridiculous. Find better alternatives. Your team will appreciate it and you’ll make a much better impression upon those around 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!

How engaged are the members of your team?

June 4, 2015/0 Comments/in Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: How engaged are the members of your team?

– Highly engaged: 27.49%
– Mostly engaged: 48.86%
– Somewhat engaged: 17.76%
– Not engaged: 3.65%
– Actively disengaged: 2.43%

You need them all engaged. While it’s great that almost 80% of you have a mostly or highly engaged team, having 20% of people out there who aren’t is a huge drag on the organization. You’re likely spending 80% of your time on that 20% group of disengaged people. That’s a tremendous productivity drain because engagement matters more than you think it does. Spend a few days figuring out not now to cure the symptoms of their disengagement but rather how you can change their role or their perspective on their work to get them more engaged. Everyone will benefit from that small investment of time on your part.

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 these threats pose the greatest risk to your business?

May 28, 2015/0 Comments/in Leadership, Poll, Strategy /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: Which of the following poses the greatest risk to your business?

– Lack of diversification: 14.29%
– Rapidly changing markets: 22.53%
– Access to the right talent: 31.68%
– Aggressive competition: 19.6%
– Shifts in technology: 11.9%

Many Threats. Threats abound. Market shifts, lack of talent, competition, and lack of diversification all threaten us every day. The question for leaders is are you proactively assessing these threats and steering your organization past them? If not, you’ll constantly be reacting to the changes and your business will always be a step behind. If you take some simple steps today (for example, taking these measures to diversify your business) you can avoid major headaches down the road.

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 these characteristics is the most dangerous leadership trait?

May 21, 2015/1 Comment/in Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: Which of these characteristics is the most dangerous leadership trait?

– Excessively ambitious: 6.53%
– Being short-tempered: 13.46%
– Indecisiveness and over-cautiousness: 32.3%
– Lack of vision: 22.02%
– Selfishness: 25.69%

Dangerous Traits. From the looks of it, folks find short-sighted, indecisive, selfish leaders to be the worst of all. Each has its risks. You must remember your role as a leader is to put others before yourself, set direction for them, and make the difficult calls that others are afraid to make. If these things make you uncomfortable, either build your skills in this arena or seek a role with less responsibility. One key to your development is first understanding what kind of leader you are. Once you understand that, you’ll be better equipped to build the relevant skills.

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!