Training – Page 15 – thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World

5 Benefits of a Holistic Approach to Employee Wellness

October 24, 2016/4 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Career, Communications, Guest Blogger, Leadership, Training /by Mike Figliuolo

Companies that focus on employee wellness derive benefits like increased productivity, lower healthcare costs, and higher morale. Your organization can get these benefits by taking a few simple steps.

Today’s post is by Dan Colgan, CEO of Rock Paper Team.

Company wellness doesn’t stop at providing health insurance. Taking a more holistic approach to corporate health can provide a number of positive results, such as increased employee participation, a reduced number of insurance claims and better chronic disease management. Research from the Health Enhancement Research Organization has shown that employees who eat healthily are 25 percent more likely to have higher job performance, and absenteeism is 27 percent lower for employees who eat healthy and exercise regularly.

There are a number of ways corporations can implement a more holistic approach to wellness in their offices. Providing some healthy office snacks during meetings, or just to have in the breakroom, is a small, easy first step. Employees will appreciate the free snacks, and they’ll be more likely to reach for the apple or banana on the counter than to trek down to the vending machine for chips. Larger companies also tend to have an easy time putting together accountability groups for employees who enjoy particular types of exercise (like a jogging club or a yoga group).

Companies based in cities are often able to take advantage of joining adult sports leagues for everything from tennis to kickball — and putting together a company team is a great way for coworkers to blow off steam and form relationships outside of work! Another good option is to invest in team building activities on a regular basis. Not only will employees be able to relax and enjoy themselves, but they’ll have a chance to build upon skills they can bring back to the office with them.

When it comes to happy and healthy employees, a full-scale approach can provide a number of benefits the office can enjoy all year long.

Increased Productivity

When workers are more productive, there’s no limit to the compound benefits an office can see. Employees who complete tasks more efficiently are able to take on more tasks without becoming overwhelmed and run-down. What employer doesn’t want that?

How to be a Mentor to Your Millennial Recruits

October 17, 2016/2 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Career, Communications, Guest Blogger, Leadership, Training /by Mike Figliuolo

Millennials work differently than other generations. The way you onboard them, give them assignments, and hold them accountable needs to match how they work best if you want to get the best out of them.

Today’s post is from Matt Arnerich, from graduate jobs & internships specialists, Inspiring Interns.

One of the most important parts of leadership is making sure that all your staff are being managed properly, and a particularly difficult area of this is how to manage entry level recruits.

This could be one of the biggest problems facing older managers, as millennials are now the largest generation in the working population.

Many managers struggle to find a balance between using the same one size fits all policy that works on older recruits and being patronizing. This makes it difficult to communicate and engage with new recruits and ensure you get the most out of them.

The truth? We’re not that different. Much like generations before we’re concerned with job security, and working in a role where we feel challenged and for a company that we’re proud to represent.

Yes, there is a tendency for job-hopping, but many millennials entered into a stagnant job market and had to make compromises on their first role. Now, in a thriving and ever-changing world, opportunities are bound to come knocking, but mentor your recruits properly and you’re far more likely to keep the top talent that can help your company to grow.

Introduce two-way feedback systems.

One of the clear traits among many millennials is the importance placed on feedback. For most, this comes from the desire to grow, learn and improve and supplying your workforce with feedback should rarely be avoided.

Have you ever put someone on a performance improvement plan?

September 29, 2016/2 Comments/in Leadership, Poll, Training /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: Have you ever put someone on a formal performance improvement plan?

– Yes, several times: 66%
– Once: 21%
– Never: 13%

PIPs are a challenge. People sometimes perform below standard and you’ll need to step up and put them on a PIP. When you do, set them up to succeed. Give them clear, actionable feedback. It’s not enough to simply say “do better at xyz.” If they knew how to do it better, they likely would. If you want them to improve their performance, lay out the new behaviors you want them to demonstrate and let them know clear success criteria. Use the same principles you should apply to all performance evaluations. Giving them clarity gives them a chance.

Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below!

– Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

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54 Years of Leadership Experience in 54 Minutes

September 28, 2016/0 Comments/in Books, Career, Leadership, Training /by Mike Figliuolo

Exploring the characteristics of great leaders and thinking through how they apply to your daily work can help you get a better appreciation for the kind of leader you want to be and how to apply those traits to your job.

I recently had occasion to sit down with Maureen Metcalf and discuss leadership on her Voice America radio show. I’ve known Maureen for years and have always enjoyed our conversations on leadership. During our discussion we covered topics like what makes for a great leader, how to be authentic, and how to stay true to yourself.

I know the interview seems long (it’s a 54 minute segment) but I think it’s worth investing the time in thinking about these topics and considering how you can apply them to your work. We’ve managed to discuss our collective 54 years of leadership experience in those short 54 minutes. That’s quite a time savings bargain!

If you can’t get through it in one sitting, just tackle a segment per day – each segment is about 15 minutes long. Your development is worth the time

So here’s our conversation:

The Biggest Professional Development Mistake Leaders Make

September 14, 2016/0 Comments/in Books, Leadership, Training /by Mike Figliuolo

Leaders often do a great job of investing in their people’s development but more often than not, they make a huge mistake when they do so – they forget to invest in themselves.

I’m passionate about training. Good, applicable leadership training. I spoke with my good friends Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos of The Leadership Podcast and discussed the shortcomings of how leaders view their own development.

The format for this particular podcast was a little different – it was less of an interview and more of an open conversation like you’d overhear three guys having over a coffee (or, in my case, green tea on account of my heart attacks).

Give the podcast a listen while you sip your coffee this morning. I’m hopeful it will change the way you look at your own professional development.

If you enjoyed that podcast, here’s the one I recorded with Jan and Jim previously. Enjoy!

4 Keys to Organizing for Successful Leadership Development

August 22, 2016/0 Comments/in Guest Blogger, Leadership, Training /by Mike Figliuolo

Successful leadership development must be personal, business-relevant, comprehensive and regular. Is your leadership development program organized for success?

Today’s post is by Niels-Peter van Doorn of Borderless.

If you do an online search for “leadership,” you get 493,000,000 results. That means that there is more material on leadership than you will ever be able to read. Almost every leadership expert – self-appointed or otherwise – is talking about example behaviors, coaching and inspiring people, as well as about demonstrating decisiveness and strength.

What is a lot harder to find is an explanation of how leadership development can best be organized. What can you do to make sure that leadership development doesn’t get snowed under the many priorities of everyday business life?

My firm Borderless recently conducted a survey among thousands of leaders worldwide. The results were shocking: Over half of the respondents claim that leadership development in their organization is ineffective and underfunded. Leadership is considered a nice-to-have rather than a business imperative. And although coaching is considered one of the best ways to develop leadership, one third of respondents are not aware of any type of coaching or mentoring going on within their organization.

Based on our own extensive experience in developing leadership in multinational organizations, we have seen a shift in the way leadership development is organized:

Closer to the business; with a double focus on business acumen and soft skills; and as part of everyday work, rather than as external classroom sessions. Here are our main recommendations to make sure your business profits from our experience.

Make sure senior management is accountable for leadership development – and that it has an engaging vision on leadership.

Fifty-seven percent of the survey respondents think that support from top management is the critical success factor that most influences leadership development within their organization. At the same time, many people state that their C-suite executives do not ‘walk the talk.’ Senior leaders who have a relevant, inspiring view on leadership and leadership development tap into the collective desires of their workforce and set goals that are motivating for everyone involved.

When Henry Ford started manufacturing the Model T-Ford, he not only pioneered conveyor-belt production processes, he also knew that the American people valued one thing above all else: their individual freedom. In essence, Ford did not manufacture and market cars; he offered freedom and mobility to American consumers on an unparalleled scale. Ford’s strategy demonstrates a phenomenal vision on leadership. By linking the products of his business to a fundamental need of consumers and a fundamental value of society, Ford created a long-term demand for his products. By making efficiency the second leg his company stood on, he also secured financial success. Such a comprehensive vision is a prerequisite for successful leadership development. Executives should develop their own unique, relevant strategic vision and the related leadership principles.

Link leadership development to real-life business challenges.

What’s your perspective on hiring veterans?

August 4, 2016/0 Comments/in Career, Leadership, Poll, Training /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: What’s your perspective on hiring veterans?

– They’re great hires! I love their leadership and operating skills: 63%
– They’re OK — on par with other candidates I consider: 32%
– They’re not that good — they don’t fit well with business culture: 3%
– They’re poor — their skills don’t translate and they don’t fit in: 1%

Vets Welcome Here. It’s encouraging to see such a strong, favorable view of bringing veterans in to be members of a corporate team. Sure I’m biased being a veteran myself but the results of the poll speak for themselves. The better you understand veterans and the challenges they face, the more effectively you can lead them. Spend time exploring their military backgrounds and understanding their perspectives. You might find issues that are holding them back that you can then coach them on or you might find skills you never imagined they’d have. Either way, please continue considering them for roles on your team. They appreciate the opportunity more than you realize.

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!

3 Ways to Elevate Women in Your Organization and Win in the Market

July 11, 2016/0 Comments/in Books, Career, Guest Blogger, Leadership, Training /by Mike Figliuolo

Organizations that advance women in the ranks of leadership outperform their competition. Here are three ways to advance women in your organization and win in the marketplace.

Today’s post is from Dr. Joelle Jay, author of The New Advantage (CLICK HERE to get your copy).

Fortune 500 companies are spending $8 billion per year on diversity initiatives, many of which are aimed at advancing women. Companies with more women in leadership positions are shown to perform the best. Studies indicate that these companies are:

More profitable (18-69%)

More competitive (25%)

More effective because they demographically reflect the market (83%).

Yet with the percentage of women leading Fortune 500 companies stagnating at 15%, it clearly is not working.

The question of why women do not advance at a faster rate is complex and requires change at many levels. One way that has been shown to be effective for advancing women is to put the power for change in the hands of women themselves.

If women want to accelerate their careers, they have to lead themselves.

This approach requires personal leadership. Women need to take ownership and initiative to make things happen for themselves that their companies have so far been unable to achieve for all of the women.

Examples of women whom take ownership and initiative are:

Leadership, Listening, and Coffee

June 29, 2016/1 Comment/in Books, Communications, Leadership, Training /by Mike Figliuolo

Learning about leadership can be as easy as plugging in your earphones and sipping your coffee. Listen and learn some new perspectives on leadership, training, authenticity, and attracting talent.

I’m fortunate to run with an awesome crowd of interesting, entertaining leaders. Every once in a while I’m afforded the opportunity to speak live with them and record our discussions for public consumption.

The Leadership Podcast

I’ve had two great opportunities like that in the last few weeks. The first was a discussion with Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos of The Leadership Podcast. We discussed the Leadership Maxims approach, recruiting and retaining great talent, and what authenticity really means. Grab your coffee and give it a listen. I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with these guys and we touched on some really powerful leadership topics.

I hope you enjoyed our conversation. Now go grab another cup of coffee (or in my case, green tea since my cardiologist said I had to cut out caffeine… he’s a meanie but I’m still alive…). One more podcast to go.

How is culture reinforced in your organization?

May 26, 2016/0 Comments/in Communications, Entrepreneur, Leadership, Poll, Training /by Mike Figliuolo

Our poll today asks: How is culture reinforced in your organization?

– We micromanage people to drive it: 11%
– We use principles for people to adhere to: 44%
– We share stories that reinforce culture: 19%
– We don’t focus on reinforcing culture: 20%
– We do something not on this list: 5%

Principles and Stories Win. You can’t be there for every minute of every team member’s day. Micromanaging culture is simply unfeasible. The most effective way to reinforce culture is through the use of behavioral principles. A close second is telling stories. By giving your team members principles they can apply to any situation, you’ll be leading them and reinforcing culture without you having to be present to provide direction. Spend some time thinking through the principles you want them to live by. Tell them stories that reinforce those principles. Long term, their behaviors should fall in line with the culture you desire.

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!

Upcoming Event: Change Management Conference

April 20, 2016/0 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Career, Leadership, Project Management, Training, Upcoming Events /by Mike Figliuolo

Change management and project management professionals face obstacles between the planning and execution process ranging from lack of consensus, lack of resources, poor communication, poor management support and employee resistance. Because all of these can factor into the success of your initiative, these challenges can lower both the program’s success rate and the manager’s motivation.

At ACMP’s Change Management 2016, you can get the tools required to take your change management skills to the next level. Taking place May 15-18, 2016 at the Gaylord Texan in Dallas, Texas, this 3-day conference focuses on providing solutions and best practices in a collaborative environment. Whether you are a seasoned professional or new to the challenges in change management, this conference will provide you with insights to break through these barriers to successful results.

There are five key reasons for attending Change Management 2016:

Update Your Toolkit – Whether you’re just starting out in change management or are a seasoned professional, there is always room for improvement. Stay up-to-date in this ever-changing industry with educational opportunities that add to your skillset. Earn professional development credits while doing it.

Network with Your Peers – Make connections that will advance your career. When you meet with your peers, you have a chance to collaborate and hear new ideas that may inspire you to implement something similar or validate your perspectives. The program has built-in networking events. View the various networking opportunities here.

Meet with New Vendors and Suppliers – The exhibitors are industry experts. Vendors in the exhibit hall can help you learn more about the future of change management. If you’re interested in becoming a vendor or sponsor, learn more here.

Hear From the Experts Read more

Sisters, Service, and Sales

March 28, 2016/0 Comments/in Books, Communications, Customer Service, Entrepreneur, Guest Blogger, Leadership, Sales, Training /by Mike Figliuolo

Customer service that is focused on customer relationships will impact your ability to make sales and to improve your business.

Today’s post is by Kate Edwards, author of Hello! And Every Little Thing That Matters (CLICK HERE to get your copy).

There is a scene in the Tina Fey/Amy Pohler film “Sisters” that is hilarious. The scene takes place in the dressing room of a trendy shop where the eponymous sisters go shopping for dresses for a party they are hosting that night. They go to a boutique and try on a number of party dresses, but they are clearly clueless. Each dress the sisters put on is completely unflattering as they wear the dresses in all sorts of inappropriate ways.

The shop clerk watches them in deadpan horror and her face expresses what we are all thinking: each dress is worse than the next. The clerk, however, doesn’t help them put the dresses on correctly or offer them sizes that fit; rather, she says “that looks amaaaazing” in a completely flat tone. This character is the epitome of the lackluster clerk who clearly has been told to compliment the customers. No. Matter. What.

Service that is inauthentic, unhelpful or pushy is the stuff of horrible Yelp reviews and comedic movie scenes. But service doesn’t have to be like that. Businesses that take time to connect authentically to their customers will build a client for life. And businesses that ignore service in the sales moment are doing themselves great harm as sales are based on a human connection. Here are some easy ways to connect with your customers that will make the sisters of your business – service and sales – shine.

Establish Customer Quotas, Not Sales Quotas

Too many businesses focus on the number of sales rather than the number of customers. You must remember that customers make sales. Ask your salespeople to create relationships with every type of customer – not just the ones they already know.