To win the war for talent, you must shape the culture so that your company attracts the right people. As the Great Resignation has proven, unhappy workers whose employers aren’t cutting it are quitting in droves. In fact, one-quarter of employees resigned over the past six months and the No. 1 reason listed for quitting was “toxic company culture.” Things like a lack of recognition, favoritism, unhealthy communication, gossiping, and poor management skills can all contribute to a toxic culture. So, what’s an organization to do when it can’t completely start from scratch? Embrace the potter’s philosophy. It’s an old metaphor, but an apt one when it comes to creating culture. And it only involves three steps: pick the clay, center the clay and mold the clay.  

Step 1: Pick the clay 

There are four different types of clay that potters use: Earthenware clay, Stoneware clay, Ball clay, and Porcelain. All can be used but the end result for each will be different from the others because of its color, texture, and flexibility. In business, it’s no different. To create a culture that will attract and retain the best employees, you must first pick the right people to be a part of the culture. Building diversity is key. Individuals with different backgrounds, life experiences, personal characteristics, skill sets, and viewpoints are necessary to construct a high-performing team.  

Of course, people differences often trigger people problems, so it is important for a manager to choose people who are supportive and collaborative team players, but also results-driven. And it is just as important that the manager provides opportunities for the team to get to know each other’s personality types and work styles. Taking the time to choose the right people and then creating cohesion by helping them to get to know each other to build trust will create a solid foundation for the team. 

Step 2: Center the clay 

Once a potter has chosen the type of clay they will use, it’s time to center it on the potting wheel. This involves getting a ball of clay to evenly distribute across the middle of the potting wheel. It doesn’t sound hard but it’s actually one of the most frustrating parts of preparing the clay. Centering the clay is like aligning employees to the mission and values of the organization, so it’s an essential step. Employees have always wanted to know that what they do at work is important, but for many, this desire is now one of the biggest factors contributing to whether they stay at their job or take their skills elsewhere. Basically, the pandemic caused a shift in how we view work. So much so, that fifty-two percent now say they question the purpose of their day-to-day job. And 92% said the pandemic made them feel life is too short to stay in a job they weren’t passionate about. 

Sadly, when employees feel they have little purpose, they begin to disengage. They care less and so lose the desire to do their job well. This lack of motivation trickles down and causes productivity to suffer. Ultimately, unhappy people create an unhappy workplace culture. A good manager, however, will start during the hiring process to make sure that all team members know just how much their work matters and how it ties in with the mission statement and values of the organization.  

Step 3: Mold the clay

Molding the clay is where the potter works the centered clay on the potting wheel to create the sculpture of their choosing. One aspect of this step is the act of smoothing out the clay with the fingers. This process is like the idea of providing feedback to employees in order to help them become the best that they can be at their jobs. And yet it’s one of the things managers struggle with the most.  

Over two-thirds report that they are uncomfortable with giving feedback to those they manage, especially if it’s negative feedback. But this is hands down the best way to help mold employees into high-performing members of the team. When feedback is given regularly and appropriately, it models a two-way communication loop which decreases office conflict and helps people feel valued and recognized. This is so important that nearly 60% of employees surveyed stated that they would like feedback on a daily or weekly basis — a number that increased to 72% for employees under age 30. Regular feedback (mostly positive!) by management is a necessary component of building a high-performance team.  

3 Steps to Success

A beautiful piece of pottery represents skilled craftsmanship, not unlike the manager of a thriving workplace culture. The potter chooses the right clay and the manager chooses the right people. The potter centers the clay and the manager centers the team by aligning them to the company’s mission and values. And lastly, the potter molds the clay, just as the manager uses feedback to mold the members of the team. All three steps are necessary to create high-performance teams that will sustain the company culture.  

To begin this process, contact us today! We provide a comprehensive continual learning model that achieves results! 

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Your Personality at Work

Emotional agility is the ability to recognize the emotions in a social or emotional situation and then act appropriately. It means not letting your emotions rule your actions and to instead channel them productively by paying attention to people’s moods, body language, and other social cues. And it’s responsible for 58% of job performance! The problem is that being able to flex into a mindset that doesn’t come naturally to you can be difficult, especially when emotions or the stakes are high.   

You can, however, learn to flex into the other mindsets with patience and practice. According to the DiSC model, there are 8 different emotional intelligence mindsets that relate to personality type. Most people have 3-4 that they are naturally inclined to use. For example, a Dominant or ‘D’ type will usually have no problem being self-assured, dynamic, and resolute. But this same manager might struggle to show empathy and be objective, which could have devastating consequences for a team.  

Managers actually need to be able to access as many mindsets as possible in order to build relationships and motivate their diverse teams.  In fact, emotional agility at work is your #1 superpower, and you don’t have to wear a cape to wield it. Instead, just focus on becoming more self-aware, showing empathy, and encouraging productive conflict. Improving in these three areas will help you be a better manager. And considering that managers are responsible for 70% of the variance in employee engagement, the effort you put in will be worth it in the long run. 

Self-Awareness Build Emotional Agility

The absolute first step to improving emotional agility is to become more self-aware. This means being able to objectively look at your own behavior; how you relate to and impact those around you. Of course, this can be difficult because it’s sometimes hard to admit that there are areas that need improvement. And to make matters worse, the things we can’t see are usually the things that need to be changed! But managers that put in the work to become more self-aware help their companies perform better. According to The Korn/Ferry Institute, companies with a higher percentage of self-aware employees (individual contributors to top-level executives) outperformed companies with a lower percentage.  

Empathy Builds Emotional Agility

The second skill a manager should improve to become emotionally agile is empathy. To be empathetic means having the ability to see a situation from someone else’s point of view. Understanding someone else’s ‘why’ gives a manager greater insight into a direct report’s actions and reactions. A manager who can show empathy appropriately will be more effective at building trust within the team, motivating team members and communicating in general. And it’s important to realize that you don’t have to agree with someone to show empathy. Being an empathetic listener shows that the other person’s feelings matter, that their point of view matters, and that you value them as a person even if you disagree with their point of view or how they feel.   

Emotional Agility Includes Productive Conflict

The third area that a manager can work on to become more emotionally agile is conflict. Most people consider conflict to be a bad thing because it often causes anger and hurt feelings. But it is possible to receive instruction on how to engage in conflict differently. Productive conflict is a means of getting to the point of the problem. It’s the ability to come to a consensus without losing your temper or saying something that you’ll later regret. Engaging in productive conflict allows you and your team to work through issues in a way that lets all voices be heard. And when people have the opportunity to weigh in, they will more often buy in. They just need you, as the manager, to model the behavior.  

As 2022 comes to an end and you’re considering how to improve your management style, consider honing the skills of self-reflection, empathy, and productive conflict. These are the soft skills that will help you flex into the emotional mindsets that may not come naturally to you, but that are crucial to your success as a manager. So set your sight on improving your emotional agility in 2023. Your direct reports will thank you! 

To help managers improve emotionally agility, we offer the Everything DiSC Agile EQ program to show learners where personal development may be needed, why it is needed, and how it can be actualized. Call us today to learn more about this amazing opportunity! 

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Your Personality at Work

The Issue

Organizations all over the country are struggling to find the secret to keeping their workforce intact. According to McKinsey & Company more than 19 million US workers have quit their jobs since April 2021, and the trend doesn’t appear to be slowing. The reality is that today’s post pandemic workers need more than a paycheck to keep them in their current roles. And what they want is so basic it’s hard to believe that so many companies haven’t figured it out yet. Employees just want to have one very important emotional need fulfilled: the need to be recognized for the work that they do. In fact, 79 percent of employees who quit their jobs claim that a lack of appreciation was a major reason for leaving. (NBC) 

And yet 81 percent of leaders say recognition is not a major strategic priority for their organization. Part of the problem is that the idea of ‘emotional needs’ at work makes many in leadership a bit squeamish. Even though the reality is that emotional needs are like oxygen to an individual’s psyche. They aren’t just ‘nice to haves’. When these needs aren’t met, the desire to engage and produce dies. This should be Employee Engagement 101 because it’s a simple equation: Work – Unmet Emotional Needs = Disengagement. And the answer to this problem is just as simple: Work + Emotional Needs Met = Engagement 

Recognizing individuals for work that positively contributes to the overall health and wealth of a company isn’t difficult and it’s absolutely necessary to encourage employees to stay put. In addition, showing appreciation for work not only encourages people to stay with a company, but it also serves to improve the company culture. And since Brilliant People is all about improving culture, today we’re going to look at three simple ideas that companies can implement to help their employees feel appreciated and recognized for their contributions. 

Recognize by Offering Growth Opportunities

According to a recent survey by Deloitte of over 16,000 individuals, across organizational levels, generations, genders and Business Chemistry types, the most desired type of recognition is to be offered a new growth opportunity. Many employees are actually looking to grow and stay with their organization. So, being offered a way to improve is validating.

It shows that the employee is not only appreciated for their work but also that the employer feels they are capable of learning more and doing more. Professional development around personality, emotional intelligence, productive conflict, and team dynamics are excellent opportunities to improve the  individual but will also impact how they communicate and collaborate with both their peers and leadership. 

Recognize the Milestones

Another strategy to recognize employees is to publicly and privately celebrate milestones. These might include a birthday, an annual anniversary, meeting a team sales goal, or a promotion. Public announcements by the overall organization are important but it’s also crucial for managers to understand how their direct reports prefer to be recognized. We don’t all want the public calling of our name so that everyone else can clap.

Many would much prefer something as simple as a personal thank you note with genuine words of appreciation.  Recognizing milestones is something that matters to recent hires and the more seasoned employees alike. Anyone will feel special when the organization as a whole recognizes their commitment to the company’s values and bottom line.  

Recognize the Little Things

The last strategy we want to encourage is embracing the idea of micro-recognition. This differs from the macro-recognition of milestones because it’s unstructured, and should happen organically, individual to individual. Of course, this means that leadership, from the CEO down to the front line manager, must model this behavior for it to be ingrained in the culture of the organization. And when they do, it’s a beautiful thing. People who work together daily are in the best position to witness the efforts of their coworkers. This is true of the big wins but also the small daily things that are incredibly necessary, but can often go unrecognized. 

Recognition is the Answer

Whether you are a manager of a team or the CEO of a company, the effects of the Great Resignation are affecting your potential. So, take the necessary steps to keep the people that you value by showing them that they matter as individuals and that their work is critical to the success of the organization. After all, when employees feel appreciated, they’re more likely to be engaged at work. In fact, reports from the Society for Human Resource Management, show that 79 percent of the employees tend to work harder if there is an employee recognition program active in the workplace. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start showing some appreciation! 

Showing appreciation by offering professional development can be solved by Brilliant People. We offer personality, emotional intelligence, productive conflict, and team training. Call us today!

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Your Personality at Work

Becoming a manager typically looks like this. An individual contributor (IC) works hard to become excellent at their job, a sort of rock star in their role, making the team look great, and gaining attention from management for their contribution. Then one day they’re asked to step into the role of manager. They were so good in their role that it just makes sense that they would be able to manage other people doing that same job, right? Wrong! Management is a big jump that requires self-awareness, emotional intelligence and social skills, which is why sixty percent of new managers fail within the first twenty-four months of their new position. And when they fail personally, they also fail their team and often the larger organization as a result of the negative affect on morale and the bottom line.  

So, why do so many new managers fail? It’s simple really. They struggle to make the transition from focusing on a product or service to focusing on the people that report to them. It’s hard to pick the right person for a management job and according to Gallup, companies fail to choose the candidate with the right talent 82% of the time! Managers are crucial to the output of an organization which means it’s important to set them up for success before they have people reporting to them. Seriously, why give someone an opportunity to manage if you only hope they will make it? Instead, organizations should provide professional development to ensure that new managers have the tools they need to succeed. At Brilliant People we believe there are 3 areas that a new manager should develop first so they can effectively hit the ground running. 

PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT

First, is personality development because personality impacts our behaviors and these behaviors impact management style. However, in reality, most of us are unaware of how we are perceived by others. So, personality profiles can offer detailed information on how and why an individual shows up at work the way they do. Training sessions on personality can take this knowledge even further by providing self-reflection exercises. Self-reflection is key to growth, so a manager must be able to see themselves objectively before they can begin to sincerely develop relationships with those they manage. And since relationship building is one of the most important aspects of a manager’s role, it’s critical that they understand how personality affects the team dynamic.  

Different personality types are motivated differently, take criticism differently and respond differently to stress. And these differences create problems when a group of people work together day in and out. Problems arise in how individuals respond to the responsibilities that have been assigned to them, how people around them do their work, how they talk to each other, and whether or not trust has developed between coworkers. It’s also important to understand what types of activities energize the different personality types and which ones drain them.

All of these things directly impact the relationship between a manager and a direct report as well as the dynamic of the entire team. So understanding one’s own personality type is just as important as understanding the personality types of the rest of the team. 

MOTIVATE THE TEAM

The second thing a new manager should understand is how to motivate their team. Getting a good handle on personality type will create a better understanding of how each team member is motivated. Recognition is an excellent way to motivate employees because currently 82% of American professionals feel they aren’t being adequately recognized at work.  And employees who don’t feel valued will look for a new place of employment. But, you can’t just publicly announce the winners of the monthly ‘High 5 Friday’, and think you’re cutting it. 

Recognition is important to every personality type, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all sort of thing. That really only works for ponchos and shawls, and yet that’s how a lot of companies pay kudos to their people. So you might make the ‘i’ personality type happy, but the ‘C’ type would be mortified. The reality is you need to know who is on your team and how to motivate them based on their personality type and preferences. Doing so will help them feel valued and when someone feels valued they’ll work harder and be more likely to stay put. 

DIRECT AND DELEGATE

Directing and delegating is the third area where a new manager should devote their time, but again, there are nuances to consider. Although the actions are fairly straightforward, the ways in which people respond to them are quite varied. And this is because of how the directing and delegating comes across from a particular personality type as well as how it is received by a different personality type. There’s a lot at play here and the stars don’t always align.

For instance, if a manager is friendly, chatty, outgoing and optimistic, they will usually have an easier time delegating to someone who is like minded. The direct reports who are more analytical, abrupt or slow to respond would be more challenging. And yet, it’s just as important to direct and delegate to them in ways that will yield the desired results. Managers then need to understand what energizes each team member and what drains them so they direct and delegate appropriately and can then offer the support employees need when they need it.  

For example, let’s say a new manager has tasked a ‘D’ type personality with mentoring the newest member of the team. Their role is to show the newbie the ropes and then be their go-to for any questions or concerns. This ‘D’ type is a star player with a no-nonsense straight-shooter attitude who thinks and talks in bullet points. A new manager may be unaware that this team player comes across as abrupt and demanding, and yet has chosen to pair them with someone who is introverted and quiet. This pairing will most likely end up with the mentor telling the new person everything he needs to know up front and then moving on to do their own job. I mean, they told them how things work, right? The rest is up to them! The new person may not feel mentored at all causing them to shut down, choose to find another team, or even another place of employment.

How you communicate with other people is one of the most important aspects of any job but as a manager it can make or break you. At Brilliant People we call this speaking someone’s ‘personality language’. Being able to communicate in a way that another personality type can receive will help a new manager be more effective at delegating and directing, and you can encourage your direct reports to do the same by helping them understand how the different personalities show up at work. There are no star players. We need them all to create successful teams. 

PUT IT ALL TOGETHER

Individual contributors who make the leap to manager are not guaranteed success. Management is a whole new ball game that requires the individual to change their focus. They have to stop focusing on themselves and instead focus on how well the team plays together. They need to determine the strengths and weaknesses, and how to motivate and hold people accountable, and that’s just for starters! But if a manager dives deep into their own personality and those of their direct reports and uses that information to the best of their abilities, they’ll be more likely to communicate effectively, build trust and increase belonging. All of which contributes to higher productivity, which is exactly how a manager is being judged. 

Call us today about the Everything DiSC Management training. It’s a 1 day course that helps participants deepen their understanding of themselves, their direct reports, and their own managers. Participants walk away with concrete strategies to help them adapt to the styles of their direct reports so they can bring out the best in them. It’s effective management 101!

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Your Personality at Work

The after effects of the pandemic are many, but one of the most important is the major shift in how people regard their work lives. The pandemic upset norms around how we go to work, where we go to work, and who we go to work with. For some, it created more work and for others it took their work away. In general, it created a type of war-time stress and anxiety, and many responded by opting out of work as they had known it. And this Great Resignation shows no real signs of slowing down post pandemic.

Makes me think of the Bob Dylan song, The Times They Are A-Changin’. The lyrics, set to music almost 60 years ago, requested societal change but they ring true for today’s workplace society as well.  So what can managers do to make the work environment a place people run to instead of run from? Create a more engaged team by focusing on 3 things: mental health, building connection and providing valuable feedback. 

Engaged Teams Step 1: Focus on Mental Health 

Most people think of mental health as mental illness, but it actually encompasses our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. There was a time in the not-so-distant past, when talking about mental health on the job was taboo. You checked your emotions at the door because there was work to do. However, the pandemic has helped us realize that we can’t ignore how mental health affects our individual wellbeing and how that relates to a company’s bottom line. If organizations don’t provide resources for employees to improve their well-being, employees will leave. Which means that today’s front-line managers need to support employees through their stress, anxiety, grief or anger.   

Managers aren’t therapists, of course, but they do have the opportunity to make the organization a place where people support each other through their challenges. Currently, though, only 57% of employees have a relationship with their direct manager that makes it easy to go to them with questions or concerns. To make a difference in team members’ lives, managers must do better. What does this look like? Making sure all team members know that they can come to you when they need help by being approachable, showing empathy, and if necessary, steering them toward human resource options. It’s time to realize that the overall health of an organization begins by ensuring employees receive the mental health support they need.  

Engaged Teams Step 2: Focus on Connection 

Another approach managers can use to create an engaged team is to help employees feel like they belong. Connection is a primal need. It’s why we look for similarities in the people around us, and why we feel comforted when we make a connection with someone. It only takes seven friendly coworkers to make someone feel like they belong, and yet more than half of the employees surveyed by BetterUp, say they want more connection at work.  

As a manager, building connection with your employees is an excellent way to build trust, improve communication and encourage a sense of belonging. The end result being a team that is happier, less stressed, and more productive. Plus, employees who feel connected choose to stay in their jobs longer versus those that are lonely. This is a considerable achievement when you realize that lonely employees cost U.S. companies up to $406 billion a year!  

Engaged Teams Step 3: Focus on Feedback 

Lastly, managers can help create an engaged workforce by providing timely feedback. Feedback gets a bad rap because people tend to equate it with criticism. And no one wants to be criticized! But when managers shy away from constructive criticism in the hopes of avoiding hurt feelings and/ or conflict, prime opportunities for growth are missed. Employees actually need managers to notice when they do something well, provide resources to develop better skills, and help them grow from the mistakes they make.  

Managers and their teams actually do better when there is regular feedback. According to research by Emily Heaphy and Marcial Losada Ided, there should be a 5:1 ratio of positive feedback to negative feedback. Managers can be their most effective if they check in often in-person, have regular 1:1 time with employees, and show empathy. And although criticism makes everyone a little uncomfortable, it’s necessary. Just make sure to do it in the spirit of helping an employee to grow. Then work together to create a path forward.  

Step Up To Keep Up 

Keeping a team engaged has always been difficult. This is partially due to the fact that in the past, very few organizations took responsibility for the mental health of their employees. But statistics like the fact that 78% of Millennials and 81% of Gen Z-ers have left roles because of their mental health, show just how important it is for organizations to change. Today’s managers have the opportunity to learn from the past and prepare for a better future by helping guide employees to take care of their mental health, connecting at work and giving valuable feedback. 

At Brilliant People we focus on helping managers create connection and community in the workplace. Reach out to us today to see how we can come alongside your efforts to produce a place where people love to come to work. 

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Your Personality at Work

Curiosity kills conflict. It sounds morbid, I know, but hear me out. When you take the time to truly understand what has led to the conflict, you can typically deflate the conflict. This is good news because conflict in some form is inevitable when humans are involved. At work, managers spend about 25% of their time resolving workplace conflicts, eating into valuable time that could be used elsewhere. And recent research shows that conflict between employees is on the rise.  

Get Curious About Personality Type  

As we’ve said before, people differences trigger people problems every day everywhere. Most of the time it’s because people don’t understand how and why they show up at work the way they do. And if they don’t understand themselves, it’s highly unlikely that they will understand how and why their workmates show up the way they do. This sets the stage for miscommunication that often leads to conflict. 

Manager Tip:

Do you know what your personality type is and how it might be affecting your management style? Many don’t, but there is an easy fix. All you have to do is take an Everything DiSC assessment. Then you’ll receive a 20+ page report outlining your particular personality style including your priorities, motivators, challenges and stressors. This in depth information will shed light on how your personality affects your management style. The assessment will also offer you tips on how to work with the other personality types. 

Get Curious About How Your Team Feels About Conflict 

Managing a team will be easier if you create norms around conflict. Norms can be extremely beneficial because they provide rules or patterns around how the individuals on a team should respond in conflict situations. Once a norm or set of norms is embedded into the social fabric of the team, it will be much easier for each individual team member to hold themselves and each other accountable.  

Manager Tip:  

To create norms around conflict, you must first get to know your team a little better. Find out how each teammate feels about conflict. For example, do they run headlong into the fire, or do they run away from it? And if there is unresolved conflict, do they hold a grudge, avoid the other person involved, or just let it go? What behaviors do they believe are acceptable and which ones are unacceptable when engaging in conflict? Then hold a team meeting to discuss the answers to these questions and vote on the norms that the team would like to see implemented around how conflict will be handled going forward.  

Get Curious and Show Empathy

Sometimes when there is conflict, it’s best to just listen. We all want our side of the story to be heard, and we almost always feel justified about our emotions and how we remember things. So taking the time to listen to teammates that are experiencing conflict can serve to not only meet that emotional need, but also help to show empathy. A study by research firm DDI found that empathy is one of the most important drivers of overall performance among managers. And managers who show higher levels of empathy toward their team are viewed as better performers by their bosses as reported in another recent study. Honing your empathy skills by listening to your teammates is a win-win. 

Manager Tip:  

When conflict occurs, take the time to talk to everyone involved and really listen. Active listening involves being attentive and letting it show by looking the other person in the eye and leaning slightly forward. When they seem to have finished with what they want to tell you, simply say, “Hmm. Tell me more.” They may falter for a minute as they realize that you truly want to listen, but then they’ll continue with more details. Continue with ‘tell me more’ until you feel that there is nothing more to share or be gleaned from the conversation. It’s rare to be listened to with such intention, so doing it will help create psychological safety for the team member. And it will show that you have empathy for their situation.  

At The End Of The Day

There is no way to get rid of all conflict in the workplace. But you can work to lead the team toward productive conflict where individuals can openly discuss their opposing ideas in a respectful manner and without fear of backlash. This will take time but it’s totally doable. And the reward will be a team that works together instead of against each other. To get started you just need to get curious about  personality, how the team feel about conflict, and showing empathy. These strategies will help you reduce the time spent dealing with negative conflict.

If you’d like to understand more about how you show up as a manager, reach out to us today for a DiSC assessment and put yourself on the path to success. Because the Culture (R)evolution starts with you!

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Your Personality at Work

Researchers have found that managers spend 80% of their day communicating. Most of us equate communicating with speaking, but 70-90% of communication is actually nonverbal.  I’m talking about body language, facial expressions, paralinguistics, personal space, gestures, etc. And although there are many skills a manager must hone; effective communication is probably the most important. To be effective at communicating, the sender of information must deliver the message in such a way that the receiver understands the purpose of the message in the way the sender intended. And therein lies the problem! Managers aren’t always aware of how their communication style shows up, and whether it is in sync with whomever they are communicating with.

Today’s blog post will focus on tips for improving a manager’s nonverbal communication through facial expressions, gestures, and loudness or tone of voice. These are three areas where communication is often misinterpreted, leading to poor employee engagement and overall team dynamics. 

Facial Expressions

First, let’s talk about facial expressions. Whether speaking with someone in person or in a virtual meeting space like Zoom, our face is usually the first thing the other person sees, even before we begin to speak. This makes facial expressions one of the key aspects of human communication. The look on a person’s face can tell you exactly how they’re feeling, what kind of day they’ve had, how they feel about you, etc. This is because the face is responsible for communicating not only thoughts or ideas but also emotions. And some facial expressions are universal.

Even across different cultures, the facial expressions for happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, and disgust are the same. And, it’s pretty obvious when someone feels one of these emotions. The idea, then, is to learn to control your facial expressions and use them appropriately. Managers should be encouraging, empathetic, and good listeners, and they should be able to adjust their facial expressions accordingly.  

Suggestions:  

• Smile often to encourage camaraderie and a willingness to speak freely. People feel drawn to others when they smile. It’s like an invitation to get to know you better. 

• Listen attentively and lift your eyebrows to indicate a positive reaction. Active listening encourages more productive two-way conversations! Plus, the more you listen, the more you’ll understand your teammates’ motivations, stressors, etc. 

Gestures

Another form of nonverbal communication is hand gestures. These deliberate movements and signals are an essential way of communicating meaning without words. Common gestures include waving, pointing, and using fingers to indicate numeric amounts. Hand gestures can express friendliness or appreciation, like waving to someone to say hello and acknowledge their presence or giving them a thumbs up to express a job well done. But gestures can also be used to intimidate. For example, pointing into someone’s face or chest is typically an aggressive gesture that puts the other person on the defensive or makes them feel bullied.

Suggestions: 

• Move your hands to build expression throughout stories, so that people will become more engaged in what you’re saying. 
• Reinforce positive moments with a thumbs up or high five.  
• Don‘t go overboard with gestures: too many gestures is distracting and gets in the way of clear communication. 

Loudness and Tone of Voice

 The third form of nonverbal communication is paralinguistics or loudness and tone of voice. Although speaking is considered verbal communication, how you speak can be considered nonverbal communication. So, whether you are communicating in person or participating in a video conference call, always be aware of your tone of voice. It should always reflect your intended message. And it’s important to note that a tone of voice can affect whether a conversation stays positive or becomes negative. For instance, maintaining a positive tone while talking with a coworker or supervisor can help produce an overall positive effect. Whereas sarcasm, anger, affection, or too much confidence can negatively affect the outcome of a conversation. 

Suggestions:  

• With the team’s approval, record meetings. Then listen for a negative or loud tone of voice.  
• Record yourself while on a call with a team member. Listen for a lack of empathy, condescension, etc. 
• Work on not raising your voice when angry. A loud voice often indicates out-of-control feelings. 

In Conclusion

Managers spend most of their time communicating, and a significant portion of that time is spent with some form of nonverbal communication. All the behaviors mentioned in this post (facial expressions, gestures, loudness, and tone of voice) send strong messages. They can be used positively to put people at ease and build trust, or they can be used negatively to offend or confuse. To manage well, it’s crucial that managers learn to utilize these forms of nonverbal communication to encourage relationship building. Practicing the tips offered in this post is an easy way to get started. Doing so will encourage a positive team culture which will improve team dynamics and overall employee engagement. 

If you would like the opportunity to learn more about how to manage effectively, give us a call. We offer training sessions specifically targeted at helping managers thrive.  

And remember, the Culture (R)evolution starts with you!

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Your Personality at Work

According to the 2021 Global Leadership Forecast, companies are facing a leadership crisis. In fact, only 11% of surveyed organizations reported having a “strong” or “very strong” leadership bench which is the lowest it’s been rated in the past decade. This is indeed a problem since organizations must have strong leaders to succeed. So how can companies invest wisely in developing their leaders? Through leadership development that focuses on the core skills of vision, alignment and execution. 

Vision

“Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” Warren G. Bennis

The vision of a company is the overarching idea of what it hopes to become. It’s the guiding light by which the company will move down it’s chosen path.  And although a vision doesn’t outline the steps that need to be taken to achieve it, it is the mental image that the leader must rally the rest of the employees around to be successful. But it doesn’t stop there.

The leader must continue over time to reinforce the vision and to keep it at the forefront by modeling the vision so that employees stay engaged and involved. This is of utmost importance because it shows a level of commitment to the cause and a willingness to work as hard as the leader expects everyone else to.

Alignment

The very essence of all power to influence lies in getting the other person to participate.”

Harry A. Overstreet

Once the vision is in place a leader must rally the troops around it. To do so, their passion must be palpable. They need to build trust with their teams and they must be worthy of believing in. Sometimes leaders mistakenly believe that a vision on its own will cause people to get behind it. But the truth is, people need to see the leader talk the talk and walk the walk. These are the actions that cause people to buy in to an organization’s vision.

It’s important to also realize that that Lone Ranger leaders don’t succeed in the long term. Only on TV does one person swoop in and completely save the day. Instead, the leader must be a team player which means gaining the consensus of the rest of the leadership team so that the vision can trickle down to the management levels and beyond.  

Execution

“Execution is the ability to mesh strategy with reality, align people with goals, and achieve the promised results.” Lawrence Bossidy

This is where the rubber meets the road; the strategy that will allow the team to fulfill the vision. And it’s often where things break down. There are two things to remember as you create your plan. First, it’s crucial to ensure that your team has a diversity of skills as well as a diversity of thought. This will allow you to see many possibilities and many possible solutions. Second, work to effectively communicate the vision and the plan for executing it on a regular basis. Keep the ‘why’ in front of your employees all the time. They need to be reminded often to keep them engaged.

At the End of the Day

To succeed at work a leader must be able to create a vision, align people around it and execute to it. And yet, leadership is lacking in organizations across the country and is at its lowest point in ten years. Action needs to be taken and it needs to be done now. Leadership development is essential to empowering leaders to do their best work, and yet only 5% of businesses have implemented leadership development at all levels of the organization.

If you would like to improve your vision, alignment, and execution skills, we offer a full-day program called Work of Leaders by Everything DiSC. This program encourages leaders to understand their own leadership behaviors and how they impact their effectiveness. Call us today to learn more!

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Your Personality at Work

The managers are not all right. Why? Because they’re trying to ‘manage’ through the effects of the fourth industrial revolution, a worldwide pandemic, and the Great Resignation with the management styles of a bygone era. And a recent survey by SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) shows how damaging these poor management practices are.  

• 84% of American workers say poorly trained people managers create a lot of unnecessary work and stress  
• 57% of American workers say managers in their workplace could benefit from training on how to be a better people manager
• 35% of those surveyed said that managers need to know how to cultivate a positive and inclusive team culture

Because the manager accounts for so much of an employee’s work experience, it’s really imperative that organizations help managers improve their people skills. They need to provide development in the mindset and methods that will empower managers to lead better. In particular, managers need to build listening and empathy skills, and help their employees feel like they belong. 

Managers Need to Listen

In most organizations, the biggest emphasis at work is placed on output. What’s missing is the connection and community that makes people want to engage in their work. This is crucial because the better our working relationships, the more we actually produce.  Essential to building good working relationships is the art of listening. 

“We have 2 ears and 1 mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” Epictitus

I say that it is an art form because it’s not a skill that comes naturally to most people. Usually when we are in conversation with another person, we listen with the intent to respond; to share our side of an issue, tell a similar story that we’ve experienced, or completely change the subject. To really listen requires focus, patience and a desire to truly understand what is being said. It focuses solely on the speaker. One such method is ‘Active Listening’. While the speaker talks, the listener pays close attention to the explicit and underlying details, using only non-verbal cues to show that they are listening. This could be as simple as nodding your head. It’s important not to interrupt and stop the flow the information. Only once the speaker finishes, should the listener summarize the key points of what they heard and then ask for confirmation. Then the speaker can clarify any misunderstandings. Active listening is an excellent way for a manager to gain information and perspective, and to show an employee that what they have to say matters. 

Managers Must Show Empathy

The second skill managers should develop is empathy. This is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. The idea of having and sharing feelings at work often makes people uncomfortable, though, making this a major roadblock to effective management. To begin to engage in empathetic leadership, managers need to let their employees know that they are there for them. Employees should be encouraged to openly and regularly ask questions, take appropriate risks, and discuss obstacles with management. And sharing personal struggles should be encouraged as well. Empathy is a cornerstone of relationship building because it serves to improve communication and collaboration. A truly cohesive team has no fear around these types of behaviors.

Managers Have to Create a Sense of Belonging

The third thing managers should focus on at work is creating a sense of belonging. Employees today want to feel safe and wanted at work. And when they don’t, they look for jobs elsewhere. This is happening in almost every industry and is especially relevant to remote workers. However, managers can help reduce the effects of the ‘great resignation’ by working to help employees feel like they belong. In fact, BetterUp research shows that fostering belonging can lead to a 50% lower risk of turnover. Plus, employees who feel they belong take 75% fewer sick days, which means they’re more productive at work. To begin to build a sense of belonging managers must first embrace the idea of diversity and inclusion and make sure their teams reflect this. Then they need to make sure people feel welcome. This is especially important for new hires who won’t be familiar with the company culture, and remote workers who don’t have the same opportunities to get to know their teammates. Helping each team member understand their role and how it fits into the bigger picture and overall corporate vision/mission is another excellent way to help people feel like they belong. 

The Ripple Effect

In today’s workplace, managing effectively means working alongside the team to make sure they have what they need when they need it. The ability to listen well, show empathy and help employees feel like they belong can create a great team culture. And these behaviors will create a ripple effect. When a manager shows they care, employees feel freer to show that they care to their fellow workmates. When other teams see the camaraderie and productivity happening they will want to figure out how to bring those experiences to their team. The more managers listen, empathize and help others feel like they belong, the more successful they will be. 

The skills mentioned in this article are related to emotional intelligence. Unlike IQ, EQ can definitely be improved over time. To get started, reach out to us about our Agile EQ program.

The Culture (R)evolution Starts With You!

You may also like:

It Takes A Village

Building Resilience Amidst Uncertainty – Part 1

Diversity & Equality: Our Story

Your Personality at Work