As a provider of soft skills training, we hear people question the ROI of non-technical skills all the time. Now, this is absolutely an important aspect of business that has to be considered but our goal goes beyond just looking at ROI. Organizations need to understand the fact that helping people acquire the tools necessary to communicate more effectively with their coworkers and consumers equals less conflict and more productivity. We find the issue of ROI confusing because 92% of employers say soft skills are essential and that a large proportion of the workforce lacks them, especially entry level employees. And yet only 31% of companies are providing soft skills development to remedy this situation. Could it be that the term ‘soft skills’ is the problem? We think that it’s definitely part of it.

Originally coined in the 1970s by the U.S. Army, soft skills differentiated interpersonal skills from those needed to operate weapons or machinery. To separate the two types of skills was an understandable desire. However, just as a silkworm isn’t actually a worm and your funny bone isn’t actually a bone (or funny…), a soft skill isn’t actually soft. After all, most people equate ‘soft’ things with those that are delicate, squishy, velvety, etc. And sadly, many people equate the idea of ‘soft’ as demanding little work or effort as in the opposite of ‘hard.’ 

Now I don’t know about you, but at Brilliant People we think using interpersonal skills at work to develop better relationships with coworkers and customers can be A LOT of hard work! Consider the art of giving critical feedback to a colleague or direct report, or de-escalating an irate customer situation, or the fact that 69% of managers feel uncomfortable communicating with their own employees! So calling these skills ‘soft’ can seem like it devalues their worth. In fact, many have advocated for calling soft skills something that sounds stronger like ‘power skills’ and we aren’t opposed to this, but the fact of the matter is that ‘soft’ also refers to bringing ease or quiet, not being glaring, being smooth, not being violent, or marked by kindness. And our personal favorite definition: based on negotiation, conciliation, or flexibility rather than on force, threats, or intransigence. The point being, let’s not get hung up on what we call these skills, let’s just focus on acquiring them. And there should never be a question of whether to train for hard or soft skills. It should always be both. 

So, which soft skills are important to develop? When it comes to creating positive workplace culture there are several from this years top 10 list of the most in-demand soft skills:

• Communication
• Teamwork
• Leadership
• Interpersonal skills

And all of them are teachable if an employee is willing to learn. It just takes a little time and practice. 

One of our favorite tools is Catalyst by Everything DiSC. This is an online platform that houses the information from up to three DiSC assessments: Workplace, Agile EQ, and Management. The information contained in each allows the user to dig deep into their own personality type and its affect on their emotional intelligence and management style. It also provides tons of information on how better to communicate with differing personality types. Individuals can even do a comparison report between themselves and a colleague to prepare for a one-on-one meeting or just to understand how to get along better with them. And it’s available 24/7. It’s truly been a game changer for the managers and teams we’ve worked with.

For example, we recently worked with the leadership team of instructional technologists for a large school district. Each school in this district is assigned an IT person or two to ensure that the campus technology runs smoothly for both the students and the teachers. It’s a crucial position of the school staff and it requires not only mastery of the technology but also the ability to effectively navigate all the different personalities with which they work. It’s like having a team of 50-120 individuals depending on the size of the school. But this school year will be different. 

Now this team has the ability to use Catalyst to understand their own personality type and why they show up at work the way the do. They can also dig into why their teammates and coworkers show up the way they do. In addition, they can read up on the examples of strategies within Catalyst for working more constructively with each coworker. And because this team also took the Agile EQ assessment, they can begin to improve their own emotional intelligence through Cataylst’s suggested strategies as well as learn how to meet the EQ needs of their coworkers. Did I mention what a game changer this is?!

Conclusion

To sum up, the term soft skills might seem like a misnomer to many, but it’s probably here to stay. Because there is so much of the definition in the word ‘soft’ that does apply, let’s not spend time quibbling over semantics. Instead, let’s focus on helping people master these skills. After all, 85% of career success comes from having well-developed soft skills.  As an extra bonus Ai doesn’t have the ability to develop interpersonal skills, teamwork and leadership. Only humans can do that. Plus, according to joint research by Microsoft and Mckinsey, soft skill-intensive occupations will grow at 2.5 times the jobs in other fields (30-40% of future jobs will depend on social-emotional skills)! And because we humans should all be working toward some semblance of work-life balance, it’s important to realize that utilizing soft skills appropriately isn’t only beneficial at work. It’s crucial in every single setting in which two humans interact. Is anyone still questioning the ROI of soft skills? 

If you want to improve your team’s ability to communicate more effectively, what are you waiting for? Call us today! We provide training and access to the Everything DiSC Catalyst platform.

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Your Personality at Work

To lead well engage in self-care. Why? Because self-care is crucial for managers to maintain their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Since the pandemic, subsequent mental health crisis, and the Great Resignation, the management role has become even more stressful. Managers are being asked to do more with less. In addition, they must pay special attention to their direct reports’ mental health and well-being. But health issues and burnout aren’t just issues that affect direct reports. Managers themselves are at high risk. In fact, 53% of managers have reported feeling burnout, which is higher than that of employees in general. This means it’s imperative that managers create their own self-care plan in order to effectively navigate their role. To get started, we suggest focusing on strategies for each of the following broader contexts: mental, spiritual and emotional self-care. 

Mental Self-Care

Mental self-care involves understanding how your brain takes in and processes information and experiences. The idea here is to become more self-aware. This could be a total game changer for a manager’s career because in truth, only 10-15% of people are truly self-aware. The other 85% just believe they are more aware than they actually are. “Additionally, roughly 50-70% of people have a significant blind spot which can negatively impact their relationships and leadership skills,” according to recent research released by Gitnux. This blind spot is the reason it is so important for a manager to figure out how they show up in the world and the effect they have on the people who work with and for them. 

Self-awareness is usually the hardest part of mental self-care because it often includes the realization that there is work work to be done. One sure way to improve self-awareness is to take an Everything DiSC assessment to understand individual preferences, motivators, strengths and struggles. This information will also help a manager consider and confront any biases (unconcious or not) that exist. And let’s be honest. We all have them. The most productive and proactive thing to do then is to out them and work on them. The DiSC assessment offers examples of how each personality type can learn to interact better with the others and learn from them as well. 

To continue to improve mental self-care a manager can also practice positive self-talk. Of course, we can all fall prey at times to feeling like we could be doing better at our job. But the constant relentless inner critic is destructive and can keep a manager from seeing or seeking out new opportunities.This internal criticism can also negatively affect relationships with direct reports. On the other hand, positive self-talk is actually a predictor of success and can even decrease symptoms of depression. 

The third aspect of mental health that a manager can work on is to think positively. This is different than positive self-talk. It’s more about believing that good things will happen, that people are mostly good, that the sun will come up again tomorrow. However Pollyanna (or Annie!) -ish it may sound, it’s true. Research shows that when people think positively, they believe they CAN. 

• They can do a better job next time
• There will be a next time 
• They can make their numbers this quarter
• They do have great people working for them

In general, a positive attitude improves mood, makes it easier to get a long with others, and gives off vibes of self-confidence. All of which contributes to having good morale and higher productivity on a team. If a positive outlook does not come natural to you, start keeping a daily gratitude journal. In the beginning it may only contain things like Advil and the ability to shut your office door, but over time, more positive aspects of any given day will start to emerge. And this presence of gratitude will empower you to see the positive in life versus ruminating on the negative. If you’re not convinced, think about the person you know who never seems to have anything positive to say or do. And then consider how their life is going. 

Another simple strategy to increase positivity is to consider your own responses to the  people who work with or for you. When someone asks how you’re doing or what the future holds, is your response positive or negative? Are your typical responses sarcastic or snarky? Start to pay attention to the actual words you use and your tone of voice when you respond. You can even create scenarios in your head or think back over the last week or month to look at how you typically respond to others. Then rework those responses in your head so that they come out in a more positive manner. It will take a little practice, but over time, more positive responses will become the norm. And positivity just like negativity is contagious, so spread some cheer and watch how it positively affects team culture.

Spiritual Self-Care 

Spiritual self-care is all about how you feed your spirit. It’s taking the time to to think about who you are and want to be in the world. And then taking some steps to sustain or change your current behaviors. For people of faith in a higher power, this might involve being with others of the same faith on a regular basis in order to worship and pray. Or it might involve doing this alone on your own or with a journal. It might even include a trip to the nearest sweat lodge. 

For those who look to nature for their spiritual journey, self-care could involve making the time to regularly be outside. This could involve exercise, but it could also just be about enjoying the outdoors. Maybe your office building has a sitting area outside under the trees, or you live near a hike and bike trail whose beauty moves you. Starting the day on the porch or patio with a cup of tea and a self-help book, taking a daily walk with your dog, or just going out once a day to put your bare feet on some grass could be a part of a spiritual self-care routine.

Lastly, there is the idea of meditation. People who don’t meditate are rolling their eyes right now and saying, “I can’t meditate! It just doesn’t work for me.” But hear me out. Meditation doesn’t have to look like sitting on the ground cross-legged and chanting “ooooohm”. Meditation can be prayer, song, chanting, yoga, tai-chi, guided imagery, focused breathing, and or progressive muscle relaxation. There are so many options! What is important is finding the thing that resonates with you and then commit to doing it regularly. Doing so will reap huge benefits including higher energy levels, better memory and focus, and less anxiety, stress, and depression symptoms. 

Emotional Self-Care 

Emotional self-care includes understanding your moods and feelings and learning to regulate them. People who do this well are considered to have high emotional intelligence or EQ. And this is important for every manager to consider because 71% of employers value emotional intelligence over IQ, and 75% of employers are more likely to promote a worker with high emotional intelligence. So how do you improve your EQ? Several of the techniques that have already been recommended can actually do double duty. For example, practicing gratitude and improving your self-awareness are ways to improve your mental health, but they also can help you understand your emotions. 

Journaling and meditation have also been mentioned already but for emotional self-care you could specifically focus on understanding your moods and emotions. For example, consider why you react the way you do to certain issues or people and not others. You could also examine what really makes you angry and why, and then think about what it takes for your anger to dissove. Do you hold a grudge, ignore the person or the problem, or move on without looking backward? Contemplating the impetus for a mood or emotion can give you the insight you need to learn to respond in healthier, more productive ways (aka self-awareness).

Lastly, having a supportive group of friends that you spend quality time with is another suggestion for emotional self-care. People who know you well, care for you, and will tell you the truth are essential. We need friends who can laugh, cry and worry with us. We need friends who are good listeners, give good advice, and give grace when we need it most. These are the people who will help you navigate not only work but life in general. 

Looking to the Future

For many, the whole idea of self-care is new and may, on one end of the spectrum seem like fluff and on the other, like more work. But the reality is that stress is one of the leading job hazards. When left unmanaged, stress can have a major impact on mental 

and physical well-being as well as productivity as reported by over 70% of workers. So, no matter which methods of self-care you choose, choose to do something and remember that this is an ongoing practice. It’s not something you’ll do for a month and then be finished. The responsibilities and associated stresses of your job won’t go away just because you choose to spend time outside, with friends, in Bible study or meditating on a regular basis. These are just techniques to help you thrive at work instead of burning out.  

Of course, there is no perfect way to do self-care. It’s all subjective to individual tastes and needs, and it may take time to find the methods that work best. So, regularly assess your well-being and adjust your self-care routine accordingly. And don’t be shy about what’s happening. Sharing how you are doing and how you are going about your own self-care journey with direct reports and teammates is just another way of leading by being a good role model. 

To help your organization’s managers get started with their own self-care, order DiSC assessments today through Brilliant People today!

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Your Personality at Work

A high-performance team is more than a collection of smart, ambitious, excellent human beings who have been tasked with solving a problem together. Instead, it is a group of people who share goals and values, and whose skills complement each other. To meet their common goals, they develop incredibly effective means of communication and collaboration. And a crucial aspect of this dynamic is a deep level of trust and respect for each other. Of course, if was as simple as it definition sounds, there would be a lot more high-performance teams! So, how do you go about developing a team that outperforms all the others? At Brilliant People, we focus on the following five areas:  

1. Shared vision, purpose and goals  
2. Building trust  
3. Effectively communicating 
4. Managing conflict constructively 
5. Encouraging diversity 

Share Vision

 “The more clear you are about what you want the more likely you are to achieve it.” Billy Cox 

Let’s start with focusing on the same vision, purpose and goals. A high-performance team is one who can directly tie their work to the vision of the company. Seeing the purpose behind their job absolutely relates to how much a team member will engage at work. In fact, 70 percent of people say they define their purpose through work. To improve how a team functions, develop goals that correspond to the company’s vision and the individual’s purpose.  

Build Trust

“Trust is the highest form of human motivation.” Stephen Covey 

Second, to create a high-performance team, teammates must work to build trust with each other. This involves getting to know each other on a personal basis. Things like whether they have a family, their hobbies, likes, dislikes, workstyle, and what motivates and demotivates them are a great place to start. But to really get to know someone, it helps to understand their background. Things like why they chose their profession and their current job, whether they grew up in an urban or rural area, if they have siblings, and where the fall in the line-up can all offer insight into why people show up at work the way they do. And the trust that can develop from getting to know someone well has been shown to improve psychological safety, encourages innovation, and enhances moral. 

Communicate Often & Effectively

“In teamwork, silence isn’t golden. It’s deadly.” Mark Sanborn  

The third way to encourage high-performance teams is to improve communication which means doing it frequently and effectively. Frequently involves making sure that all team members understand what is expected of them on a daily, quarterly, annual and project basis. Finding a channel where communication can flow freely, and everyone has access to it, is an important aspect of creating clear communication. And so is keeping it concise and to the point.  

Communicating often is important, but so is being able to communicate effectively. Many people think they are good communicators, but research shows that nearly 75 percent of communications that are received are interpreted incorrectly. So, taking the time to listen more than you speak is a first good step. But as important is the idea of meeting people where they are. Get to know their personality type so that you can engage in the way that comes naturally to them. You’ll get to know your teammates better through this process and continue to layer onto the trust you started to build with #2. 

Constructive Conflict

“To rumble is a discussion, conversation or meeting defined by a commitment to lean into vulnerability. It’s to stay curious and generous. You stick with the “messy middle” of problem identification and solving. The goal is to serve the work and each other, not our egos.” Brene Brown 

The fourth aspect of a high-performance team is to manage conflict constructively. This doesn’t mean that conflict won’t exist. Instead, it means that when conflict arises, teammates will work through it constructively. Successful teams create team norms around conflict so that everyone knows what’s expected when it does arise. For example, it can be very helpful to determine ahead of time things like whether it’s ok to yell or curse. Or whether it’s ok to discuss the conflict through email, or with others.  

And it’s just as important to set the expectation that it’s ok to have differing opinions and ways of doing things if everyone is respectful to each other. The idea is to encourage the team to consider conflict as a means to truth and innovation. Brene Brown, calls it “rumbling”. If you’d like to use her rumble language with your team, you can follow this link.  

Value Diversity

“Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference.” Jane Goodall 

Lastly, a high-performance team is diverse and values their diversity. Different backgrounds, personalities, and experiences on one team allow team members the opportunity to fill each other’s gaps in varied and often unexpected ways.  Of course, people differences often trigger people problems, so the team must be willing to stay open-minded and try to find some common ground. This will involve all of the other steps discussed here. And in doing so will foster empathy and understanding. Both of which contribute to good working relationships and teams that succeed.   

Conclusion

“None of us is as smart as all of us.” Ken Blanchard 

Teams are a dime a dozen, but high-performance teams are something special. The excellent results they produce don’t come easily or by mistake. It takes time and effort to get to know each teammate well enough to see their value and know how to work with them in spite of any differences. This involves sharing a vision, purpose and goals and building trust on the team. But it also includes learning to communicate effectively and often so that miscommunication is lessened. And when it does occur, it involves following the pre-set norms around how to handle the conflict constructively. Finally, it involves seeing people for who they are and valuing them because of it. Working on these five areas, will push your team forward on its path to becoming a high-performance team. 

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Of all the ‘do-ers’ in history, Benjamin Franklin stands out as extraordinary.  He was one of the founding fathers of this country, a diplomat, and an inventor. He created the postal service, and he invented swimming fins, the odometer, and bifocal glasses. However, the accomplishment I find most compelling was his ability to objectively see his weaknesses and then methodically work to improve in those areas. Franklin realized that to change behavior, you must practice changing the behavior. And if you manage people, you can learn a lot from his example.  

Franklin grew up in a Puritan society with a heavy emphasis on morality, but he loved to get a rise out of people. He was often argumentative and played Devil’s advocate much of the time. But in 1726, at the age of 20, he realized that his behavior was creating as many enemies as it was friends. So, he devised a plan to improve himself. He understood there were areas in his life where he often ended up going down what he called an unvirtuous path and he wanted to change that. He decided to work on a list of virtues that he felt would counteract his negative behaviors.  

Franklin decided to focus on one virtue per week and then repeat the cycle every 13 weeks. To keep track of his progress, he kept a checklist labeled with the days of the week and the virtues he was working to develop. It looks like he might even be responsible for designing the first habit tracker! The following are four examples from Franklin’s list of virtues that still resonate in today’s workplaces. 

1. Silence: Don’t talk just to fill the silence; give the floor to those who have something meaningful to say  

2. Sincerity: Don’t gossip or speak badly of others; assume positive intent, and if you’re going to speak, speak the truth 

3. Justice: Live your life by not doing harm to others; realize that your actions may harm someone else 

4. Humility: Keep your pride in check; humble people are easier to trust and communicate with   

Although the idea of moral perfection may sound dated and possibly irrelevant, improving oneself in order to manage better is crucial to a manager’s success. Especially when 50% of employees leave their companies because of their boss. To make sure you don’t add to the statistics, take some time to do a little self-reflection. Take the time to evaluate your ability to listen, be sincere, stand up for what’s right, and show humility. Being a role model for these virtues will allow you to meet your direct reports where they are and help them grow. In this post-pandemic world, it is no longer enough for a manager to plan, organize, direct, and control resources in order to achieve organizational goals.  

Quote: Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement,   

achievement, and success have no meaning.   

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 

As a manager, your responsibility is to model these behaviors so that others will follow suit. It’s all about being a ‘doer’; setting the example of doing versus just thinking about it. To become a doer, follow these five simple steps.  

Step 1: Ask for feedback  

Ask for honest feedback from those you know have your back and want to see you succeed. Their critique will help you see your actions through a different lens. Feedback can be hard, but when given with love and kindness, it’s exactly what we need to help us get to that next level. And it’s a good reminder to show the same respect to those you have to give feedback to.  

Step 2: Pick your area of growth 

We all have room for growth.  It’s just a matter of homing in on a particular area and staying consistently focused. Maybe you want to get to know your teammates better or connect with your own manager more authentically. Whatever it is, you have to name it to claim it, so don’t skip this step.  

Step 3: Create a plan of action  

Identify one behavior that needs improvement. Don’t set yourself up to fail by choosing 20 new things to work on. Instead, focus on one behavior until it becomes a habit. Every manager will have different areas they need to work on. And kudos to anyone who takes this step because it’s never easy to admit that we have areas where we need to improve.  

Step 4: Start Practicing 

Consistency is key so use a habit tracker to track your progress. Creating a habit can take 1-2 months. The timing varies depending on the behavior, the person, and the circumstances. Just remember that getting started is the hardest part. And missing a day here or there isn’t going to make or break the process. It’s not an all-or-nothing endeavor. 

Step 5: Rinse and repeat 

This is where the rubber meets the road because once you’ve collected some feedback from your trusted circle of peeps, established your area of growth, created an action plan, and begun implementing the plan, the only thing left to do is to do it again and again and again until it becomes second nature. When a behavior becomes habit, pick a new area of growth to focus on. 

Conclusion 

To be an effective manager requires self-reflection. And this soft skill causes many to just skip over it and move on to the more tangible aspects of managing. Doing that is a major mistake.  Today’s post-pandemic employees are demanding managers that are role models.  And really, the only way to encourage behavior change in others is to model it yourself. In plain English, this means it starts with you. You must walk the talk and show them the way. No human is perfect, but we can certainly look to Ben Franklin as a great example of at least one who wanted to right his wrongs and show up in the world a better person for himself and those around him. With that in mind, following his example of choosing behaviors to improve upon and then practicing them until they become ingrained in your character may be a great place to start. Becoming a better human will make you a better manager and could be your most important legacy. 

Moral perfection is probably impossible but changing behavior is not. At Brilliant People we offer management training that focuses on improving behaviors around communication, motivation and productive conflict. Call us today for a quick chat to see how we might help! 

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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

People are leaving their jobs in droves. And, interestingly enough, the pandemic didn’t start this trend. The numbers have steadily been rising over the last ten years but ramped up because of the pandemic chaos and uncertainty. The reasons are many including quiet quitting, work to rule, quiet firing, mental health issues and lack of work/life balance, but in particular, there are a large number leaving because they feel like they don’t belong. And a manager’s quest should be to fix this problem.   

The reality is that we humans are hard-wired for connection. It’s why we stop in the hall to chat and go to lunch or happy hour with colleagues. Even those of us who are naturally introverted may on some level still have a need to feel the pulse, so to speak, of other humans in close proximity – even if we don’t want to actively engage. This interaction, however small comes from an innate desire for community.  

To be a part of a community is to feel connected and we all deserve to have this basic human, even primal need met. And recent research backs this theory up, specifically in the workplace. “If workers feel like they belong, companies reap substantial bottom-line benefits. According to “The Value of Belonging at Work” Harvard Business Review, high belonging has been linked to a whopping 56% increase in job performance, a 50% drop in turnover risk, and a 75% reduction in sick days. For a 10,000-person company, this would result in annual savings of more than $52M.” With jaw-dropping stats like that, every manager on the planet should be scrambling to improve belonging in their teams and overall organization. 

How to increase a sense of belonging at work  

As leaders, managers have a responsibility for making sure their people feel like they belong. And because company culture is a living, breathing eco-system, every time a new person is added to the bunch, that eco-system shifts. So what can managers do to help encourage belonging?   

For starters, they can start walking the walk, and not just talking the talk. There are a lot of companies who have begun integrating language around inclusion on all levels, but somehow, they stop shy of hitting the mark. How is it possible that an annual investment of $19 billion dollars is still coming up short?  

It may be because managers aren’t doing enough in regard to personal reflection and self-awareness. These can both be strengthened through a focus on something medical anthropologist Geri-Ann Galanti has coined cultural competence. According to Galant, this foundational attribute creates a culture shift where managers and leaders have the necessary awareness and the ability to care for others through an appreciation of the differences in people and cultures and the unique opportunities and challenges for both. 

To begin improving the cultural competence on a team, managers can implement strategies for creating a sustainable solution that will encourage and uphold a sense of belonging for all involved. Here are a few suggestions to help implement this idea today. 

• Two way, open communication – both horizontally and vertically. 

• Give some power to the people: empower team members by giving them a voice. When they’re allowed to weigh in on decisions, they’ll be more apt to buy in because it shows how much you value what they do and say. 
• Dig deep and focus on internal work – take time for regular self-reflection to assess current internal beliefs. There may be room for some growth that’s being overlooked.  
• Use inclusive language with direct reports to encourage mental and emotional well-being. And, check back often to make sure what you’re doing is resonating.  
• Prioritize connection – take initiative for building a sense of belonging on the team. Lead the charge and set the example. 

These are excellent examples of how a manager can help their people feel a sense of belonging, but is there really a “one size fits all” solution for all?  

A “one size fits all” solution will never check all the boxes 

Ever heard that saying “different strokes for different folks? Every single person has different emotional needs and these needs are crucial to our success so it’s key for managers to understand this really important aspect of leading a team. Whether you’re team and/or company is in need of an “evolution” or “revolution in regard to your culture of belonging, we believe the culture (r)evolution starts with YOU. Each and every manager (of one or many) has a responsibility to help their teams improve in whatever way is needed.  And when managers take that responsibility seriously, it shows. Team members appreciates each other for what they bring to the group (their different ideas, perspective, thought process, etc). There is an authentic drive for meaningful relationships. And, there is an appreciation for the diversity of personality in the people they work with on their own teams or even cross functionally. 

These points get down to the essence of what it truly means to establish a sense of belonging in the workplace for everyone, but no single solution is ever going to work for all people at all times. We all show up in the world differently. And, we all see the world through a different lens. Therefore, we may each approach the solution to this problem from a different angle, which is not a bad thing at all. Sometimes it’s that diversity of thought as much as a diversity of personality that matters to a team’s success. According to McKinsey & Co, “Workers are hungry for trust, social cohesion, and purpose. They want to feel that their contributions are recognized and that their team is truly collaborative.” 

And, the lack of a sense of belonging is one of the top three most important reasons employees give for leaving their job, so this is something managers cannot afford to get wrong. Employee belonging is positioned front and center in the struggle to attract and retain top talent. 

Kim Scott, author of Radical Candor once said, “We can’t fix problems that we refuse to notice.”  If the manager’s quest is to create a sense of belonging for all, each will have to be willing to truly see the problems that exist and should be addressed. It’s no longer ok to be blissfully ignorant of the reality that some people on our teams are actually living. Managers and their organizations have to be willing to ask themselves the right questions. Here’s a short list of things to consider: 

• What are we doing to consciously create opportunities for people to feel like they belong? 
• What does it look like to “belong” in this organization? 
• How are we helping employees feel like valued members of the team/org? 

• Are all voices heard here, and if not, who is? Who isn’t and why? 
• Are certain types of individuals lifted up in this org while others are not? 
• What are they? 
• What happens to those that don’t fit that model? 

Let these questions be a launching pad for creating connection and community in your team and overall organization. Lead the charge and set the pace. After all, the Culture (R)evolution really does start with you. 

If you’re looking for ways to support your team(s) call us. We’d love to help you create a culture of belonging that grows as your company grows.

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