Category: Employee Development
Coaching for Improvement
Nearly everyone enjoys providing positive feedback, and it is a power tool for continuous improvement. While providing not-so-positive feedback isn’t much fun, remember that when provided properly it is a valuable coaching resource. The purpose of feedback is to help the receiver, not to embarrass him or her or to make judgments. So be kind....
Read More →
Providing Effective Feedback
How many of the following effective feedback behaviors do you display on a regular basis? I carefully select the time and place to provide feedback. I respect those who provide me with negative feedback. I ask for clarification when communicating with others. I offer the person an opportunity to evaluate their own behavior. When offering...
Read More →
How Do You Boost Confidence in Others?
People will remember not what you say or do, but how you make them feel. I can’t remember when or where I first heard this, but I do remember how true this comment rang deep within me. And … I know how true it is for me today. The leaders who influenced me most, were those...
Read More →
Review and Reinforcement = Retention
Many of you reading this newsletter have Training and/or HR departments to rely on for the formal training of your team members. These professionals use a well-known training technique that is reduced to four words: tell, show, do, review. You first tell participants what you want them to know; you demonstrate or show the behavior...
Read More →
What Is Diversity
What words or phrases come to mind when you think of diversity? Typical responses include things like color, ethnicity, people with disabilities, gender, age, family status, religion or sexual orientation. But diversity goes way beyond the typical responses. It also includes things like appearance, communication style, music interests, mobility, job status, national origin, socio/economic status,...
Read More →
Top Five Reasons For You To Invest In Recognizing Team Members
# 5—It will increase the productivity of the person who receives the recognition. # 4—It will improve the quality of life—both personal and professional—for that person. # 3—Positive feedback can be contagious. Others will start looking for things done right. # 2—It will improve your own outlook and quality of life—both personal and professional. #...
Read More →
Don't Forget About Lessons Learned
Take responsibility for your own review of lessons learned. Try these ideas: Check out your bookshelf, Kindle or other resource every Monday morning. Pull one idea from a business or self-development book you’ve already read and IMPLEMENT that idea before Friday of that week. Or – review old seminar or workshop notes—especially action items you have...
Read More →
Learn From Mistakes
A mistake is when someone makes a bad decision resulting in a negative outcome. A “mistake” does not include a deliberate act of malice or insubordination. So when a well-intentioned employee makes a mistake consider the following coaching steps (LEARN acronym): Listen—allow the employee to tell the entire story and express his or her feelings....
Read More →
Seize Growth Opportunities
Most managers know and even believe the mantra, “We can learn a lot from our mistakes.” Just think about a major on-the-job mistake you have made and then consider the lessons you have taken from that mistake. Isn’t it easier to remember those lessons that were accompanied by heartaches and disappointments? Try to remember how...
Read More →
Employee Development - Whose Job Is It?
Many front-line managers and supervisors might consider employee development the job of HR, the training department, or outside training consultant. In reality, the responsibility for continuous learning—the kind that gives you a real ROI (return on investment) – rests squarely on the shoulders of that immediate supervisor. I’ve had clients ask me what kind of...
Read More →
Learning Reinforcement Ideas
After employees attend a workshop, seminar, conference, or any developmental opportunity, consider the following reinforcement ideas: Personally understand what’s been taught and reinforce the concepts. Require employees to establish at least one goal to include the action they will take and a date they will report back to you with their progress. Have employees create...
Read More →
Dos and Don’ts of Active Listening
Do… Face the speaker. Keep comfortable eye contact. Give the speaker your full attention. Be open to the speaker’s message. Display clues that you are listening without agreeing or disagreeing with the message (i.e., “I see”). Don’t… Interrupt. Judge. Think about what you are going to say next. Offer advice or solutions. Be defensive.
Avoid Criticism
Criticism is an easy behavior to display, especially when you are under pressure yourself and just trying to get a job done, and get it done right. But, before criticizing an employee, remember that it typically produces: Defensive behavior Hostility and/or anger Demotivating behavior Sabotaging behavior
Listen Up
One of the greatest challenges for any leader is to help an employee change a behavior. This behavior modification needs to be accomplished without harming the relationship with or self esteem of the employee. Active listening is a widely used technique when coaching someone through a behavior change. Active listening is the ability to tune...
Read More →
Tips For Increasing Team Effectiveness
Here are some tips for addressing the issue of getting people to work together even though they have different goals and agendas: Be sure you have the right people in the right jobs. If a position requires a great deal of collaboration, be sure the individuals in those positions possess collaboration skills. If necessary, provide...
Read More →
The Power of Affirmations
If you’ve ever played sports you know the power of affirmations. The power of a team chanting, “we’re #1” before, in fact, they are the top team. Or, the power of telling yourself you will win an event. And while the affirmation doesn’t always produce the ultimate goal, when repeated with absolute conviction, it greatly...
Read More →
Becoming a Mentor
Mentoring is widely used as a tool for continuous learning in the workplace. With our workforce growing older, mentoring skills are becoming the ticket to advancement, especially for many senior workers. Be prepared for this important role by improving your ability to do the following: Listen and be open to new ideas. Display good time management and...
Read More →
Peer-to-Peer Mentoring
Create a peer-to-peer mentoring relationship. It works like this: Team up with someone you respect and trust. Discuss strengths and weaknesses. Set and share with one improvement goal for the coming week. At the end of the week meet to discuss the progress each of you has made. Set new improvement goals for the coming week.
Five Keys To Dealing With Change
Accept that change is here to stay. Keep a positive attitude about change. Become one of the change agents by looking for opportunities to decrease costs and increase productivity. Work to increase communication efforts during times of change. When possible, let people know what’s coming. This will help to alleviate some of the stress. Set...
Read More →