Wednesday, October 28, 2015

5 Phrases Great Leaders Use Every Day



We’re taught from a young age that actions speak louder than words—and to an extent, that might be true. Yet for leaders, words matter. They are among your greatest tools. A well-timed and well-chosen word can inspire your employees to achieve greatness; the wrong word can cause morale to plummet, or even bring your very leadership into question.

Your words will impact your employees—and your employees will absolutely remember the things you say.

So… what are you saying? What do your words reveal about your leadership style? And what are some phrases you should be adding to your everyday vocabulary?

Add These Phrases to Your Workplace Speech

As leaders, we all think and communicate a bit differently, but I can tell you that there are certain phrases that I always love to hear coming out of the mouths of business owners, managers, and bosses. These phrases, to me, epitomize leadership, and I think you’ll find them to be hugely impactful to your day-to-day engagement with your team.

Try them out and see what a difference they make:

What do you think about this? The exact wording may be a little different; for example, what’s your take on this?  However, it’s important that you adopt the language of collaboration, and make it clear to your employees that you really value what they think. Actively court other opinions and perspectives, and give your team members ownership of team decisions.

What do you need? Empower your team members to do the work you’ve given them. Make it clear that your role is to support them, and help them feel comfortable asking for the resources they need to thrive.

I trust you. It is amazing how powerful this phrase can be in building confidence among your team members. Let them know that you hired them because you believe in their ability to do good work, and that you feel no need to micromanage or to babysit them.

Great work/we can do better. Part of being a leader means encouraging your employees and affirming their hard work—but it’s also your job to push your team to do better and to achieve at a higher level. It’s a balancing act, but one worth investing in.

Thank you. Short and sweet: Let your employees know that their work is acknowledged and appreciated.

These aren’t magical phrases that will transform your business overnight, of course—but they will help you establish a productive, collaborative company culture where your leadership is truly inspiring.

Dr. Rick Goodman CSP is a thought leader in the world of leadership and is known as one of the most sought after team building experts in the United States and internationally.

He is famous for helping organizations, corporations, and individuals with systems and strategies that produce increased profits and productivity without having the challenges of micromanaging the process. Some of Dr. Rick’s clients include AT&T, Boeing, Cavium Networks, Heineken, IBM, and Hewlett Packard.

For more information on Rick’s speaking programs, audio programs, and learning programs, contact (888) 267-6098 or Rick@rickgoodman.com, or visit www.rickgoodman.com.

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

What Will Be Your Leadership Epitaph?



Will you join me in imagining a quick scenario? Imagine that you’re my boss, and I’m your employee. I put in several years of work for you—five, ten, maybe even fifteen. Then I move on to something else—but then, 20 years down the road, our paths cross once more.

Maybe I’m with my wife when it happens. We’re exiting a restaurant, and I spot you waiting outside for a table, or just sitting down to enjoy your meal. I gesture to my wife. “Do you see that person over there?” I ask her. “That used to be my boss.”

“Oh really?” my wife might ask. “Was this person a good boss, or a bad boss?”

Now here’s my question for you: What am I going to say to my wife in response to this question?

Or, to cast it less hypothetically… what will your current employees be saying about you years, potentially decades down the line?

Will they remember you at all?

And if they pass you on the street, will their immediate recollections of you be fond, admiring ones—or will they be negative?

This is the concept I like to call the leadership epitaph, and it’s really pretty simple. What it boils down to is the need for leaders to think about how they’ll be remembered, and what that might mean for the way they lead their team right now.

There are a couple of different dimensions to the leadership epitaph. There is the broader sense of what your tenure as leader will ultimately mean to the company. Will you be remembered as the executive who created new jobs, expanded profits, and helped the company soar to new heights? Or will you be remembered as the person who was in charge during a period of major layoffs and losses?

But frankly, I think most employees will remember you less for the big picture stuff and more for the day to day. Do you lead by inspiring your employees—or yelling at them? Are you open to their feedback? Do you make them feel valued? Do you allow them to have their voices heard?

Do you empower your employees to be productive and happy in their work life?

These are the things your employees will remember. These are the things that will one day comprise your leadership epitaph.

So let me ask you one more thing: Are you concerned about what your employees will say about you when they pass you on the street, years from now? It’s only natural to wonder, but you can do more than that. You can think honestly and critically about your leadership style right now, and make the changes necessary to create a positive leadership epitaph.

Dr. Rick Goodman CSP is a thought leader in the world of leadership and is known as one of the most sought after team building experts in the United States and internationally.

He is famous for helping organizations, corporations, and individuals with systems and strategies that produce increased profits and productivity without having the challenges of micro managing the process. Some of Dr. Rick’s clients include AT&T, Boeing, Cavium Networks, Heineken, IBM, and Hewlett Packard.

For more information on Rick’s speaking programs, audio programs, and learning programs, contact (888) 267-6098 or Rick@rickgoodman.com, or visit www.rickgoodman.com.

Wednesday, October 07, 2015

Dr Rick Goodman Keynote Speaker Success Scope The Power of Gratitude

The 4 Biggest Hurdles to Effective Employee Retention



Employers and HR representatives pour countless hours into each employee—grooming them, training them, investing in them, making them into integral members of the team. But sometimes, just when you turn a good employee into a superstar, that employee jumps ship, heading to a different company and leaving you back at square one.

If that’s not the most frustrating part of team leadership, it’s got to be high on the list. Of course, you probably do what you can to enhance employee retention—but sometimes that’s easier said than done, and the hurdles to proper retention are numerous.

It Starts with Hiring

The first big hurdle to employee retention is bringing on the wrong employees in the first place. Teambuilding starts with the hiring process—and if you’re recruiting employees who are a bad fit, don’t be surprised when they don’t stick around for the long haul.

Are you experiencing a lot of employee turnover? That may mean you need to go back and reflect on your hiring standards. Make sure you have clearly defined job descriptions and a clearly articulated company culture, and that you hire with both of these in mind.

Employees Want Training

Another hurdle to retention: Employees who get hired but then quickly realize that they have no clear way to advance in the company—and no clear future with your organization.

Employees want to know you’re investing in their career development; showing them that, though, can seem tricky. What’s an employer to do?

Two things, actually. One, check in with employees regularly to talk about their career goals, and to be open with them about possible avenues for advancing in the company. And two, make sure to invest in team training—a great way to show employees you care about their development.

Communication is Everything

Another hurdle to retention is lack of proper communication. Employees like to know that they have an open dialogue with the boss, or at the very least with the HR manager. It’s important that you keep those channels of dialogue open.

Having an open door policy is helpful, but one formal step you can take is to implement an annual review process and really take it seriously—a great way of showing employees that you have an ongoing interest in them.

What About Benefits?

Often, the biggest hurdle to retention is just money. You want to provide your employees with enticing benefits and competitive salaries, but sometimes the budget just doesn’t allow for it.

That’s when you have to get creative with some cost-effective employee benefits—like flexible scheduling, work-from-home options, professional development events, and more. I’ve blogged about this stuff before!

It’s not easy, boosting employee retention—but when you get a good team in place, it’s very much worth the effort.

Dr. Rick Goodman CSP is a thought leader in the world of leadership and is known as one of the most sought after team building experts in the United States and internationally.

He is famous for helping organizations, corporations, and individuals with systems and strategies that produce increased profits and productivity without having the challenges of micro managing the process. Some of Dr. Rick’s clients include AT&T, Boeing, Cavium Networks, Heineken, IBM, and Hewlett Packard.

For more information on Rick’s speaking programs, audio programs, and learning programs, contact (888) 267-6098 or Rick@rickgoodman.com, or visit www.rickgoodman.com.