Innovative Team

Life is Like a Bowl of Jello

When Do you Say Enough is Enough?

Appreciate Your Freedom in the Business World

Workplace & Laughter Guffaws

Let go of the wheel

Marching to your own tune

Success, Sustainability, Streamlining, Strategy

When Your Boss Throws You Lemons

Who is recognized as a Bad Boss?

Appreciation and Success

Feeling Good At Work-Collaboration!

Creation, communication, flexibility, and collaboration are today's answer to leadership skills. Mind sets are different than they were years ago. To amplify the performance of employees, organizations need to work as a team. Micro-management and being top heavy in middle management only fuels disgruntled employees who feel as though their voices are not heard.

Organizations buy and sell when it is convenient and the price is right. A bottom line issue is well-being for the employees through empowerment and innovation. Unfortunately, there is no creation of an environment, no voice by the employees and no culture because the greenback drives the organization.

When organizations do not communicate why changes are being made and only superficially collaborate with the employees, there is bound to be many questions left unanswered. Leaders are coaches not judges. They work to improve the systems and they create trust. The focus of good leaders is to understand the purpose, know the vision and value the employees.

Driving ahead when there is no defined plan only communicates how little knowledge leaders of this vintage have today. If going to work is about receiving a big paycheck, it's a jackpot not worth getting. When you are proud of your work and it has purpose and value you are bound to feel good.

Firing people without warning especially when they have accomplished great things is the worst kind of management. Finding some loose reason for firing a dedicated employee is a form of abuse. When there are ridiculous buyouts or an increase in salary just to keep those who have never proven their skills, leaders have weakened their team.

As a leader you need to foster a culture of learning and that's what keeps employees in an atmosphere of moving forward. When there is clarity and confidence and direction employees march on to their own tune keeping in mind the reason they are participating in their organization. They are empowered and motivated.

There many different ways to lead. How Kevin Durant acts everyday, is through his work ethic, his humility, his charity and he is always respectful of his colleagues.

His goal is achievement and he sees the global picture. Ponder his leadership skills and decide how you want to lead.

Real change occurs when you truly believe in yourself and know that people are following you because you rethink the way you keep score. Changes are explained and everybody is on the same page. Leaders who want to make the world a better place do not chase the profit margin. What impact are you making?

Most complaints from employees are about not knowing what the present practices are and what part they play in the decision making. Employees understand the work that needs to be done to keep the company afloat because they create the atmosphere daily. Leaders and supervisors need to listen and incorporate the employees input. Do you work for a company that strives to weigh heavily on the profit margin and less on the value of the employee?

Is an emotional presence necessary?

In this era of generation-x and retirees is there some continuity and similarities? Many in the baby boomer generation are not retiring and the younger generation are coming into the workforce. There are years between them yet the wisdom and independence of both can be a very healthy mix.

Both generations need to listen to each other. There is no need for competition but emotional presence can go a long way towards reaching a goal. Each individual has something to give and by working on the same page for the same purpose the mission can be accomplished.

Too often there is a resentment that forms because the older generation believes the younger generation has a bone to pick and they are the target. On the other hand the younger generation believes the older generation is in need of new ideas and they think they know.

Instead of attacking one another there is something called being present for the sake of the company goals not for individual paths. Open doors do not close them.

To do that issue both generations need to concentrate on human services not humans doing. That does require a serious look at what needs to be achieved together. The heart of the matter is not about rules and regulations but about emotional regulation and balance.

We choose to support companies that are powerful but we are not being active with a voice and changing the way these companies value people. When did we fall off the garden path that recognizes integrity not profits?

Do we accept the vision of the company and do we march to their tune forfeiting our soul? If you are working for a company that reduces you to ashes, why are you there? All generations respond to greenbacks but does that fit with your needs?

Human Services Companies are a business but they are about people and reaching out to those in need. If you work for this type of company you need to be empathetic, emotionally present, and caregiving.

Both generations merge into one when people in need are involved. Doing battle about who knows more is ludicrous and stands to divide not conquer. This is a good time to self-reflect and put your values where they belong.

When leaders use their power and prestige to manage!

Do you allow the environment to create growth or do you create a toxic atmosphere where employees are afraid to voice their opinion? If leaders are stable and sound the rules make sense to the employees and inevitably they will perform to the best of their ability.

As leaders, check your mental demons to determine if your own makeup gets in the way of your interactions making the systems and structure pathological. When these leaders with demons reach the position of power they create a dysfunctional organization. The results are miserable employees who are looking for a way to exit.

The positive piece is that good leaders recognize their problems and have the strength and integrity to fix the issues. If, on the other hand leaders have grandiose fantasies about themselves and lead by micro managing the actual guarantee is failure to succeed.

Leaders who yield to the wake-up call of their reality and do not listen to a safe and sound way to create a stable structure often go the route of dead end. These leaders often have poor insight which interferes with the manner in which they are perceived by others.

When leaders blame others for their mistakes and never see the forest for the trees, denial and evasion raises it's ugly head. This is a sign of low self-esteem and can often be remedied by directness and recognizing the leader's strengths.

Leaders who are emotionally absent often put a negative spin on the organization's culture and therefore they discourage innovation and definitely cannot be creative.

The workforce hungers for a leader who is emotionally present and less like a robot.

When leaders do relate to others as a human being not a human doing the change is remarkable. They can then inspire their workforce and make them more exited to come to work knowing they are noticed for their value.

Every so often leaders need to self-reflect and improve their relationships both professional and personal. Like a spider web they can keep growing but there will come a day when the web will be destroyed if the organization's leaders do not stop and listen to their rational selves.

Going into too many directions without a plan or some guideline is surely an instant crash. Having poor communication and leaders who are hard to read is a sure sign of getting the least from the workforce. Leaders who scramble for control and prestige with limited input from a team or the workforce will, over a few months, increase awareness of their lackluster behavior.

When a large organization hires too many middle managers there will be conflict. Leaders often see this as progress and growth with little consideration for the bottom line financially and meeting future goals. Sustainability, balance and stability are the key words for all organizations.

The party is over!

Watching the news reports reminds me of how entangled companies are when they are caught in their own games. After years or months gliding along leaving decision making to a team who has not thought of the consequences or has little forethought about how it affects the community the party is now over.

How do companies recoup from their errors in judgment?

What looks like straight talk is nothing more than fluff and the employees believe it.

Employees must look at the big picture and not be lulled into all the small talk about growth and the bottom line. There comes a time when the blanket is uncovered and employees are finally told the truth.

Fear mongering and stress plays a big role in the dictator like managing of those who have been chosen to lead. Big talk about taking care of those who dare to cross paths is just more aggressive behavior.

For those employees who believe in miracles I can tell you the magician is no longer practicing his/her tricks. Once found to be no longer center stage the magic collapses.

Confidence building does not trump people and their needs. Self-serving is not serving others. Ask yourself if your paycheck is more important than your honest integrity. There are other jobs and now is the time to find another niche. Otherwise when the party is over nobody will look out for your best interest.

In this world of business there is a lot of competition and you cannot blame the baby boomers because they are retiring for the most part. Therefore when you add up your talents and revise your resume, you could be on the road to a new job. All this takes time and when you put your energy while thinking out of the box great things can happen for you. Your party is just beginning.

Positions are available in 2014

During the last week I have heard of three individuals who were either promoted or climbed up the ladder to new and better positions. When you stay the course and indulge seriously into finding a job there is one waiting for you.

There are those individuals who remain in positions they absolutely abhor but because of what they believe are extenuating circumstances they remain in dead end jobs.

Shine up your resume and get out there and try. Market yourself and use your contacts. This doesn't take a long time but give yourself a few weeks and then a few months to prepare to take that leap of faith in yourself.

List your strengths and rely on them to carry you to the next position. Recently I had an energy check by a seasoned practitioner and found out that my own fear was preventing me from moving forward in my recovery from a stroke three years ago. Changing our own mindset is the answer . Are we willing to take the time to move into uncharted territory ?

Let me explain about professional relationships and how they can assist you in your change. Over time you have hopefully built a ménage of contacts and nursed them regularly. That is the glue that always adheres to your future.

When it comes time to move into another position you tap your resources.

If you were snowbound wouldn't you attempt to find that someone that would get you the help you needed to lift you out. The same is true for another position.

A professional I know has worked at two jobs since her resignation and will eventually move into a managerial position. She is determined to find her niche and works at letting people know she has the tools to succeed.

Staying in a position that exacerbates your downhill slide to loss of integrity and values is definitely not in service of yourself. Not only does it waste your valuable time but it makes you more fearful. When you are spinning those wheels you could lose confidence in yourself.

Always know that your experience and knowledge is what you alone can give to a company that does business legitimately and cares about employees.

As one of my closest friends says, "March On" and what I say is always look for the alternate plan.

Hiring wisely!

No matter how relevant your company is the people hire are your future successes. Hiring means managers should interview with the following in mind: 1) someone who can deliver great services. 2) Someone who can help the organization to grow. Bringing back old hands is like giving a person an old present. Those who have worked for the organization and were let go because of poor people skills or they cannot handle frustrations or challenges do not change their ability to adapt. Past behaviors are an indicator of future behaviors.

How do you assess the new hires attitude, emotional strength, values, motives? At the interview are the new hires motivated to serve others or are they self-serving? Self-serving individuals ask what others can do for them. Ask yourself if you would like to spend time with this person outside of the workplace. Finding people with the right attitude may be time consuming but it is worth hiring the right person for the job. Flying by the seat of your pants and just hiring because of time or the job needs to be filled is futile and unproductive.

Ask yourself if you are building a team or are you expecting great results under your leadership? No matter how clever you are your business is in the hands of your team and its success is about the people you employ.

Do you hire new employees because of their resumes or their value to your organization?

Managers who hire to raise their self-esteem tend to hide their own lack of leadership and vision.

Managers who hire because the company offers good benefits and a competitive salary should be looked upon skeptically.

Managers who lead by dictatorship principles often find themselves unable to prove their success in the long run.

The final script is simple. You either build a team with service in mind and an honest vision with an organizational plan which has been tried and has succeeded. Are you influenced by others whose interest is the bottom line and not caring for people just growth? How does your garden grow?

Making a difference at the end of the day

Recently I read a book entitled "How to Make a Giraffe Smile" by Bill Gravitt. It talks about when you stop learning you also stop growing. Reaching new heights and new challenges assists us to pursue uncharted territory.

In Gravitt's book, "giraffeisms" become the analogies used to remind us of the giraffe-like characteristics that can apply to success and productivity in human beings. According to Gravitt, giraffes have a tendency to "glide toward their destinations” and "do not waste any energy".

We often refer to our values as what we believe in and how we build confidence in our daily lives. When companies know what they stand for and what they believe in, there is no room for disrespect or consequences. How do you rank your company? What is the value most important to you and your team? Are you all moving in the same direction?

Leaders are committed to operating with the knowledge that everybody brings something to the table. Each is a contributor to the success of an organization. This is true whether the organization is small or large. This means that keeping the lines of communication open is the key to maintaining and sustaining a successful operation. An organization that is reinventing itself and making inappropriate decisions without admitting to them is apt to disassemble the organization. There are always" kinks " in the wheel of progress and without any monitoring there is no balance. It may seem like growth but the motor is not running smoothly. Those who are doing the work soon uncover that the decisions are not in sync with the upward development of the organization. Too many changes without understanding the problems is not using wisdom or skills.

Running with the giraffe is more than gliding into home, it means that when you encounter obstacles you do not run into the bumps in the road. With an even gait, confidence and determination you move forward. Good leaders are not micro managers and do not demand but create. With their team and workers they build a better way to raise the bar. Together employees make a difference. Do you make a difference?

Creativity and Innovation: Intuition

This morning I was ready to read a great mystery but I was attracted to a book entitled "Trust Your Gut" by Lynn A. Robinson. Ideas kept running through my mind like fireworks. Intuition is said to be the "buzzword" of the season. Large corporations and many CEO"s use it and it’s like coffee simmering on the back burner. Good decision making needs logic and research but intuition is the innovator that creates the success and grows the business.

That " gut feeling" is not to be dismissed as it is gift we all have and it is a resource that is less costly. it can be the change for the future of winning decision making. As an idea generator ask yourself the most important questions that are challenging you. Choose a topic like employee’s needs. The questions you might ask are "How do I retain good employees”? "How do I include employees in the decision making in service of the company”? Once you have compiled your questions check the ones that are most compelling. Now come up with a good solution.

Solutions are the paths to resolving the outcome you desire. Dismiss your inner critic and put your intuition to work. While your inner critic wants to tell you your ideas are dumb or worthless your intuition trumps that thinking and optimism becomes the winning card. Einstein once said, "If an idea is not at first absurd, there is no hope for it". Innovation is important for some compelling reasons, the environment for your services have changed, your consumers needs have changed, and your competitors have improved their services and are diversifying.

Business is like a melting pot and you must stay current. Are you creating or mixing the ingredients into a stew of problems? Your own innovator produces a multitude of information. Tap into your curiosity, focus on your best and worst decisions, be competitive, and immerse yourself into your needs. What steps can you take today?

What's more powerful than an innovative team!

Innovation means introducing a big idea with a team that sees it through. What is an ongoing idea if it disappears? Unfortunately there is no follow through with many companies. Then what makes the big idea a reality, help from those who create the ideas, the consumer, the team, and others who are responsible.

Ideas do not become a reality with one manager reacting to only one creation. The managers who believe their ideas are the ones that will drive the truck without planning the route is merely running the wheels without the body or infrastructure.

In order to have a company in a perpetual state of growth there should be checks and balances.

For a few months employees accept change but the bottom line is not always financial. If managers spew progress but do not communicate it to the employees, and react by introducing more ideas that have not been planned the bottom soon falls out.

Accountability matters and when employees resign because of a total restructuring without thought to the big picture, there is a huge problem. Granted companies do change but is the new management cognizant of what works? Have the new management team taken into consideration that one needs to think before they leap?

When companies create an environment that is natural and communication is relevant, this does move companies forward. Acting fast is not necessarily the best way to grow a company. Research, funding and time does achieve gains but making decisions at the whim of those in charge eventually cripples a company.

There are many companies offering the same service but is this considered competition or are they marketing their strengths? Unfortunately there are companies who operate in relative isolation, but companies well recognized for their innovation like IBM march to the tune of their environment. Innovation does require people, resources and funding in order to be successful.

Ask yourself if you are working for a company that considers the team or does the company walk down the road full of potholes? Are decisions made with the big picture in mind, goals that are attainable, and is the communication transparent to the employees?