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“Creating Successful Leaders”

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June 19, 2024 5 Ways to Banish Laziness and Energize Your Team

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

Let me establish right away that I am fully supportive of a healthy balance between life and work. If you wear yourself too thin, you’ll eventually become exhausted, resentful, and unable to operate at full capacity. This doesn’t serve you or your workplace. However, there is a big difference between striving for balance and refusing to work or rise to the challenge.

Encouraging your team to embrace productivity and creativity doesn’t mean you expect them to work nonstop. Instead, it’s about fostering a culture where everyone feels motivated to contribute their best. As a leader, you can help to motivate and empower your team, while also banishing laziness and procrastination.

Here are 5 strategies to energize your team:

Set Clear Expectations

If a team does not know where they are heading or unsure of their responsibilities, they might start to feel directionless and frustrated. This can lead to uncertainty and a decrease in productivity. By setting clear expectations for your team, you provide them with a roadmap for success. Make sure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities, as well as the team’s goals and objectives. Clear communication and transparency are key to keeping everyone on track and motivated. When team members know what is expected of them, they are more likely to stay focused and engaged in their work.

Provide Support

As a leader, it is crucial to offer your team members the support, encouragement, and resources they need. This might mean guiding them through challenges, offering training opportunities, or simply being there to listen when they need advice. It could also mean connecting them with mentoring opportunities. A supported team is often a productive team.

Create a Culture of Accountability

If too many deadlines slide, or too many projects are allowed to be subpar, this can send a signal that mediocrity is acceptable. On the other hand, when team members are held accountable for their work and deadlines, it fosters a culture of responsibility and excellence. Encouraging a sense of ownership for individual and team outcomes can drive motivation and productivity. By setting clear standards and expectations, and regularly reviewing progress, you empower your team to take ownership of their work and strive for continuous improvement.

Check In

Regularly checking in with your team members will ensure they have what they need to excel in their roles and feel supported in their work environment. It also allows you a chance to find out what’s working, what’s not, and what they might need to overcome any obstacles. By checking in regularly, you demonstrate your commitment to their success and well-being. This practice also fosters open communication and trust within the team. Furthermore, it allows for adjustments to be made promptly if necessary, ensuring that the team stays on track towards achieving its goals.

Genuinely Care

Seeing the human side of people is an essential way to foster a positive work environment. Show genuine care for your team members by acknowledging their efforts, celebrating their successes, and supporting them during challenging times. Building strong relationships based on care and empathy can significantly boost morale and motivation within the team. Be mindful of their well-being and always be ready to offer a listening ear or lend a helping hand. Your team will appreciate your genuine concern and reciprocate it with increased dedication and loyalty.

As a leader, it’s essential to set clear expectations, provide support, and recognize efforts. By banishing laziness and energizing your team, you create a positive environment that fuels growth and success. And remember to lead by example by demonstrating a strong work ethic to inspire your team to perform at their best.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE. 

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May 29, 2024 15 Questions to Build Trust in Your Leadership

It may seem surprising, but asking questions can actually make you a more trustworthy leader. Questions do not diminish your authority or make you appear weak. Rather, by asking the right questions, you can gain valuable insight, open the floor for more meaningful conversations, and demonstrate that you respect your team.

Which questions are the “right questions?” The simple answer is: open-ended questions that stimulate conversation and do not presuppose an answer. A question such as “Don’t you think Client X would benefit from our new product?” is not open-ended and not productive. It is only searching for agreement, not a true dialogue.

Instead, try asking questions that begin with words like How, What, or Why. These question words typically allow for a wide range of answers, not just a yes or no response.

The other half of asking good questions is practicing active listening. Leaders build trust by seeking their team’s thoughts, opinions, and ideas, and listening closely to the answers they give. This show of respect is integral to building trust

Next time you’re in a meeting (either with your entire team or a single individual) try asking some trust-building questions. Here are 10 to get you started—choose ones that are applicable to your team and situation.

  1. What resources do you need to complete your task?
  2. What is holding you/us back from success?
  3. How can I help?
  4. What are some possible solutions you envision?
  5. Who/what are we lacking to achieve success?
  6. What can I do to help foster more creativity?
  7. Why do you think                            is happening?
  8. What are your current frustrations?
  9. What is our biggest risk in this endeavor? What is the Plan B?
  10. Is this assignment a good fit for your talents? (Why or why not?)
  11. How does this add value to our mission?
  12. What effects will this decision have?
  13. How can we improve                     ?
  14. What opportunities can bolster our business?
  15. What else would you like me to know?

This is just a sampling of the questions you can ask your team. Get curious. Involve them in decision-making. Ask good questions and build trust.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE. 

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May 15, 2024 No One Listening? 5 Techniques to Be More Persuasive

A version of this blog post was first published in November, 2019.

Do you have trouble getting what you want? Are you often overlooked or not listened to? Do you know a change needs to be made, but you’re having trouble framing your argument?

It sounds like you need to tap into the power of persuasion!

Being persuasive doesn’t necessarily mean you’re being sneaky or underhanded. If you use persuasion in an honest way, it means articulating something so others can see your point of view. Sometimes, you have to be persuasive to make positive changes or advance your career.

How do you become persuasive? Try a few of the following techniques:

1. Prepare

No matter if you’re leading a meeting, having a one-on-one with your boss, or proposing a new idea around the water cooler, it’s necessary to come prepared.

Do your homework, research the ins and outs of your proposal, AND anticipate potential problems or questions others may ask. If you know your stuff, you’ll automatically be more persuasive.

2. Be Confident

When you’re speaking, don’t use words like “I believe” or “I suppose.” Be confident when making a claim. Say it boldly, and people will listen.

Research shows people are more likely to listen to someone who is confident than someone who is an actual expert. Of course, you don’t want to spread false information, but when you do have something to say, say it with confidence!

3. Frame Your Words Carefully

Consider these two sentences, and tell me which is more effective:

“I’d like to be considered for the management position because I’m interested in furthering my career.”

“I’d like to be considered for the management position because I’m interested in new opportunities and challenges.”

The second one, right? These sentences both convey that someone is wishing to be considered for a promotion. Yet the second sentence focuses on personal growth and a desire to learn, while the first seems to say that the person, at the end of the day, is really only in it for themselves.

Before going into a meeting, practice your phrasing in front of a mirror until you feel comfortable delivering it.

4. Utilize Storytelling

Storytelling is a powerful technique for persuasion. People are naturally drawn to stories—by sharing anecdotes or personal experiences, you can make your points more relatable and memorable. Crafting a compelling narrative can help you connect with your audience on an emotional level, making your message more impactful and resonant. Consider weaving storytelling into your communication to effectively engage and persuade others.

5. Know Your Audience

Pay attention and start noticing what matters to people in your office. Do certain topics of conversation keep coming up? Are people interested in family, football, pets, or local music? What values do they seem to have?

Getting to know the people around you is invaluable for building rapport and gaining trust. Ultimately, if others find you easy to talk to and pleasant to be around, you won’t even have to think about being persuasive—people will want to listen to what you have to say.

If you want to make a change, put forth an idea, or simply be heard, it’s a good idea to hone your personal power of persuasion. It may not come easily at first, but with practice, you’ll be a pro!

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE. 

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