Exceptional leaders tend to share a common desire: knowing which problems exist in their organization, so their people, processes and systems can either be improved or removed. After winning the 24 hours of Le Mans, Mario Andretti was asked by a reporter what it felt like to drive a “perfect race.” Andretti responded, “I didn’t drive a perfect race. In fact I made tons of mistakes; I just caught them quicker than the other drivers.” All of us make mistakes; chalk it up to being human. The people who consistently improve and evolve in this life are those who are willing to be honest with themselves and others and listen to constructive insight and then do something about it.

Working with National and International corporations, I have discovered the higher a leader’s position in an organization the less honest people tend to be with that leader. The paradox is that the higher the position, the more his or her decisions impact hundreds or thousands of people.  Therefore, would it not seem logical, that these leaders receive performance evaluations from the staff and the customer? It is, and it needs to be done for many reasons. Those few who implement these types of honest two-way interactions tend to have better bottom line profits to show for it. Leaders must set the example by creating these highly interactive types of cultures within their organizations. After all, accountability and performance improvement should go in both directions, shouldn’t it?

Benefits of Leadership Evaluations

Leaders must not simply talk about “honest communication, trust, and tell people their door is open” they must prove it with their behaviors and set the example. What follows are the benefits of leadership evaluations, for the leader, the employees, the organization and most importantly THE CUSTOMER.

1. Leaders should meet face to face with customers and employees, asking them to be honest about their product and service from A to Z. One of my tenants of business is that “if it does not positively impact the customer, it has no value.” Who better to ask how to improve then your customers or employees? This will be the best Return On Investment you will ever get.
2. Happy, involved, and trusted employees equate directly to happy, involved and trustworthy customers. In fact, it’s impossible to have unhappy employees and happy customers. More than anything else, people want to feel valued and respected by their leader. Asking for their opinion and really listening will help achieve that.
3. Four steps to professional development are: Train, Coach, Counsel, and (as a last resort) Terminate. Where do you stand in this mix? Are you trainable, need coaching, require counseling, or are you not worth the investment and need to be terminated?
4. By opening yourself up to performance evaluations by others, you will quickly find out if you really are trusted, have good communication, and are a good leader. You will find out if your management methods are effective or ineffective and why certain people require less input or more input from you. You will learn to understand them and who best to learn from than those you are leading. Ask your people how best to lead and manage them. They will tell you either by what they say, or more importantly, what they don’t say. You will quickly know, see and feel if they are lying to protect their jobs and helping you save face.
5. You will show your customers and people that they matter and are important. And along the way you will learn some very valuable lessons about yourself.

Grow Your People. Make professional development a priority. Model personal and professional growth. Never tire of developing your team and yourself.

Make Your Communication Count. Use your words and your energy to inspire, support, and lead through ordinary and extraordinary conditions. Regularly check for understanding. Build consensus related to the standards and expectations in your field. Make good on your promises. This modeling will naturally encourage and teach your people to do the same.

Make Work a Learning / Doing Place. With each new project, with each new employee, by staying on top of trends and advancements in your field, make every day a time to learn. Learning will keep your people interested and curious. Knowledge is power. Share it through coaching, consulting, collaborating, and mentoring. Helping others will grow your leadership at all levels. Day in and day out, encourage problem solving, creative thinking, and structured growth.

Grow a Successor. Surround yourself with talent and skills. Encourage and grow these individuals. Such support will elicit loyalty and make your business excel. Choose a small group of individuals who have demonstrated their strong values, their sincere commitment to the organization, and wisdom beyond their years. Chose wisely and nurture these future leaders. Assume it is from this group that you will someday cull your successor. Begin planning now for your successful handoff.

Model Integrity, Relationship-building, and Commitment to Your People. Have real and honest conversations with your people. Listen. Be honest. Follow through. Be trustworthy, and expect the same of your people. Communicate in ways that demonstrate your sincerity. Care about your people. Grow their opportunities. Encourage their career development. Respect their values. Commitment to your people will lead to impressive interpersonal as well as organizational results.

Know Your Employees and What They Do. Leaders are knowledgeable about their employees’ performance, which builds considerable trust and respect. Most would say that this is a “no-brainer,” yet, on average, only 30% percent of employees report that their managers communicate performance standards and provide fair and accurate feedback to help them do their jobs better.

Give Strengths-based, Specific and Timely Feedback. Make feedback timely, specific, POSITIVE, and based on mutually-accepted goals and objectives. Keep feedback respectful, related, and reasonable. Look for strengths in your people. Address performance gaps as opportunities to grow your organization (e.g., “we need your help to strengthen the team in these specific ways,” rather than “you messed up and need to improve in this area”). Recognize and celebrate strengths and successes as essential links in your organizational chain.

These seven qualities should be due diligence for all leaders. Practiced regularly, they will grow your people, your organization, and yourself. You know you have the heart and mind to establish a core culture of integrity and success, a place from where you will no longer have to lead only by command. With these seven qualities, you will enjoy your people instead of control them, nurture a highly-productive environment rather than clean up after mistakes, discover the many hidden talents and potential in your future leaders through ongoing dialogue, and realize breakthrough improvements in manager-employee relationships and on-the-job results.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead

Each year my partners and I decide on a few nonprofit organizations (NPOs) to work with.  We are drawn to working with helping organizations because in them we see opportunities to put our energies where our core values lie. These liaisons allow us to support and make a positive difference in the lives of those who so directly help others. Also, the passion and untiring work ethic inherent in so many individuals wholive, eat and breathetheir causes reminds us of how success is so oftennotin theseeking, but in theseeing. That said, there are many practical issues facing nonprofits that are worthy of discussion. One in particular that has troubled some of the nonprofits we have worked with recently is the trend toward bringing on outside fundraising specialists without including in the process a comprehensive plan to develop consensus and build capacity amongstallmembers of the organization.

Primary Non-Profit Issues

We have worked with numerous nonprofits over the years so we have seen first-hand the wealth of talented and hard-working volunteers giving unselfishly of themselves usually with the same level of commitment, skills and expertise as paid staff. The energy of these volunteers seems boundless, yet we all know it is not. Keeping nonprofit organizations financially viable not to mention well-staffed, so that all the tasks are handled efficiently, can be very challenging. As hard-working and dedicated as members of these non-profit organizations are, it is clear that making the world a better place is not just a matter having one highly motivated or famous leader at the helm and everything else falls in line. Often nonprofits have to look outside their ranks to find specialists in the field of organizational development and fund-raising to supplement what they can’t do alone. When we consider the issues faced by nonprofits:

• Accountability
• Reporting
• Management of Assets
• Assessments
• Training
• Marketing
• Public Relations, etc.

We understand their need to reach out, but we recommend that certain considerations be in place as well.

Giving Power to the People

If nonprofits bring in outsiders to do their fund-raising, those outside individuals may by default become separated from those who are in-house staff.  Fund raisers may be separated from those doing the altruistic work of the organization. With this adjunct or outsider status comes a division that may become problematic for an organization and here’s why: Without carefully scaffolding understanding between each member of the organizational team, without building on each other’s  strengths, as well as having frank conversations about the importance of interdependence and understanding each other’s needs, misunderstandings will probably occur.

If our people distance themselves from each other, the risk is they will see each other as commodities rather than associates, partners or colleagues. However, when each contributing partner makes personal meaning of his/her own, as well as others’ roles and sees how these roles are interdependent, then a sense of community is strengthened and there is heightened value put on all. No one aspect of the organization is better or worse, more valuable or less. If those who do fund-raising are separated from other members of the organization (because they are outsiders in some form) or if somehow their work is valued differently (either held in higher esteem or minimalized because they don’t do the hands-on helping) this can tend tostaff splitan organization in very short order.

The Harsh Realities

The reality is that for some altruistic individuals, dealing with money may bring with it some underlying beliefs of scarcity or lack and these beliefs may undermine the successful efforts of the organization. If a person believes that money is at the root of all things bad, then despite that person’s best efforts toward the contrary, he or she is going to have at least mixed feelings toward those who raise money. Nonprofits need to build bridges between their workers, not unintentionally let divisions occur. Being aware of this potential is worthy of some time and actions. Finally, a belief that there is never enough can lead to lowered motivation, feelings of hopelessness, resentments and potential burnout. A belief that we are all contributing and succeeding at making the world a better place can inspire, enlighten and potentially open up innovative dialogues. Given the right structures and facilitation, each individual, group or entity within an organization has something to teach the other and herein lays the gift they can share to grow the organization and themselves. Yes. Hire specialists, but also make sure you have the communication processes and trust necessary for all to make meaning of their value, agree on their mutual vision, and support interdependence.

Getting Outside Help

“Help thy brother’s boat across and lo! thine own has reached the shore.” — Hindu Proverb

When individuals can see how bringing in an outsider can add value and build capacity, this will help grow an organization. Without these explicit connections, without these structured communication events and consensus-building activities, bringing on any new plan or any outside expert may have less than desirable results.

Keys to Success

“We should acknowledge differences, we should greet differences, until difference makes no difference anymore.” — Dr. Adela A. Allen

In our experience, the only real obstacles between a non-profit organization and its goals are limited communication, limited trust, and the mindset of lack.

Without fail, when all the members of an organization—in-house people, as well as those who are outside specialists—have been brought together for structured, well-facilitated communication events, their ability to generate a wealth of resources, energy, ideas, and innovations has been beyond compare.

Value your people for their contributions and facilitate those honest conversations your organization needs to have. Through those processes, you will discover that the keys to success lie within all your people.

“Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more.” – Anthony Robbins

Overview

Technology is no substitute for effective communication, trust and leadership development:

• Super software will not always cure your organizational ills!
• Digital systems will not always trim the fat off your budget!
• Strategic plan software will never help you implement your cool new plan!

I have to admit that I am just as intrigued by fun trends as the next person, but I also have an obligation to speak the truth in front of seductive technologies and their impressive draws: There simply is no substitute for rolling up your sleeves and getting to know the needs of your people and customers. Yes. Trendy software can be pretty darn cool. Yes, improved software programs can be very helpful and may even save you plenty under the right conditions. But no tool will work if you do not have successful communication, trust and professional development as the foundation for your organization.

One way to develop successful communication with your people is to recognize what stage they are in as a group. Most people have heard of Bruce Tuckman’s the four stages of group development: Forming, Storming, Norming and Perfuming.  click here to link to it: http://www.internalbusinesssolutions.com/?s=forming%2C+storming%2C+norming+and+performing&submit

It’s truly sad and very costly that 95% of leaders don’t truly understand how to leverage this knowledge to help themselves and their companies mature and grow through these very normal stages. As we all know, each new passing day in business, departments and organizations go through predictable stages. Having an awareness of these stages will help individuals and leaders recognize and accept these natural phases. You and your people will likely feel a heightened level of safety and security in knowing where you are on your journey and what you need to do to get to the next stage successfully. Often people and organizations get stuck in one of these stages and assume wrongly that “this is just the way it is.” I am here to assure you that nothing could be further from the truth. In this case, knowledge is power and the knowledge of social dynamics is imperative in growing a successful corporation.

Group Development Examples

Laying out the four stages of group development, the model is well-known and highly effective in helping groups and their leaders understand what to look for and then what to do to increase a group’s communication, trust and leadership effectiveness through stages of change. If your organization is facing change brought on by the introduction of a new idea, a new program or a trend, we recommend you give this model some thought. Consider sharing this information with your people to open up a dialogue and begin to build trust. All groups, regardless of their history and regardless of their level of knowledge or skills, will go through or remain stuck in these stages. As you read through these, locate where you are and decide if you want to create effective change. Then take steps toward improving your team, department or organization.

Keep in mind when you are tempted to drop a dime on any number of quick fixes: Business models may appear to be what you need. Even computer programs may seem like the “safe” bet. But they may seem safe because you are caught in the fantasy or illusion that if you buy the new “widget” then you’ll become the success.

The Tools are Only as Good as the User

Models, diagrams, computer programs, technologies and trends are just tools. That’s all they are. Tools. In the hands of the right people, they will enhance a good thing. But, on their own, they will not help us change our behaviors. Further, they alone will not help us improve our communication. They alone will not build trust or buy-in. They won’t do our work. They will only postpone the inevitable. Make no mistake about this. Businesses succeed or fail through their people. The better your people communicate with each other and your internal and external customers, the better off your business will be. If you understand this then utilize the models, the best technologies, and the motivational programs, but always with the caveat to see them for what they are: just tools to help your people grow and develop your organization and themselves.

Strong leaders understand the critical role they play in creating and communicating strategy. They know how to drive transformation to build a sustainable competitive advantage.

Successful leaders use a positive yet realistic approach to overcome the economic and psychological uncertainty of today’s business environment.

Above all, great leaders know how to achieve results.

I strive to awaken the hidden leadership genius within you and your people. Let me help you create a cohesive, common-goal work team that transcends your current abilities. I help you achieve cutting edge transformation, not rely on cookie cutter one-size-fits all coaching and leadership programs.

Through leadership training, you and your executives will see tremendous results and improvements in the following:

• Your team’s ability to work together more efficiently. Cultivate confidence in each other through honest conversations that develop trust and group commitment.
• Learn to work through and remove the “unspoken” but volatile topics that everyone knows about but are unable to overcome. You know what I’m talking about….the “taboo” topics, the “Emperor has no clothes” topics that keep you and your team from moving forward.
• Enhanced employee buy-in and commitment that lead to job satisfaction
• Better communication, innovation, creativity, and production
• Improved problem-solving and decision-making capabilities
• Better foresight and project planning abilities
• Significantly improved execution and implementation of strategic plans and projects

You and your organization are unique, so I design a customized leadership development training program that makes sense for you.

I learn the language and culture of your organization so the program I design is a perfect fit for the needs of your people and organization. Through my leadership development training, you and your executives will gain the specific skills needed to evolve and succeed.

My Leadership Training has four straightforward goals:

1. Help leaders, executives and managers identify their own talents and strengths so these are leveraged and developed into high-performance leadership capabilities
2. Develop intrinsic and unique attitudes and skills necessary to sustain long-term change
3. Help each individual executive grow and then weave these individual leaders into a unified team capable of extraordinary results.
4. And last, help refine micro and macro goals into prioritized objectives so results can be achieved in profitable time units.

I start from the “inside” of your executives personalities and organizational structure and work out to the pre-determined organizational objectives; the end-result which can be measured in any number of ways. I work with client organizations in “real-time” to observe and evaluate the hierarchy that is present in your corporate environment. My goals include tailoring your leadership development program to each specific executive or manager’s personality and that of the executive team and organizational culture.

For organizations striving to open up their full potential, leaders hold the key. Leaders bring the short- and long-term goals of an organization to fruition by inspiring each and every individual to work to his or her personal best. The program I design will support leaders as they strive to meet individual needs, respect personality types and learning styles, and guide the organization to achieve its goals and objectives.

Leadership development is a deliberate process that includes focused conversations and assessments. Through the process, I will guide your team to create environments that support individual growth, purposeful action, and sustained improvement. My program will produce leaders who:

• Remove barriers that hinder individuals from realizing their full potential
• Provide skills for gaining valuable insight into crucial situations
• Identify obstacles that impede an individual’s progress

Contact me today to discuss where you would like your organization to be in 12-24 months. By developing your executive and management teams we can partner on acieveing organizational objectives.

You May Want to Ask Yourself These Questions:

• How do we establish or reestablish trust? Are you ready to improve and add extra strength to the back-bone of your organization?
• How do our people communicate? How can we really improve communication, goal setting and execution so our people and departments GET RESULTS and we actually utilize all of our resources, people and departments as a UNIFIED whole toward specific objectives.
• Where are we now and where do we all want to go? How can each member of our organization help to improve our bottom line and why should they?
• Is any of this even possible?
• If someone told me it was, would I believe them?
• If I did believe them would I take the two  minutes out of my busy day and do anything about it? would I call, text or email?

Profit from the inside out. I specialize’s in designing employee development programs tailored specifically for your staff and you. I provide you with the necessary training and tools to ensure that your staff continues to teach itself, monitor itself, and show improved results long after I have left.

Are you getting the best out of your employees? If not, then take steps to improve your organization by investing in an employee development program.

Make no mistake about it: all your closest competitors have good R & D… They have access to financing and resources, and they are training their people. The only resource which separates you from your closest competitors is… YOUR PEOPLE… SO INVEST IN THEM EFFECTIVELY.

All organizational challenges will ultimately be solved by and through your people! Whether your challenges are technical, financial, or in some other domain, these challenges will always hinge on human communications and processes. Understanding and improving communication is hugely important to your organization’s survival and success, because the bottom line is: it’s YOUR people who will ultimately take YOUR organization to the next level.

Important considerations for employee development:

• Urgency and energy are produced to create a new future.
• Broad participation quickly identifies performance gaps and their solutions, improving productivity and customer satisfaction.
• First tackle the larger issues or conflicts that are tying up your organization’s time and effectiveness.
• Alleviate stress and you emphasize camaraderie.
• Employee morale will soar higher and stay more consistently positive through employee development; when employee’s morale is high, areas of need will be addressed more quickly and effectively, so problems won’t fester under the surface and get out of control.
• Encouraging employee feedback on business challenges will help people grasp issues.
• Employees will become aligned around a common purpose and will create new directions, because they understand both the difficulties and the opportunities of change and growth. In short, employee development creates “ownership.”
• Lastly, it is virtually impossible to have satisfied customers and dissatisfied employees. Everyone knows when a clown has makeup on and your customers know it when your employees are faking the smiles. So quit insulting them, because in this competitive age they WILL shop you.

In essence, when employees realize that they have some semblance of control and are being heard, the company, the leadership, and the employees all benefit. Thus, it is through this improved communication and shared purpose that the value of employee development truly begins to sink in for all stakeholders. This is when your team will take your organization to the next level. Through employee development, you are guaranteed lasting commitment and support of your strategic plan and your company vision! Kelly@InternalBusinessSolutions.com