Reach - Resources & News for Evolving Organizations

Consultants to Organizations | December 2015


So many of our clients are asking about millennials - oftentimes with fear and trepidation. They just don't understand how to work with this new generation of workers. In just a few years, by 2020, it is predicted that 50% of the workforce will consist of millennials. This generation of employees will have as much impact as the baby boomers. And now, as boomers leave and move on to their own ACT 3 and Gen-Xers are promoted, it is important to learn how to most effectively engage and integrate our next generation of superstars, managers, and leaders. To get additional insight, see Millennials: Exaggerated Mythology. What do millennials really want from work? How do we engage them? ...Read More

Talking about employee engagement (one of the most important topics of our time) see some very quick tips on showing employees respect. Since engagement is a two way street, learn how to check in on your relationship with your boss, and when, if it's just not working, assess if it is time to move on.

We're working with several clients assisting with their Director/CEO evaluation. It's a way to ensure that all are on the same page as well as support honest feedback and communications between the Board and the organization's leader. See our article on this topic.

Most important to all, we wish our clients and friends a wonderful holiday season and a 2016 of good health, happiness, peace, joy, and love!


To Engage Your Employees, Show Them Respect

Showing respect enhances a leader's influence and performance - a worldwide study found that leadership behavior has the biggest effect on employee engagement. Yet many leaders struggle to show respect to their employees.

To become a more respectful leader, try these tips:
  • Ask for help. Collect feedback from trusted friends and colleagues about when they've seen you treat people well or badly. Then look for patterns. When are you at your best? How could you treat people better?
  • Reflect. Keep a journal about when and why you are uncivil. Being more aware of your behavior is an essential part of improving it.
  • Work with a coach. A skilled coach can assist you with uncovering the reasons for your uncivil behavior and taking steps to change it.
  • Be accountable. Identify one behavior change to work on, then have your team help you track your progress. 
Check In on Your Relationship with Your Boss

No matter how well you and your manager work together, never take the relationship for granted. Ripples can always surface, so you want to be able to smooth them out quickly. Assessing the strengths and weaknesses of your relationship every few months can help reveal the not-so-obvious problems that fester when neglected. Ask yourself:
  • Do I understand my manager's expectations for me?
  • Is my manager aware of which resources I need to meet those expectations?
  • Am I reliably meeting my commitments?
  • How much does my boss know about what I've been doing for the past few months?
  • How well do my manager and I get along on a daily basis? Do we trust each other?
  • Do I back up my boss when I talk to others about her and execute her goals?
  • What could I do to support my manager more effectively?
Know When It's Time to Start Looking for a New Job

We're wired to avoid change - even when we are unhappy. That's why it's so difficult to leave a job, no matter how uninspiring or monotonous it may be. But sometimes a career switch is in your best interest. A few key signs can help you decide to make a move:
  • You're not learning. Studies have shown that the happiest progression to old age involves work that stimulates the mind into continuous learning.
  • You're underperforming. If you could do your job in your sleep, you're almost certainly underperforming. Sooner or later, this will harm your r�sum� and employability. You're better off finding a job that entices you to perform at your highest level.
  • You feel undervalued. You won't enjoy your work unless you feel appreciated, especially by your manager. And feeling undervalued makes you more likely to burn out and engage in counterproductive work behaviors, like absenteeism and sabotage.
Adapted from "5 Signs It's Time for a New Job," by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic.

We hope you enjoyed this edition of Reach. As always, please feel free to share your thoughts with us, as well as pass on this eNewsletter to anyone you think might benefit.     

To reaching success,
Paula M. Singer Lorraine Kituri
 
 
 
 
 
Paula M. Singer, PhD and Lorraine Kituri, MA, MS
 
The Singer Group, Inc.
410-561-7561
[email protected]
www.singergrp.com
What's New?

How Can Coaching Help You?Paula is now certified in brain-based coaching by the NeuroLeadership Institute. She brings new research and practice to support you in obtaining the results you want and putting new insights into action. Call her at 410-561-7561 for a free conversation about your needs and how coaching can change your life!
Compensation: One of our clients decided to leave their step system of salary increases and adopt a progressive policy. We're working with their leadership, union and a labor management committee to make that happen.
Staffing: Lucy and Paula are working with a large public library and a small college library on their staffing and structure toward ensuring alignment with strategy.
Paula is facilitating a one-day workshop on Succession Planning. The outcome of the day will be an outline of a plan and the process and tools to complete it.
We are facilitating major compensation and performance management studies in the midwest and west coasts.
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