How are You Perceived?

Lynn’s staff stated on several occasions that they think she does a great job with what she is given and that they have immense respect for her - for doing what they call an ‘impossible job,’  “Lynn is remarkable, she pulls stuff out of nothing.”  However, the majority of employees stated they would like Lynn to trust them more with the responsibilities she delegates to them. Part of the issue is that Lynn used to run operations on her own, and although employees feel she has come a long way in the past year in letting go, there is still room for improvement.

Currently, Lynn monitors and assesses every step of employee projects.  They submit a plan to Lynn and then report back to her as to what they are doing to meet plan objectives.  Many are afraid to challenge and/or criticize her actions or inaction.  One employee stated that “Decisions are made in a reactive manner which leads to heavy dishonesty. We sometimes walk on eggshells around Lynn and don’t tell her things to keep her from getting upset.”

As employees realize that they are not being heard – they stop coming forward with ideas and being straight with you.  They will say things such as, “I don’t need to be micromanaged – I have proven myself over the time that I have been here;” “I can handle it – I can do my job without constant criticizing;” and “I love my job – but I am frustrated a lot.” 

Some effects of a high level of control:

1.       Employees are no longer willing to make sacrifices to meet company goals.

2.       Employees may become disengaged as they do not feel they can exercise independent judgment and they then put in reduced effort that affects not only their own productivity, but that of their colleagues.

3.       Stifles employee aptitude and potential and limits employees’ ability to accept increasing responsibility. Employees often feel it’s useless to demonstrate these characteristics and they then lack the desire to prove they are capable of performing at a higher level. 

4.       Employees begin to wonder why they were assigned certain duties if they are constantly told how to complete job tasks.

Next month I will discuss specifically how you, as a decision maker, can release control and build trust with your employees so they make better decisions and produce better results. 

Idea Share of the Month!

Employees must trust management to risk coming forward with their great ideas.  It is risky for employees to come forward with their ideas, as they are fearful.  Fearful that their managers will dismiss the idea.  Or that the idea will be considered too small and that they will be ridiculed, look foolish or be embarrassed among their peers, or worse yet, lose their job.  These fears are very real for your employees.

Frame of Mind Consulting understands the unique DNA of your organization, which is necessary to turn any organization into one capable of leveraging the full idea potential of its employees.  Would you like to drive connectivity and ownership throughout your company?  Contact Page at (860) 559-7942 to set up your complimentary consultation during which you will receive some invaluable tips that you can apply to your business right away.

Half Baked Ideas...

When was the last time you achieved something really amazing and then tried to replicate it, but couldn't?  That is how it is with innovation – you create something by accident and then can’t figure out how you did it.  Just because you have a great idea doesn't mean it will automatically be successful!  You have to capture it!  And cultivate it!  Then you can then access it anytime it is needed to drive ideas in your company.  But how many companies actually do this and do it well?

The problem is you don’t know when ideas or innovation will occur.  Neither does your leadership team – they don’t know which employee will come up with an idea, when it will occur or how the idea will apply to your business. Oftentimes, ideas happen on the fly – like when an employee is working on one task but ends up discovering something new and innovative instead.    

Your employees have ideas about their jobs on a daily basis, but many are lost because employees feel that leadership doesn't care about their ideas and won’t allow them to bring their ideas to fruition.  Innovation and new discoveries only flourish when your employees have a chance to expand their perspective and to tinker with those ideas. 

One way to accomplish this exploration is through job rotation that allows your employees to use their skills and knowledge acquired outside of their current job title in new and engaging ways.  And to collaborate on those ideas.  For example, if your employee is shadowing someone to learn more about a new work flow, insight from their previous experiences might help them identify areas where a different approach might improve the process.  Chances are, no other employee would have come up with the same idea – because the idea was born of that employee’s unique thought process along with his or her skill set and knowledge.

It is even better if the employee shadowing can actually perform the job for a given period of time – as they will come away with a clearer picture of the overall process and may even replicate parts within their own position. The more your employee understands other roles in the organization – the better he or she can see the interconnection between ideas and how they relate to the overall strategy for your company!

A standardized process helps you to generate, to capture and to implement ideas that may save your business thousands of dollars, improve your cash flow and drive the profitability and the value of your business.  But it won’t happen by accident - success depends on your ability to transform ideas into reality – and replicate them!

Idea Share of the Month!

There is a difference between ideas and innovation.  Innovation is the act of putting your ideas into place and sustaining them over time.

Frame of Mind Consulting understands the unique DNA of your organization, which is necessary to turn any organization into one capable of leveraging the full idea potential of its employees  Please visit Frame of Mind Consulting for more information or to sign up for Page's Idea Share Tip of the Week! 

Master Your Life While Smiling! Meet Jenny Drescher

 Hi, my name is Jenny Drescher. I’m a Choice Coach and Speaker. I also do Improv Comedy.

I put my coach training into a big pot with my improvisation training, and out came a terrific recipe for unique developmental and learning environments. The blend of coaching and improvisation has proven to be a powerful and exciting strategy for my clients to get the results they want. As a coach, I serve my clients by being a supportive 2"x4" wrapped in velvet, a confidence-builder, and a change catalyst. As an improviser, I have them smiling while they grow, even through really big challenges.

Teaching people to completely own their lives, laugh more, and never again get in their own way or be held back by others is my passion. I know what it’s like to be frustrated by getting stuck in the same pattern over and over and feeling like you’re getting nowhere, because I've been there; I'll tell you about it sometime.

I offer customized talks and playshops designed to empower and teach you and/or your group in a fun, energizing way. A playshop is a dynamic, highly interactive environment where you will use your brain, body, voice, and sense of humor. You will not sit for hours while your butt gets numb. Together, we will stretch and develop as a team using laughter and play. Even through the challenging parts you and your group will feel supported, secure, and will smile while you build your bridge to what you really want.

I work with individuals, small teams, and service organizations to become adaptable, confident, resilient, and creative. Are you and your team ready to become unstoppable?

Visit me at www.bridgetochoice.com for information about my programs and services.