Author: Guest Blogger

  • Leaders Should Be Learners

    Leaders Should Be Learners

    Guest blog written by: Steve Graham

    The Commitment:

    Leaders set the tone for an organization.  They must be agile in their responses to the ever-changing marketplace and business climate.  Leaders are charged with growing organizations, and learning is a part of the growth process.

    Learning can take various shapes within an organization.  It can be organic, formalized, personalized, or on-demand.  Whatever the shape, learning needs to be part of a leader’s commitment to improve both personally and professionally.   One big lesson of learning is how to use failure.  The old saying, “Failure is not an option”, is not realistic.  Even though failure is not a strategic goal and we do not desire to fail, it is always a reality.

    Part of the commitment for leaders to be learners is becoming comfortable with vulnerability.  Leaders do not have all the answers and admitting that with confidence makes the leader authentic.  Leaders must go first! According to Patrick Lencioni, in his book, The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business: “The only way for a leader of a team to create a safe environment for his team members to be vulnerable is by stepping up and doing something that feels unsafe and uncomfortable first.”  Being first means becoming comfortable with vulnerability.

    The Example:

    Leaders who value the impact of learning on growth and talent retention drive an organization where learning is part of the organizational DNA.  Those who set the example in their commitment to learning create organizations that are serious about learning.  How a leader uses failure to learn can set a good example for how to use these important lessons for improvement.  In the field of academic medicine, M&M (Morbidity and Mortality) Conferences are used to examine failures and medical errors. These are powerful in learning what went wrong and finding answers to correct problems and improve medical care.  The key objective of a well-run M&M conference is to identify adverse outcomes associated with medical error, to modify behavior and judgment based on previous experiences, and to prevent repetition of errors leading to complications. If Medicine finds value in learning from failures, should more organizations not do the same?  Yes! Leaders who are learners set an example and establish the value of learning within an organization.

    The Investment:

    Learning should never end. It is an investment in time and money.  Many leaders give excuses of why they cannot take time to learn.   Learning should be a priority and not an option.  It is an investment that successful leaders embrace. According to Dr. Brad Staats, Associate Professor of Operations at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler School of Business: “Today’s fast-paced, ever-changing, global economy requires us to never stop learning or we risk becoming irrelevant. Savvy leaders recognize this means investing in their own learning journey, so they can develop the processes and behaviors required for ongoing success.”  Dr. Staats recent publication, Never Stop Learning: Stay Relevant, Reinvent Yourself, and Thrive, illustrates the importance of making the lifelong investment of learning.

    The Connection Between Executive Coaching & Learning:

    Coaching is an important part of learning.  It enhances the leader’s ability to be a better active listener.  Listening is a fundamental part of success as a leader.  In his bestselling book, What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, well-known Executive Coach, Marshall Goldsmith states: “80 percent of our success in learning from other people is based on how well we listen.”  Are you hearing more than listening?  Listening takes practice. It is a learned skill that successful leaders focus on to become better.

    Executive coaching is part of sound leadership development.  It can be incorporated to help leaders become more self-aware and learn to be more approachable and authentic in their influence.  Another great resource on how learning makes a better leader is a book titled: Learn Like Leader: Today’s Top Leaders Share Their Learning Journeys.

    When coaching is used with other learning initiatives, it helps develop a deeper purpose for the leader.  Developing the complete leader involves being committed, setting an example, and making an investment in self and others.  Focus on learning as a strategic resource in personal and professional development.

     

    About the Author: 

    Steve Graham serves as vice president for marketing, HR business partner and college instructor. He holds graduate degrees in management and higher education. As a life-long learner, he has additional graduate and professional education in executive and professional coaching, health care administration and strategic human resource management. Steve is also the Founder and President of Valiant Coaching & Talent Development, LLC.

    He is a certified HR professional with The Society for Human Resource Management, certified coach with the International Coach Federation and a Global Career Development Facilitator. His professional memberships include: The Society for Human Resource Management, the American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration, Association for Talent Development and International Coach Federation.

  • Your Title Should Not Define You

    Your Title Should Not Define You

    Guest blog written by: Steve Graham

    Job titles serve a purpose. Titles identify roles and responsibilities within an organization.  They should not define who you are. Many of my coaching clients have enjoyed successful careers, but they desire to make a change.  Too often, my clients are defined by their title and this makes it harder for them to make the desired change.   For example, a top performing sales professional may identify as, “only a sales person”, without understanding who they truly are.  What makes them a top sales performer is more about who they are than a title.

    What defines you has been part of your story since birth.  These include your values, experiences, beliefs, motivators, and other influences.  When we allow our titles to define who we are it limits our potential.  It creates barriers that do not allow for us to see the “who” we are.  What defines you is bigger than any title.  Titles come and go. What defines you is constant.

    According to Gallup research, 55 percent of people in the United States define themselves by their job.  This data is not new and it has been consistent throughout multiple Gallup polls since 1989.  This Gallup study also found that people who love what they do are less concerned about their titles.  Your personal brand has nothing to do with your title.  When I work with clients on personal branding, we start with finding out what defines them.  Your career journey should be guided by what interests you and what you are naturally good at doing.

    In the exploration phase of defining “who” you are, various self-reflection activities and assessments can be used as resources.  I recommend using more than one resource to help in this process.  Two favorite assessments for helping clients define their brand are Gallup’s StrengthsFinder 2.0  and The VIA Survey of Character Strengths.   In my experience, no one assessment can provide all the information you need to define the “who” you are, and that is foundational to developing your personal brand. Consider these steps to help you:

    • Listen to what others say about you. What consistent feedback do you hear?
    • Take some assessments that measure personality and behavioral traits. Look for patterns or consistency in the data.
    • Self-reflection. What do you think about most? What inspires and motivates you?
    • What do you do best? Think about this deeply, what comes naturally to you?

    Another exercise is asking clients to introduce themselves by their name only.  Do not automatically give your title or where you work.  Many people are used to including their title and where they work in social settings.  Break the habit of connecting what you do with who you are.  Of course, in some situations, it is required that you mention your title and where you work during introductions.  If your self-worth is fueled by your title, you will not be well prepared for life issues—like job loss or demotion.  As a kid I enjoyed reading Curious George.  He was always exploring and getting into trouble, but I liked how he was courageous and most of all curious.  You are never too old to explore new things. Take time to explore the “who” you are.

    For decades career coaches have talked about transferrable skills.  These skills are more about what defines you.  A good sales person shares attributes with those who work in fields like fund-raising (development) and recruiting.  The titles are different but what drives the top performers in those fields is what defines them.  It sounds simple, however, some people have a hard time defining the “who they are” apart from their title.  There is more to you than a title.  Remember that titles identify and the “who” defines.

     

    About the Author: 

    Steve Graham serves as vice president for marketing, HR business partner and college instructor. He holds graduate degrees in management and higher education. As a life-long learner, he has additional graduate and professional education in executive and professional coaching, health care administration and strategic human resource management. Steve is also the Founder and President of Valiant Coaching & Talent Development, LLC.

    He is a certified HR professional with The Society for Human Resource Management, certified coach with the International Coach Federation and a Global Career Development Facilitator. His professional memberships include: The Society for Human Resource Management, the American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration, Association for Talent Development and International Coach Federation.

  • Want to Live Authentically? Get Real With Yourself!

    Want to Live Authentically? Get Real With Yourself!

    Guest blog written by: Kayla Riggs

    “What screws us up most in life is the picture in our head of how it’s supposed to be.”

    At 32 I was in a place to reevaluate my career, my wants, my life. I am a wife and a mother of two. I have been working in the traditional sense since I was 15. I worked during college, while taking a full course load. I got a job immediately following graduation. I worked up until the day I delivered my babies and took 7 weeks of maternity leave with both. That’s what was expected. I’m a people-pleaser by nature.

    I always did what I believed was expected of me. I measured success by a job title and working fulltime. I always chose to work not-for-profit, even if that meant I didn’t make as much as I would in the private sector. I thought that way I’d be making a difference, I’d be giving back somehow. But I always felt there was something missing. Something was never right.

    Then suddenly there I was, in a place that made me stop. It was time for me to rediscover myself. It was time for me to be real with myself. What did I want? Did I want to be a stay-at-home mom? Did I want to work part-time? Did I want to find another full-time job? I had no clue. I had already had my “dream job” early in my career but now what was my dream?

    My husband has always been supportive, and he told me to do what I felt was right for me. But what was that? I believe sometimes in life we get so caught up in what is expected, in what we believe is how the world measures success that we never decide what we believe is success in our own eyes.

    Now, here I am, seven months later, post rediscovery, and I am truly happy. This season in my life I believe success looks like the ability to take my kids to school and to pick them up in the afternoons. It looks like me currently working as an independent contractor. It looks like the ability to also work for a not-for-profit that I believe in because its success impacts my family, indirectly. It looks like me creating a home office. It looks like the ability to attend my children’s school functions. It looks like dinner on the table and not eating out as much. It is the ability to have control of my schedule and say what does and does not work for me or for my family.

    Success now looks very different to me and for me. It took me getting real with myself, maybe for the first time in my life. I am finally being authentically me!

    Will success look the same five years from now or even this time next year? Right now, I’m not sure. The only thing I do know is that I refuse to be anything but real.

    What does success look like to you?

    Whatever you measure success by, make sure it is real and it is you!

  • Career Development: A Resource For Talent Retention

    Career Development: A Resource For Talent Retention

    Guest blog written by: Steve Graham

    In a recent study, conducted by the Work Institute, career development was identified as the top reason people leave or remain with organizations. In their study titled, 2017 Retention Report, 240,000 employees were interviewed about factors that were most influential in their decision to stay with or leave an organization.

    For decades, organizations that have invested in developing their people also experienced higher market shares and lower turnover than competitors. Despite the positive data to support career development, many organizations continue to fall short.  Lack of growth is a common reason given during exit interviews for leaving. In a study conducted by Empxtrack, reviewing data from over a number of years and involving approximately 52,000 exit interviews, the research identified lack of growth opportunity as the second most given reason for leaving an organization. The study indicated that 22% of job exits were directly related to growth.

    The good news is that with a little more focus on helping people develop their careers, organizations can reduce turnover.  Fears that investing in an employee and then having them leave the organization is one of the most common excuses for not offering training or other development opportunities. The truth is that people will leave anyway, to find an organization that offers them opportunity.  Having a well-trained and engaged workforce does not happen without an emphasis on career development.

    Career development initiatives include: formalized training programs, mentoring, internal coaching opportunities, and other opportunities. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) offers resources in integrating career development within an organization.  According to SHRM, having a designed career development path for employees allows managers to address gaps in training.  This is helpful in preparing people for promotions as well.

    Career development impacts performance. When people feel like their organization cares, and is focused on their development, it creates a deeper level of engagement. This increases the level of commitment on reaching individual and organizational goals.  Helping people become their best can help your organization stand out.  Designing a culture that supports career development also enhances your employer brand.

    Here are some basics steps in creating a career development focus:

    1. Know your people. Take time to learn them as individuals.
    2. Conduct a career path inventory and find out where they want to go.
    3. Use technology to create learning opportunities.
    4. Search for outside assistance and resources.

    Resources include, but are not limited to, workforce development programs, degree programs, mentoring, and career coaching.  The National Career Development Association (NCDA) is a great place to start.  The world of work is changing and organizations need to be in better alignment with the needs of their people. If an organization is not offering career development, people will find it elsewhere. They will seek places of employment that embrace their individuality, interest, and goals.

     

    About the Author: 

    Steve Graham serves as vice president for marketing, HR business partner and college instructor. He holds graduate degrees in management and higher education. As a life-long learner, he has additional graduate and professional education in executive and professional coaching, health care administration and strategic human resource management. Steve is also the Founder and President of Valiant Coaching & Talent Development, LLC.

    He is a certified HR professional with The Society for Human Resource Management, certified coach with the International Coach Federation and a Global Career Development Facilitator. His professional memberships include: The Society for Human Resource Management, the American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration, Association for Talent Development and International Coach Federation.

  • 7 Ways to Supercharge Your Employee Engagement

    7 Ways to Supercharge Your Employee Engagement

    Written by guest blogger: Steve Graham

    In most businesses, an “Employee Engagement Survey” goes out once per year to determine how engaged employees are with their jobs. The survey seeks to determine whether a person finds their job rewarding, feels like they have a real stake and interest in the company and cares about the overall success of the company.

    And while these surveys are certainly a step in the right direction, they fail to create a holistic culture of engagement within a company. After all, if the subject of engagement is only broached once per year, it’s not going to be particularly high on the radar of company leadership or employees.

    This is a significant mistake.

    More and more research is showing that high levels of employee engagement produce exponential business results. A worldwide study by Gallup determined that engaged employees are far more productive, profitable, and dedicated to customers than those who aren’t engaged. The study also found that low engagement leads to more absenteeism, quality assurance problems and safety issues.

    Additionally, Gallup determined that companies with more engaged employees are far more profitable. They took all the companies from their studies with a positive engagement score and broke them down into three groups, then compared the company’s earnings to industry competitors:

    Those in the lowest engagement group outperformed their competitors by 19% on average. However, results among those in the higher engagement groups were far more impressive; median earnings among those in the “top decile/exceptional growth” group were more than four times those of their industry competitors.

    In other words, even those companies with the lowest amount of positive engagement still outperformed the industry.

    And yet, so many employees are not engaged with their jobs. They go to work, straggle through the day, come home and live for the weekends. Clearly, something is out of order.

    So how can companies create more employee engagement? How can they make it a strategic issue that is present every day of the year? How can they help their employees be more profitable, productive and happy?

    Here are 7 suggestions for supercharging employee engagement.

    #1. STAY CLEAR ON CORE VALUES

    Without a sense of clear and compelling core values, employees will have no purpose in their jobs. They will feel somewhat aimless, unclear as to what exactly they’re trying to accomplish. Gone are the days when all employees cared about was having a job to go to. Now they want to know that what they’re doing actually matters.

    This is why companies with a specific and motivating mission have thrived. Toms, for example, donates one pair of shoes for every pair sold. Zappos teaches about and rewards their employees for astounding customer service.

    The starting place for employee engagement is giving employees a compelling vision of the core values and the behavior that should flow out of those core values. If these are muddy, engagement will stay low.

    Lisa Earle McLeod wrote the following about millennials in the workplace:

    The millennials are telling us what we already know in our hearts to be true. People want to make money, they also want to make a difference. Successful leaders put purpose before profit, and they wind up with teams who drive revenue through the roof. In other words, give people a purpose and profit will follow.

    #2. KEEP UP THE COMMUNICATION

    A company can’t expect its employees to be deeply invested if they never hear from company leadership. As noted previously, employees want to know that their efforts are making a difference. They want to see how their work is impacting the company. They also want to constantly be updated in terms of where the company is headed and what initiatives are underway.

    Company-wide communication also gives leadership a great opportunity to recognize outstanding performance, which in turn fuels more engagement.

    Consistent feedback from company leadership allows employees to have a sense of what matters to the company and how they can be more invested. An absence of communication leads to employee stagnation.

    #3. PROVIDE MANAGERIAL COACHING

    One of the biggest differentiators in terms of employee engagement is management. In fact, it is so significant that Gallup notes:

    Gallup has studied performance at hundreds of companies and measured the engagement of 27 million employees and more than 2.5 million work units over the past two decades. No matter the industry, size or location, companies are struggling to unlock the mystery of why performance varies from one workgroup to the next. Performance fluctuates widely and unnecessarily in most companies, in no small part from the lack of consistency in how people are managed.

    In other words, poor or absent management inevitably leads to unengaged, uninterested employees.

    To combat this, managers need to be closely involved with their employees without micromanaging. They need to learn the art of constructive feedback, as well as know how to consistently praise good performance. Saying that you’re a hands-off manager can sound somewhat noble, but in reality it can be problematic. Employees want a manager that is helpfully engaged.

    #4. HELP EMPLOYEES GROW

    Employees who never progress in their skills or knowledge will inevitably feel bored and left behind. On another hand, companies that encourage employees to improve skills and learning will see engagement improve significantly.

    There are numerous ways to help employees grow, including:

    • Encouraging additional schooling, such as a graduate degree or certification.
    • Giving employees time to work on passion projects.
    • Providing a stipend for employees to invest in books or courses.
    • Supplying on-site learning for new technology.

    This touches on the previous point. Today, employees want more than just a job. They want an occupation that fills them with passion and purpose, something that engages them on both an intellectual and emotional level.

    Giving opportunities to grow allows them to experience this fulfillment.

    #5. CREATE AN ENJOYABLE TEAM ENVIRONMENT

    Employees spend more time with their coworkers than almost anyone else, usually spending 40+ hours every week in close proximity with them. The quality of the team environment dramatically impacts engagement levels. Teams who are deeply connected will feel much higher levels of commitment and engagement than teams who focus solely on work.

    How can companies foster a supportive team environment? There are numerous ways, including:

    • Team activities outside of work hours (sporting events, concerts, dinners, escape rooms, etc.).
    • Friday celebrations, where food is brought in and weekly wins are celebrated.
    • Team retreats to focus on strategy and experience fun.
    • And many more…

    The purpose is simply to build an atmosphere of hard work, trust, fun and teamwork. Being part of a great team leads to increased engagement.

    Shada Wehbe puts it this way:

    A teamwork environment promotes an atmosphere that fosters friendship and loyalty. These close-knit type ambiances motivate employees in parallel and alignment to work harder, cooperate and be supportive of one another. Individuals possess diverse talents, weaknesses, communication skills, strengths and habits. Therefore, when a teamwork environment is not encouraged this can pose many challenges towards achieving the overall goals and objectives. This creates an environment where employees become self-absorbed in promoting their own achievements and competing against their fellow colleagues. Ultimately, this can lead to an unhealthy and inefficient working environment.

    #6. SHOW APPRECIATION FOR HARD WORK

    Fewer things deflate employees faster than not receiving recognition for a job well-done. Humans are wired to respond to praise, and a lack of praise can lead to dissatisfaction and discouragement. This is common sense, yet so many managers neglect the simple act of showing appreciation for a job well done.

    This recognition doesn’t need to be overly complex or involve some sort of elaborate ceremony. Gallup notes:

    Gallup’s data reveal that the most effective recognition is honest, authentic and individualized to how each employee wants to be recognized. Acknowledging employees’ best work can be a low-cost endeavor—it can be as small as a personal note or a thank-you card. But the key is to know what makes it meaningful and memorable for the employee, and who is doing the recognizing.

    Employees who feel appreciated will be far more engaged than those who feel ignored. A simple, “Good job!” goes a long way.

    #7. LET EMPLOYEES BE HEARD

    Employees want to know that their thoughts and ideas matter—that they’re not simply a number or a cog in a machine. One way to give them a sense of identity is to give them a voice. Companies with a system that allows for meaningful employee feedback will have significantly more engagement than those who ignore employees.

    After all, employees are usually the ones on the front lines, interacting with customers on a daily basis. They know the struggles and successes and areas where improvement is needed. Creating a feedback system where suggestions are heard and implemented can make a significant difference in employee engagement.

    CONCLUSION

    The extreme opposite of an engaged workplace is an assembly line. Employees perform a single action repeatedly, with little sense of value of accomplishment. They are simply one piece in a much bigger machine. And while most companies are not that extreme, those who ignore employee engagement risk creating an assembly-line-like environment.

    Engagement matters. It matters to the employees, to the managers and to the bottom line. Failing to work toward it only hurts a company in the long run.

    Increase engagement, increase your bottom line.

     

    About the author: Steve Graham serves as Vice President for Marketing, HR Business Partner, and college instructor. He holds graduate degrees in management and higher education. As a life-long learner, he has additional graduate and professional education in executive & professional coaching, health care administration, and strategic human resource management.

    He is a certified HR professional with The Society for Human Resource Management, certified coach with the International Coach Federation, and a Global Career Development Facilitator. His professional memberships include: The Society for Human Resource Management, the American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration, Association for Talent Development, and International Coach Federation. LinkedIn.com/in/hstevegraham