Gifted Leaders

Raising Engagement

The August 2009 Gallup Employee Engagement Index reported that only 33 percent of workers are engaged in their jobs, 49 percent are not engaged, and 18 percent are actively disengaged. Results from the third quarter of 2011 were similar with only 29 percent engaged, 52 percent disengaged, and 19 percent of employees actively disengaged in their work.

While troubling, these figures could also be viewed as an opportunity to re-engage a large percentage of employees – and reap financial benefits. Over the past several decades, business and psychological researchers have identified a strong relationship between employees’ workplace engagement and their respective company’s overall performance. It is likely that organizations with engaged employees experience positive business performance, while workplaces with disengaged employees are more likely to experience lower productivity.

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Capturing Hearts and Minds

An important message to organizations and their managers - and to really generous parents, grandparents, teachers, or friends - is beware of unfettered generosity; it leads to a psychology of entitlement, or the assumption, “I’m owed everything I get,” along with the accompanying, “What have you done for me lately?”

So what does it take to create employee engagement? Hundreds of studies tell us that strong positive feelings of commitment and engagement are the key to success, specifically financial success. But there is no one magic bullet for building employee trust or for driving employee commitment. Each person is different, and leaders must consider individual needs and wants when trying to increase employee trust and commitment.

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Developing Strengths or Weaknesses

How do you overcome the lure of the wrong choice?

One of the basic questions facing anyone seeking personal and professional growth is the fundamental question of whether to focus attention on correcting faults and failings or whether to focus on building strengths. Like many questions that appear simple, there are some interesting complexities. The answer to the question depends on the competencies of the person involved.  And the answer for any one person can vary over time.

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Are You "Humbitious" Enough to Lead?

As a business culture, we’ve made the lure of leadership (i.e. being “large and in charge”) hard to resist – and the job of leadership virtually impossible to do. Many leaders have minimal “white space” on their calendars, even on weekends.

The more leaders work and the more responsibilities they take on, the more isolated they become. So what’s the answer to this dilemma?  There’s a not so simple answer to this simple question.

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The 10 Habits of Highly Successful (and Deeply Happy) People

People with a high level of personal mastery share several basic characteristics. They have developed several key habits that lead to their success. Master coach Steve Mitten shares ten habits that can contribute to higher levels of happiness, flow, effectiveness and meaning in people’s personal lives, careers and businesses.

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Leadership Begins with an Inner Journey

It’s easy to lead … poorly. While leadership is easy to understand, implementing leadership concepts can be extremely challenging.

Becoming an effective, if not great, leader takes focus and determination. It requires a strong foundation of self-knowledge – e.g. personal values, principles, vision, and goals – and a clear understanding of your strengths and weaknesses in addition to a solid understanding of your emotional intelligence.

Becoming a leader begins when you come to understand who you are, what you care about, and why you do what you do. Your leadership journey must start with an inner journey.

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That's The Way We (Used To) Do Things Around Here

When business leaders talk about change, they usually have a desired result in mind: better team performance, improved customer service, etc. This result can only be achieved when people throughout the organization change their behavior and practices, something that can’t happen by simple decree.

"That’s the way we do things around here." This phrase (and others like it) typically refers to the complex, subtle practices that become ingrained in an organization's culture, to the point where they become part of its identity. Habitual thoughts and behaviors are not bad in themselves; indeed, they are often the basis for what a company does well. But when circumstances shift or the company becomes dysfunctional, those habits may need substantive change.

New behaviors can be put in place, but only by reframing attitudes that are firmly entrenched. With a little knowledge of neuroscience, reframing behavior can be the essence of organizational change.

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The New Leader

Leaders who focus on developing rather than dictating inspire people toward greater self-expression and encourage their leadership voice. Their priority is bringing out the potential in others, which inspires commitment and ownership.

In companies where people development flourishes, we see employees valued for their contributions, sharing their voice, taking risks, and meeting audacious goals. There is a great sense of shared ownership, accountability, and accomplishment.

What kind of leadership does it take to create this kind of workplace?

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Discover the Secrets of Becoming a Great Place to Work

Want to know the secrets of companies that have thrived during the recent recession and appear to be poised for even greater success if and when the economy moves into recovery?

Thirteen common traits are deeply programmed into the cultural DNA of many high-performing companies. These companies deliver consistently good bottom line results by being great places to work. Surprisingly, many business leaders actively avoid applying these traits in their own organizations! What choice will you make?

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Is Your Organization a Learning Organization?

In a learning organization, employees continually create, acquire, and transfer knowledge – helping their company adapt to the unpredictable faster than rivals can. The three building blocks required for creating learning organizations are:

1. A supportive environment,
2. Concrete learning processes, and
3. Leadership that reinforces learning.

By assessing how well your team, business, or company exhibits the defining characteristics for each building block, you can pinpoint areas needing improvement and develop additional capacity for learning. The resulting knowledge sharing and idea development, plus the ability to learn from mistakes and think holistically, will position you for greater success in today’s marketplace.

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