Author: brigette

I can never forget my first boss, Joseph. When I had a personal crisis the first thing he told me was, “Why aren’t you out the door yet, I’ll cover for you.” He was concerned about my well-being. He genuinely cared about his employees. These are the bosses we remember.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to sweeping changes and disruptions in nearly every aspect of our daily life. More than ever managers need to be considering the well-being of their employees. Remember these are not normal circumstances.

Your employees are operating in a crisis. They are:

1. Fearful, anxious and worried.

2. Kids are at home.

3. Running to the store for essential supplies.

4. Under lockdown – Social isolation.

5. Trying to be safe and secure for themselves and vulnerable family members.

6. Grieving- People they know may be succumbing to this virus and they can’t say their final goodbyes.

Empathy is always important, but it is particularly vital during a crisis.

“To be kind is more important than to be right. Many times, what people need is not a brilliant mind that speaks but a special heart that listens.” ~F. Scott Fitzgerald 

You can show empathy and kindness by:

• Frequently checking in with your employees. In this time of physical distancing people want to feel connected. Take the time to listen. Empathy and listening go hand in hand.
• Being understanding. Don’t be quick to criticize others without making the effort to understand how their situation is impacting their choices. Try to remember that everyone copes differently.
• Offering support. “What can I do to help?” Be genuine and follow through.
• Showing that you care. If someone has a sick family member, be empathetic.
• Being considerate. People still want to feel appreciated. If they mention they are out of something. Why not order it through online delivery and send it over?

You may be a manager but above all, you are a human being. It is important to remember that we are in this together—think of others, reach out however you can, and remember to offer help even to those who may seem to be coping well. Be flexible and compassionate. In this COVID-19 pandemic we don’t need numbers-driven but human-centred leadership. We need leaders with a heart for people.

Check out my latest Bestselling Book

 Leading the Workforce of the Future

Employees don’t leave organizations, They leave bad bosses. The worst place an employee can be, is stuck in an organization with a micro-manager who doesn’t care about their development and there are no opportunities for growth and advancement.

In my early career, I worked for a bad boss who put profit before people and sought to gain every ounce of productivity out of employees. We didn’t even stop to celebrate the teams’ successes. It was about quickly moving along to the next goal. There was no real leadership (vision and inspiration) only management (command and control). The culture was basically do as you are told. Suggestions and recommendations by employees and even results of viewpoint surveys were often ignored.

” An employee’s motivation is a direct result of the sum of interactions with his or her manager.” – Bob Nelson

Employees became disengaged and focused solely on their salary and looked forward to the weekends. This was the only high point. Most individuals did nothing extra outside of their job specifications. The workload was unfeasible, however at 4:00 pm on the dot, employees could be seen leaving the office, as if there was a fire drill taking place. Team spirit and morale was extremely low. I felt stifled. Thus, I didn’t stay there very long. Employee turnover was high. Many individuals wanted to leave but because of debts or accumulated retirement earnings remained. Sadly, today the company is no longer in operation.

No matter how great a company’s products and/or services may be, if management is dysfunctional, that company will have serious problems. The typical ‘bad boss’ spends their time directing and monitoring employees rather than empowering them. Micromanaging is oppressive, fosters anxiety and creates a high stress work environment. Eventually, employees will become disenchanted and quit to work for another company.

A bad boss can take a good staff and destroy it, causing the best employees to flee and the remainder to lose all motivation.

It’s time that companies realize that all the money or perks in the world, will not retain good staff if they have a bad boss who makes their time on work miserable.

A boss sets the tone. One study found that a bad boss can take a negative toll on employees mental and physical health. Yes, a bad boss can make employees sick. Employees of bad managers are at greater risk for high blood pressure, chronic stress, sleep problems, anxiety, substance abuse issues, overeating, heart attacks and other health problems.

Employees yearn for good bosses. A recent study says that 56% of employees would turn down a 10% raise to stay with a great boss. There is nothing like having a boss who genuinely cares about their team. They support, empower and appreciate their employees. Employees will be willing to do more and give more. Most companies don’t currently think about great managers as a benefit, or publicize that benefit to prospective employees, but it is the best incentive in keeping staff, happy and engaged.

Check out my latest Bestselling Book

 Leading the Workforce of the Future

I worked for a company for 3 years and only got two interviews for internal jobs I applied for. I never got promoted even though I was acting in the position. One day I applied to another company, and was offered an amazing opportunity and within 6 months, they gave me a promotion. I ended up getting employee of the year. My old boss asked me to come back for the same promotion. I told him, “Thanks, but no thanks.”

As I look back, I am thankful for all the rejection I received from that previous employer. It was a blessing in disguise. Rejection hurts but don’t dwell on it or take it personally. If you focus on positive thinking, even the harshest defeat is only a stepping-stone. So if you didn’t get the job or promotion, don’t let it affect your self-worth, just think of it as. “I am not being rejected, I am being redirected to something better!” Why would you want to work for a company that does not appreciate your talents, hard-work or loyalty?

Rejection doesn’t mean you aren’t good enough; it means the other person failed to notice what you have to offer. – Mark Amend

We spend over half of our lives at work. We all want a job that gives us a sense of fulfillment at the end of the day. Life is too short to put up with a job you dislike or a boss who treats you poorly. No amount of money can compensate for a toxic culture.

Too many of us are hanging around in places, relationships, jobs where we are not being valued – where the life is literally being sucked out of us. Why? Because of fear or lack of confidence in ourselves and in our abilities. We convince ourselves that we can stay in a job that makes us unhappy because we need the income or because we don’t believe we can find another job. But the truth is spending too much of it in a bad situation will make you miserable and it can affect your health.

Go where you are celebrated – not tolerated!

Working in an environment that you are merely tolerated will only hold you back. Instead try to work for loyal employers who appreciate your talents and will give you opportunities to grow and develop. If you dread Mondays, and the high point of your working experience is Friday or payday, then perhaps it’s time to start looking at other companies or perhaps starting your own business. The biggest challenge we all face throughout our career is to be brave enough to walk away when our loyalty and hard work are taken for granted. Speaking from experience, it’s a scary decision.

Change is scary, but there are really great positions/great companies out there. Know your worth. Even when the current situation tries to make you think otherwise. Network, volunteer and learn new skills. Start taking small steps to where you want to be. You deserve so much better!

Check out my latest Bestselling Book

 Leading the Workforce of the Future

Trust is the foundation of any successful relationship, whether professionally or personally and when it’s broken, it is extremely hard to repair. I once had a supervisor if I was over one minute on my lunch time, she would send an email to remind me of my lunch hours, even though most of the time I never took my full lunch hour. I couldn’t even send an email without her approving it first. She was so inflexible that it was overbearing. I couldn’t trust her. When employees feel they can’t trust their boss, they feel unsafe, like no one has their back, and then spend more energy on survival than performing at their job.

The corporate world is littered with such micromanagers. Sadly many organizations prefer these managers because they seem to be on top of, and in control of everything. In the short term, they may produce results but in the long run they leave a trail of destruction in their path.

“It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do. We hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.” ― Steve Jobs

5 Damaging Effects of Micromanagement

1.Decreased Productivity – When a manager is constantly looking over their employees’ shoulders, it can lead to a lot of second-guessing and paranoia, and ultimately leads to dependent employees. Additionally, such managers spends a lot of time giving input and tweaking employee workflows, which can drastically slow down employee response time.

2. Reduced Innovation – When employees feel like their ideas are invalid or live in constant fear of criticism, it’s eventually going to take a toll on creativity. In cultures where risk-taking is punished, employees will not dare to take the initiative. Why think outside the box when your manager is only going to shoot down your ideas and tell you to do it their way?

 

3. Lower Morale – Employees want the feeling of autonomy. If employees cannot make decisions at all without their managers input, they will feel suffocated. Employees that are constantly made to feel they can’t do anything right may try harder for a while, but will eventually stop trying at all. The effects of this will be evident in falling employee engagement levels.

4. High Staff Turnover – Most people don’t take well to being micromanaged. When talented employees are micromanaged, they often do one thing; quit. No one likes to come to work every day and feel they are walking into a penitentiary with their every movement being monitored. “Please Micromanage Me” Said No Employee ever. I have never seen a happy staff under micromanagement.

5. Loss of Trust – Micromanagement will eventually lead to a massive breakdown of trust. It demotivates and demoralizes employees. Your staff will no longer see you as a manager, but a oppressor whose only job is to make their working experience miserable.

“Please Micromanage Me” Said No Employee, EVER.

Micromanagement is a complete waste of everybody’s time. It sucks the life out of employees, fosters anxiety and creates a high stress work environment. If you hired someone, it means you believe they are capable of doing the job, then trust them to get it done. A high level of trust between managers and employees defines the best workplaces and drives overall company performance. When you empower employees, you promote vested interest in the company. How can you empower others? Understand their strengths, support and utilize these strengths. An empowered workforce is more engaged. Engaged employees drive higher customer satisfaction and boost the bottom line. A Gallup study concluded that companies with higher-than-average employee engagement also had 27% higher profits, 50% higher sales and 50% higher customer loyalty.

Empowered employees are more confident, more willing to go the extra mile for employers, and more willing do whatever it takes to care for customers. In this volatile global marketplace, happy loyal employees are your biggest competitive advantage. If you want performance at scale: Select the right people, provide them with the proper training, tools and support, and then give them room to get the job done!

Check out my latest Bestselling Book

 Leading the Workforce of the Future

The saddest thing about today’s corporate world is the internal politics, that some people are willing to play in order to get ahead. Instead of pulling others up, many managers choose to push people down. Your most valuable asset is your people. And how you treat them, is literally the difference between success and failure. Micromanaging, blaming and holding people back, will only lead to a culture of distrust with high turnover, low morale and reduced creativity.

The corporate world is littered with managers but lack leaders. Over the course of may career, I only had one manager who was a leader. He made such an impact and influenced my leadership style. It is a rare individual who excels in both managing and leading. Great leaders don’t surround themselves with “yes employees” or need their ego to be constantly stroked. They consistently seek opportunities to inspire and motivate others. They invest in people. Such managers push employees to grow and develop in order to reach their full potential.

“The biggest concern for any organization should be when their most passionate people become quiet.”

Developing leadership skills is a lifetime project. It’s too easy, as a manager, to feel like you have to be the one who knows everything. Great leaders recognize that they need to keep learning. You are only strong as your weakest link. Build a strong team and surround yourself with smart, passionate and highly competent people. The greater your success, the more you need to stay in touch with fresh and diverse opinions and perspectives, and welcome honest feedback. Companies such as Blackberry, Kodak and Nokia did not heed this advice and they engaged in group think, which ultimately led to their demise.

James Collins and a research team conducted a five year historical analysis of companies that over time had made a sustained transition from good to great. Succession planning was a problem. Collins writes, “In over three quarters of the comparison companies, we found executives who set their successors up for failure or chose weak successors, or both.”

Leaders who cultivate other leaders multiply their own success. Some managers think that developing potential leaders could threaten their authority or position. But failing to optimize the talent of others is setting yourself, and the company up for failure. It’s not about you. The ego must go. It’s about identifying and appreciating the differences each team member brings to the table, and putting it to full use. Your success is a result of your team. Play to your team’s strengths and everyone wins!

Check out my latest Bestselling Book

 Leading the Workforce of the Future