Author: brigette

My new boss told me to never be afraid to give feedback. The next Monday morning in a meeting, I happily shared my viewpoint on a new policy. Thereafter, I noticed my boss’s disposition towards me changed. He stopped talking to me. I was shunned. I even felt the effects of this in my monthly performance appraisal, where he noted, I was not supportive of the organization, and I needed to be a better team player. The picture was quite clear – truthful feedback was not appreciated.

Heather, a co-worker approached me and said, “You are new, honest feedback is just lip service, don’t fall for it.” I quickly learned loyalists and sycophants were appreciated, while realists were punished. They built a culture of “yes employees.” I knew I had so much to offer, yet I couldn’t. It was time to plan my exit strategy.

Your front-line employees know your customers best; they interact with them daily. They have the answers on how to improve customer service and your products. They use your internal tools and systems every day. They have the solutions on how to improve systems which can save money by driving efficiencies. A company that doesn’t listen to their employees is on a slow rolling disaster.

If you keep treating employees poorly, you will never earn their loyalty. And once employees decide they have had enough, they will leave in spite of what you may try to retain them. It would be a little too late. The signs where there early on but you ignored it.

” Leaders who don’t listen will eventually be surrounded by people who have nothing to say.” -Andy Stanley

Employees who have been pushed to the point where they no longer care, will not go the extra mile. They will not take the initiative to solve problems. They will end up treating customers the same way you treat them. Employees are the heart beat of the company. And if the heart stops beating…What will happen?

As a leader, your job is to encourage others around you to be open and honest without a negative consequence. When employees offer their ideas and differing opinions – be open-minded. Companies that remain strong in this competitive market, understand the need to embrace change and continuous improvement. And it starts with making your employees feel heard, valued and appreciated.

Check out my latest Bestselling Book

 Leading the Workforce of the Future

Whenever a boss acts like a dictator – shutting down, embarrassing, or firing anyone who dares to challenge the status quo – you’ve got a toxic workplace problem. And that’s not just because of the boss’ bad behavior, but because that behavior creates an environment in which everyone is scared, intimidated and often willing to throw their colleagues under the bus, just to stay on the good side of the such bosses.

A toxic company culture will erode an organization by paralyzing its workforce, diminishing its productivity and stifling creativity and innovation. Now more than ever business leaders need to be addressing issues of workplace toxicity. It makes the difference in retaining good staff and also whether your company fails or succeeds. Employees aren’t afraid to jump ship when faced with a toxic workplace—and it’s usually your high performers who will go first.

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

10 Signs your workplace culture is Toxic

• Company core values do not serve as the basis for how the organization functions.
• Employee suggestions are discarded. People are afraid to give honest feedback.
• Micromanaging -Little to no autonomy is given to employees in performing their jobs.
• Blaming and punishment from management is the norm.
• Excessive absenteeism, illness and high employee turn over.
• Overworking is a badge of honor and is expected.
• Little or strained interaction between employees and management.
• Gossiping and/or social cliques.
• Favoritism and office politics.
• Aggressive or bullying behavior.

What’s the cure for a toxic work culture?

While toxic work cultures are the end result of many factors, it’s generally a combination of poor leadership and individuals who perpetuate the culture. It starts with those at the top. Leaders must show – Respect, Integrity, Authenticity, Appreciation, Empathy and Trust.

Toxicity in the workplace is costly. Unhappy or disengaged employees cost companies billions of dollars each year in lost revenues, settlements and other damages. Once you identify the major problems by gathering information. Develop a plan and follow through. It may mean training, moving or simply getting rid of bad bosses who are the root cause of toxicity in the work place. Show employees you care and are committed to improving their workplace environment. Your employees can be your greatest asset but it all depends on how you treat them.

Sadly, if you do not cure the cancer in the root of the tree, not only with the branches and leaves die; but so will the tree.

Check out my latest Bestselling Book

 Leading the Workforce of the Future

The corporate world is littered with “mere” managers but lacks leaders. Over the course of my career, I only had one manager who was a leader ( Joseph). He made such an impact and influenced my leadership style. It is a rare individual who excels in both managing and leading. Joseph was such an individual, and I would have worked for him in any company.

Today, there are too many individuals in positions who abuse their power. This is why good employees quit jobs.

Here are Five Qualities of Leaders:

1. Integrity & Authenticity go hand in hand. Joseph was honest with employees even though this trait was sometimes unpopular with top management. He often took the slack for his team. If leadership is not authentic, then what is it?

2. Humility. True leaders always aim to serve rather than be served. Being humble makes you more approachable to your followers and allows you to create an environment of open communication and more effective feedback.

3. Empathy plays a critical role in one’s ability to be a successful leader. It sharpens your “people acumen” and allows leaders to develop and maintain relationships with those they lead. Leaders that possess this are interested in the well-being of their people.

4. Communication Skills – Great leaders are able to communicate their vision in such a way that motivates their team. They are great communicators; quick to listen and slow to speak. They possess high emotional intelligence skills.

5. Inspirational – Joseph didn’t need a title to get us to complete tasks. He had our full support. Words such as “Good work team,” “You are the best”, “I trust your judgement” were at the top of his dictionary. Team spirit was high during his reign.

The greatest legacy a leader can leave is having developed other leaders.

Managers are forgotten but true leaders live on in the hearts and minds of followers. Joseph passed on 5 years ago, but I can still remember him and the legacy he left behind. He truly cared about his employees, but sadly this didn’t sit well with top management and he was transferred from our department.

Can a manager become a leader? Yes, it’s possible. Sometimes it just takes being human and developing your people skills. Technical skills alone do not keep employees motivated. In this Artificial Intelligence economy, the new smart is not determined by IQ but by EQ. It’s about listening, relating, collaborating and connecting with your team. This takes humility, authenticity and empathy.

Studies have shown that leading with vision, inspiration, and purpose, produces better bottom-line results as well as happier, more engaged employees. Leadership is a privilege not a right.If we want employees to feel commitment to the organization; we need to show we respect and value them. The “human touch” makes all the difference. If you want to make a lasting positive impact – Don’t be a boss, be a leader!

Check out my latest Bestselling Book

 Leading the Workforce of the Future

The long-term success of any company depends on the quality and loyalty of it’s employees. In this fast-paced, rapidly changing business environment in which corporate growth and profitability are critical, companies need to revamp their strategy for finding and retaining the best talent. According to research by Gallup less than 30 percent of employees say they are loyal to their company. Frequent turnover has a negative impact on employee morale, productivity and company revenue. Every time a business loses and replaces a salaried employee, it can costs up to 6 to 9 months’ salary. A lack of loyalty isn’t just employees who are leaving. In many cases, they stay on and show disloyalty through attitudes. In a way, that’s worse than if they left.

If companies are going to excel, they need two things: Loyal Employees and Loyal Customers.The link between employee satisfaction and productivity is long-established. Research has found that happy workers are 12% more productive than their less satisfied counterparts. Loyal employees = Loyal customers. Loyal employees are worth more than their weight in gold. They uphold your brand and ensure the sustainability of your business. They go the extra mile. They make it possible for you to win.

Give your Employees reasons to Stay

The reality is that employees are only as loyal to the company as they believe the company is loyal to them. So in the end, building an organization of committed, loyal employees ultimately comes down to demonstrating to employees that the company deserves their loyalty. You need to provide a reason for your employees to be loyal. Employees want challenging work, recognition and respect, opportunities for advancement, professional growth and development, and a flexible work environment. Studies abound that show when your employees are connected and engaged (i.e. loyal), business booms.

Don’t just focus on the bottom line. Invest in the people responsible for the bottom line.

There is true profitability involved when you cultivate employee loyalty. At the University of Pennsylvania, researchers discovered that businesses that spent 10% of their revenue on capital improvements saw a 3.9% productivity increase. But get this—when that same 10% was invested in employees, productivity went up 8.5%.

Employees want to be treated like human beings. They have feelings, emotions and personal lives. When an organization treats its employee like an object, they feel disrespected. When, on the other hand, an organization appreciates it employees, shows empathy and is flexible, this will make them think twice about leaving.

Loyal employees show up, deliver results and consistently go above and beyond to support the company. In the end, people make companies successful. Any strategy or business plan relies on motivated and engaged people to make it happen! This is why the most successful companies focus on people and relationships, and make sure both are not just managed but lead and cared for. Want Loyal Employees? Treat your people well!

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 I couldn’t even send an email without her approving it first. She was so inflexible that it was overbearing. It was very frustrating and I didn’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.

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. 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.

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.

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.

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