Author: brigette

My boss made a mistake on a project we were working on and instead of owning his mistake, he said it was my fault. I sat through that meeting feeling shocked and disappointed. Although this happened a couple of years ago. I remember the details quite well.

When we left the meeting he told me, “You are a good sport.” I knew I needed to start planning my exit strategy. I loved my job but I couldn’t trust my boss. He would throw you under the bus in a heartbeat to make himself look good. In spite of how good a job is, once you don’t have a manager that has your back, you will be miserable in that job.

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

People don’t leave bad jobs, They leave bad bosses. A boss creates fear and makes work drudgery. Most of the time an employee has an issue with a company, it is something relating to their boss.You spend half of your life at work, and your immediate supervisor determines the atmosphere. Life is too short to spend 40+ hours a week in constant stress and misery.

A bad boss can destroy everything from team morale to the actual company. A recent study says that 56% of employees would turn down a 10% raise to stay with a great boss. The corporate world is full of managers and lacks leaders. Leaders build people up. Managers pull people down. Leaders are those comfortable and secure in who they are whilst managers are competing with their subordinates.

Studies show having a bad boss raises a worker’s chance of having a heart attack by as much as 60 per cent.

Working for a bad boss was actually more of a risk factor for heart disease than smoking, lack of exercise, or being overweight, the researchers calculated. What was it about a bad manager that increased the risk of heart disease? The stress and anxiety caused by unfeasible targets, lack of support, unfair practices and threats of punishment. If your manager doesn’t like you, you are on shaky ground. You will always have to keep making sure you dot your i’s and cross your t’s because they can easily set you up to fail or succeed. High levels of stress is directly linked stress with atherosclerosis, the disease of the arteries that in turn causes heart disease.

Never underestimate the impact of working in a toxic environment. It will permeate into every area of your life. Try to move to a different job in the same company, or another company with more competent management. On the other hand, if you do have a good boss, really appreciate them. Good bosses are capable of taking an organization and people to new heights.

Check out my latest Bestselling Book

 Leading the Workforce of the Future

I resigned from a job because of the toxic work culture. Yes, the salary was great but the job was consuming all my time. You do owe your employer your best work everyday, but you don’t owe your employer your personal life or health.

A toxic work environment results from a failure of leadership starting at the top of the organization and filtering all the way down. You cannot fix a toxic culture with imposing vision and mission statements. It takes more than some catchy phrases to create a great culture. It’s been my experience that toxic work cultures are caused by bad bosses. This is because of their corrosive effects on employee morale and job satisfaction.

The effects of a toxic work culture are far reaching. Just look at Wells Fargo; misdeeds went on for years, in plain light of day, and nothing changed until the problem got too big to be ignored. Yet aftershocks are still taking place.

A toxic workplace will never change as long as management allows bullying, gossiping, unprofessionalism, favoritism and office politics to occur. These behaviors undermine trust and are associated with empire building, rather than people building. People building promotes teamwork. Teamwork is all about collaboration and support for each other.

“There is no magic formula for great company culture. The key is just to treat your staff how you would like to be treated.” – Richard Branson

Toxicity is lethal to growth, innovation and creativity. It can also make employees sick. Disengaged employees, high turnover, poor customer relations and lower profits are examples of how the wrong culture can negatively impact the bottom line.

When people leave your organization, find out why. (Exit Interviews) Consequently,when people stay with your organization, find out why (Stay Interviews). It’s important to act on feedback and make the necessary changes. Show employees you are interested in creating a healthy workplace environment.

A strong culture is a common denominator among the most successful companies. The Golden Rule still applies today. “Treat others as you would like to be treated.” It’s important that managers focus on relationship building and encourage a family atmosphere at work. Get to know your employees, meet them where they are and be flexible. If you want a great company culture start with implementing kindness, empathy, respect, transparency, accountability, humility, authenticity and integrity in your core values. The best way to show that you truly believe this is to lead by example.

Check out my latest Bestselling Book

 Leading the Workforce of the Future

There’s a lot of truth behind the saying, “People don’t leave bad jobs. They leave bad bosses.” More often than not, it’s not because they are underpaid, rather it’s because they feel undervalued and unappreciated. Sadly many managers think that they’ve fulfilled their duty by providing a paycheck, but that’s not enough if you want engaged and productive employees.

All great bosses know that employees need to feel appreciated. Nothing works better than positive reinforcement. Research suggests you need to praise at least three times as much as you criticize to keep employees happy. Instead of being quick to criticize, be quick to point out some of the great things you see your employees doing. This will not only reinforce these positive actions with the employees that performed them, but also encourage other employees to do the same. Appreciation coupled with incentive rewards is a great morale and productivity booster. Even the slowest employee will work to the best of their ability if they know their efforts are appreciated.

It does not cost much to show employees how much you appreciate them:

– Punish in private; praise in public. Make the public praise timely and specific.

– A personalized thank you giving specifics on how the employee has helped.

– Recognition in meetings.

–Remember to cc people’s supervisors. “Don’t tell me. Tell my boss.”

– A random breakfast or lunch.

– A relevant gift. Even something that can help them do their job better.

– Time off

Actions speak louder than words. Saying, “Thank You” can only have real meaning if employees know you are an authentic person. Be a leader who genuinely cares about employees. Other great phrases that go hand in hand with “Thank You” are:

•       Great job.
•       Well done.
•        I’m sorry.
•        How can I help you?
•       What are your thoughts?

“People work for money but go the extra mile for recognition, praise and rewards.” -Dale Carnegie

Two of the most basic human desires are validation and appreciation — we need to feel like we matter. People want to feel appreciated, respected and included. Sometimes it’s the little things we do that counts the most. Waiting too long to appreciate employees could result in those you lead feeling resentful. Not only do underappreciated employees cost more when they (inevitably) leave but they cost a lot more if they stay. (faulty work, poor customer service, reduced productivity)

Choose to see the best in others. Choose to see what makes them amazing. Let them know the amazing things you see. Play to your team’s strengths and everyone wins.

Check out my latest Bestselling Book

 Leading the Workforce of the Future

I allow my employees flexibility in lunch time, breaks, sick days, family leave, further education, etc. I don’t believe in micromanaging. It puts undue stress on employees. I train, coach and mentor but I don’t have the time to micromanage.

If you hired someone, it means you believe they are capable of doing the job. Then trust them to get the job done. You don’t need to be constantly monitoring their every movement. Micromanagement breeds resentment and disloyalty.

In an AI age characterized by disruption and ambiguous change, we need to rethink how we lead people. It’s no secret that technology is transforming the workplace, and unfortunately, employee morale is only getting worse. As organizations continue to focus on this technology, they are overlooking the most important part of the equation – the people side of the disruption. Disruption isn’t solely about how you manage the technology; it’s how you lead the people. Technology is a tool that empowers change, but people make it happen.

What do employees want? Employees want to feel like they belong, are heard and appreciated. Ping pong tables and sweet treats are not enough. Engagement doesn’t have to be a challenge. Today, it can be accomplished by using digital tools. It’s all about building a culture of feedback and continuous conversations. My aim is to create an environment where employees feel safe and comfortable to express themselves.

As someone who travels a lot. I have had to get a little creative when it comes to engaging employees. I take advantage of systems as video conferencing and virtual meetings, which makes it easier to interact and connect with my employees. Weekly, I try to include 2 virtual coffee breaks. Additionally, once every three months, we meet up for a themed virtual party. Our next party is Thursday and of course the theme is Christmas. It’s important to use technology not just in a transactional way. Have fun! It doesn’t need to be overly formal. Employees will look forward to these activities.

Results should be measured instead of hours spent behind a physical desk.

My employees don’t need to be in the office every day. My new employee asked to work from home, then started to feverishly explain. This is what I told her, “I don’t need to know the details. I do not pay for seat warmers. Come to the office fine. 9 to 5? Fine. Work from home. Fine. Work from the garage while they fix your car? Fine. Everybody works at a different pace. You choose how to get your work done. Keep clients happy. I am happy.”

 

 

The future lies in flexible work patterns. Allowing employees to work from anywhere using technology doesn’t have to slow down productivity. It’s 2019 not 1919. Digital tools allow us to collaborate across time and space effectively.

The best ideas and advancements are a result of empowering your team. If you want performance at scale, select the right people, provide them with the tools and support, and give them the room to get the job done.

Check out my latest Bestselling Book

 Leading the Workforce of the Future

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