I love hearing people’s ideas. I love outside-of-the-box thinking, and I regularly—my teammates might think too regularly—ask for people’s input. So just to be clear, I want people to offer ideas. That said, I’m less than excited when people send ideas—and nothing more. They don’t offer any insight into how an idea will be executed. They don’t consider obstacles. In some … [Read more...]
To Terminate or Not to Terminate That Employee?
I don’t think firing employees comes naturally to anyone. Many new leaders avoid making this tough call. But keeping a poor performer on staff is detrimental to your bottom line as well as your team’s productivity and morale. Your staff knows when a teammate isn’t pulling his or her own weight, and that can lead to laziness (“If she can get away with that, why am I working … [Read more...]
Stop Sending These Emails
Spring is here, and as the weather heats up and skimpier clothing options abound, I’m reminded of one of my least favorite kinds of email: the “This is just a reminder” email. Many organizations like to send messages like this: This is just a reminder that we have a dress code. Please review it in your handbook. Men, you should be wearing a shirt and tie or a polo in a school … [Read more...]
What Questions Do You Ask Yourself?
Normally I answer YOUR questions in this video series, but today, I'm flipping it around and I'm asking YOU a question that will help you be a better leader. https://youtu.be/Do4VPgZtcKQ?rel=0&showinfo=0 Tweet it out: Be aware of the questions you ask yourself, for they determine the answers you get and the decisions you reach. @KevinEikenberry Send us YOUR … [Read more...]
Make Retention a Top Priority in 2018
According to a Hays survey, 81 percent of employees said they would consider leaving their current role for the right offer (and the right offer isn't all about money). People want more than just a few extra dollars on their paycheck, and are increasingly looking at the whole picture, specifically company culture, when they decide whether to join a company or leave one for a … [Read more...]
Are You the Reason for Low Employee Engagement?
We talk about motivation and engagement a great deal here on the Bud to Boss blog because it is critically important. Employee disengagement leads to low productivity and poor performance, and can seriously hurt the bottom line. As this Quill infographic shows, disengaged employees cost the U.S. $450-550 billion dollars annually, according to Gallup. Take a look at the data, … [Read more...]
Employees Are Watching You. Should You Care?
Consider the following scenarios: Scenario 1: A manager always turns out the light and locks his door before leaving for the day, unless he slips out before 5 p.m. Then he leaves the light on and the door open, giving the appearance that he's still somewhere in the workplace. Scenario 2: A manager and several of her buddies among the team members go to lunch at a … [Read more...]
Take the Pain Out of Annual Evaluations
Most organizations still require managers to conduct annual evaluations. We recommend offering more frequent, timely feedback to improve and maintain performance. Still, if the annual review is one of your jobs requirements, you can't avoid it. As a new leader, it can be pretty overwhelming, especially if you have to conduct several reviews all at once. That's why we … [Read more...]
Move Past Resistance and Make Positive Change Happen
Change is a major part of life—and so is resistance to it. So when you inherit a team that is resistant to your new role and the changes that come with it, be prepared. Engage your resistant team with the following techniques: Acknowledge the change Don't sugarcoat it. Your employees will appreciate your candidness if you openly discuss your plans for change, and how … [Read more...]
Stop With the Excuses! You Can Be an Exceptional Leader
I often hear people say that they would work on their leadership skills if their organization supported them, if they had more time and resources, or any number of other similar (and flimsy) excuses. Well, I say, no more excuses! Here are six steps that anyone can take to become strong leaders - no ifs, ands or buts about it. Just keep learning. It sounds simple … [Read more...]