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...]
10 Steps to Gain (or Regain) Your Employees’ Trust
When it comes to leadership, few things are as important as your employees' trust in you. Once you lose it, it's very hard to earn it back. Follow these 10 tips to build your employees' trust (or rebuild it once it's lost): Align your words and actions. Follow through with your commitments and promises. Honor the behaviors you claim are important to you—and engage in them … [Read more...]
5 Leadership Mistakes That Kill Employee Trust
To move quickly, pivot, overcome challenges and meet your goals, you need your employees to trust you. In fact, Amanda Setili, author of Fearless Growth: The New Rules to Stay Competitive, Foster Innovation, and Dominate Your Markets, says it's more important now than ever before. Why? Because without trust, you will never create the deep engagement and sense of safety … [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...]
5 Toxic Words or Phrases You Should Avoid at Work
Using the wrong word or phrase can make you look unprofessional, unintelligent or even incompetent. Make sure that you aren't using words that hurt your career or advancement potential. Crystal Barnett, a senior human resource specialist with Insperity recommends steering clear of these words and phrases if you want to climb the ladder at work. “Honestly." You should share … [Read more...]
10 Employee Needs You Must Meet to Succeed
When employees needs are not met, they find it difficult — if not impossible — to focus on anything else. As their leader, you play a pivotal role in ensuring that those needs are met. If you put in the time and effort, employees will perform at a higher level, will be more loyal and will be much more likely to hit their goals. So what do employees want from their leaders? … [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...]
Do This When You Need to Correct an Employee
I want you to pause for a minute and imagine this scenario: You ask an employee, coworker, friend or family member for an honest opinion. The person offers it, but it's not exactly what you wanted to hear. Perhaps your spouse commented that she didn't like the new dish you prepared. Or your coworker disagreed with your plan of attack on a project. Or your BFF admitted that … [Read more...]
3 Times You Should Change Your Perception
Have you ever left a movie and talked with someone about it, and it seemed like the two of you saw two completely different movies? You each noticed different things, cared about different aspects and were moved in different ways by different parts of the film? Since we each have our own powerful perceptions, that is easy to understand. Each person sees what his/her brain … [Read more...]
The Problem With Labeling People
When dictators come to power, they often use a well-planned strategy for ousting their rivals. Part of that strategy helps them to justify the harsh tactics they use against their political opponents. One part of the strategy gradually strips away the human character of people who stand between the dictator and total control of the country. By stripping away human … [Read more...]