Business Archives - Team Resilience Method

Why Should Leaders Exude Confidence?

by sally | Sep 25, 2022 | Business, Uncategorized

According to Eleanor Roosevelt, American political figure, diplomat, and activist, “A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader; a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves.” But I bet any employee wouldn’t feel good if their leader doesn’t show confidence in making decisions.

The leader’s behaviour affects how the team thinks and decides. If a boss is lazy and doesn’t make decisions confidently, expect chaos in the team. But if the boss knows what he or she is doing, work would be like a walk in the park for the employees (but not all the time!).

A timid and self-doubting leader will result in uncertain situations and confuse members. However, a confident leader will develop a group of independent, creative minds with a clear intention of what they want to achieve as a team.

After all, apart from this, how can confident leaders positively affect the organisation?

Confidence improves your decision-making process

Making decisions should be a collaborative effort and open to any suggestions. But let’s be honest, the boss (yes, that’s you) always has the final say.

A leader will face numerous decision-making situations, and most of these would have a huge impact on the team. Confidence is the person’s ability to create a decision without being stressed and anxious while understanding the possible results or consequences and holding accountability for this decision.

Confidence should not be based on emotions but on factual judgments. Have you done enough research? Were you able to analyse the situation carefully? Are you going to accept the result regardless of the outcome? Do I hear a ‘yes’? Good! These are the primary questions you should ask yourself before creating a critical decision.

Confidence drives effective communication

Effective communication is basically the key to the success of a flourishing team. As a leader, you will need to have the spirit to facilitate meaningful conversations. An aura of confidence is essential to this, as well as when it comes to striking communications with individual team members.

If you are confident in sharing your thoughts with your colleagues and subordinates, it should not be difficult for them to trust you and be more open about their thoughts and opinions. Your confidence and your team’s level of openness is necessary when coming together to brainstorm solutions to pressing problems — they get to speak their mind and help you come up with various solutions without fear of consequence.

Confidence builds trust

If you show confidence in handling your responsibilities as a leader, your team sees that you know what you are doing and trust your decisions as a result. As we all know, trust is essential to all sorts of workplace collaborations, and when you have achieved a healthy level of trust between you and your team, it will not be hard for you to lead them to accomplish objectives that will help your organisation reach set goals.

A leader trusted by the team will have his or her insights valued. The words of a trusted and confident leader carry plenty of weight, and their decisions are ultimately respected, whatever the results may look like.

Confidence improves workplace relationships

If you are confident with your actions and decisions, you practically eliminate any anxiety or stress growing amongst your team. As mentioned earlier, they will get to trust you, which should result in healthier working relationships between you and your team and individual team members.

As your confidence inspires healthy working relationships, expect to create a workplace conducive to productivity. Productive workers are happy employees, and happy employees are satisfied individuals who are more than willing to stay with the team provided they are appropriately compensated for their efforts.

Confidence paves the way towards achieving your goals

Confidence provides a clear path to your goal for the team. When you show your team that you are confident enough to reach the goal, each member will try to contribute as much as possible to follow suit.

Your team members will also be inspired by your confidence, allowing them to believe in themselves and increasing their independence. Plus, it encourages them to take the necessary initiative to accomplish tasks on their own, all while seamlessly collaborating with their colleagues to achieve the objectives that you have set.

Confidence shows your team that you’re the right person for the job

Confidence results from the experience and wisdom you have gained from work. As such, being confident shows that you have sufficient knowledge to make the right decisions, develop the best strategies, and create solutions that can provide a clear resolution to current problems.

In other words, this lets your people see that you know what you are doing, and will follow through with whatever you come up with. It should also tell them that, in case of failure, you have an arsenal of knowledge to go back to and recalibrate to achieve your goals on the next attempt.

Confidence, in a nutshell, is a solid foundation upon which you, as a leader, build your team’s trust. Timidity has no room in leadership, and everyone entrusted with the duty to take the lead needs to be more confident to produce the best results. Also, there’s no shame in seeking support from other experts, if that will help you boost your confidence as a leader.

Leading With Certainty – online training

by sally | Oct 11, 2021 | Business

The success of a business is defined by it’s returns. From systems, products and services, leaders must be certain that their time spent is valuable.

But the last 18 months seem to have been all about survival, feeling lost for what is coming next and trying to find a way to connect and deliver whilst remaining optimistic and energetic.

As a leader, you have the potential to master the success of your business, and it’s now time to re-develop the ability to thrive and build the muscles that will support a high-performing workplace thats assured in it’s resilient approach.

A resilient business is confident.

It’s committed and prepared, and it sees challenges as opportunities.

In this interactive webinar you’ll discover the system and strategies that will give you certainty moving forward to reach your goals, and develop trust and resilience across your business.

We’ll cover;

mindset hacks that are easy to implement
how to improve your peoples ability to think
where to focus when dealing with change, avoiding distraction
how to constantly refine and adjust the pathway to get there
proven strategies that will bring stability
how to improve and innovate during difficult times… and anytime

For any business who wants to;

Settle in to or plan for change
Lead their team with confidence and purpose
Develop trust and resilience
Effectively manage their strategy, processes and innovation
Identify new opportunities
Recharge and take it to the next level

Ron Caruci says “There is no currency in organisational life more valuable than trustworthiness”.

This webinar will ensure you have the tools to strengthen trust across your entire business.

HOW TO GO FROM MEDIOCRE TO HEAD-TURNING

by sally | Aug 10, 2021 | Business

“People don’t need to be managed, they need to be unleashed” – Richard Florida

What a great quote, it gets me excited at the possibilities.

Imagine…

… a team where everyone is two feet in, hungry and ready to commit 100% to the growth of the business, to support you, the leader and to share all of their amazing ideas and challenges.

… A team that thrives on innovative thinking and is empowered to ‘own’ it – both their own performance and also the outcome for the entire team.

…A form of leadership where the team are encouraged to create and ‘unleash’ without fear of judgement or criticism.

This form of high impact leadership focuses on the heart of any organisation –the people and the standards to which they operate. Great people want to improve themself, they want to contribute, and they want to make a difference.

I’m astounded to know that 6 out of 10 (!) workers are miserable (according to a survey conducted in the Daily Mail).. and at the top of the list of complaints is quality of leadership.

It all begins at the top.

If ‘good’ is ‘good enough’ the culture of the organisation will feel flat, the team members will do little to improve how things are done, and new team members will wonder what they’ve got themselves into.

If standards are set, if they’re non-negotiable and they cover everything from answering the phone to submitting weekly goals… the team that you really want, the one that grows the business, they’ll stay and play. This team will strive, they will thrive… and so, will business.

The possibilities are glowing;

Many minds working together for the greater good.
You, as the leader, leading the innovators (not following the pack!)
A business that is profitable.
Clients continuously come back.
A team that is engaged, happy and encouraged to explore

In this environment – a good day is where the team member knows they’ve made a difference and they were capable under pressure of finding a way.

This is empowerment. This is the creation of a business that turns heads.

Leadership is MANY things, but it all comes down to one thing – You’re there to help your team to ‘think’ in a way that;

Seeks to challenge their own beliefs and attitudes about what’s possible
Allows them to own their role
Boosts their personal performance
Gives them more job satisfaction
Encourages them to contribute to the improvements and innovations in the organisation
Guides them in how to solve problems in a way that demonstrates good judgement and thought for consequences
Allows them to think of others and the impact decisions have on them

When your team has the ability to think in this way there is an increase in productivity, a rise in satisfaction a surge in results.

But the standards must be non-negotiable. And they must apply to everyone. Everyone contributes. Everyone speaks up. Everyone owns it.

This is the standard. As a leader I’ll encourage, inspire and assist as required. But if you don’t meet the standard, move on.

It is your standards that set you apart from the rest, that move you away from mediocre and into extraordinary.

It is the standards that will encourage your team to push for the next level of excellence and demand more each and every day.

Such standards should include-

Communication excellence – team members expect to communicate with each other, the clients and the stakeholders with respect and courtesy at all times
At cause – the team holds themselves at cause and take 100% responsibility for their results and non-results
No hidden agendas. We are open and work through challenges

Other ideas for what to consider when standard setting-

How will we operate with each other?
What will we guarantee to bring every single time no matter what?
What are our expectations of each other?
What can I count on in you?
Standards for people who do business with you, standards for your business

Standards must be considered in performance reviews, given each 90 days. These points of culture are shared as the first thing they receive feedback on, because it’s that important.

Leadership is not a ‘sometimes’ undertaking.

If you’re unsure if you have the right standards in place, if you’re on the right path to business excellence, to turn heads and to unleash the spectacular in your team, then your likely not.

Email me on sally@team-resilience.com.au and I’ll happily reply with a free Needs Analysis questionnaire so you’re able to

Identify gaps before they become a problem
Help to plan your training for 2021
Highlight training you may not have considered
Ensure your training is focused on the right areas
Decide who should attend which trainings and
Help you to prioritise training needs

Make 2021 the year where your business stands well above the rest

EMBRACE CHANGE in 5 EASY STEPS

by sally | Aug 7, 2021 | Business

…. while still remaining in control!

When you look in the mirror in the morning, how bright is the twinkle in your eyes?

Do they shine and sparkle at the thought of what’s happening next at work?

Or do they lay dull in their sockets because it’s ‘the same old thing’ today? (Even though that thought may initially comfort you!)

Some people get addicted to the certainty of things. Get addicted to having control. Predicting results is surely easier when you’re in your little bubble of comfort.

It’s also easier, to not try new things … to resist change.

You’ve satiated your world in certainty. The thought of not knowing what’s going to happen, makes you a little queezy. (though you sense it may be necessary to move forward… you’re just unsure how to implement)

What if you could embrace this feeling, bring back spark – to you and those around you?! Reignite passion. Change your results.

The thing about predictability, is it can suffocate growth. And when it’s overdone, there’s then a sudden need for some adventure or variety. This is often subconscious and can be seen around the office as; self sabotage, overwhelm, excessive drinking or creating drama!

Sacrificing progress today for the feeling of certainty…

to then choose sacrificing certainty tomorrow for the feeling of uncertainty (drama, lack of focus/direction, gossip etc) …

simply because you didn’t do what you know you needed to do…

and then you’re going to worry about it?!

Get me off that treadmill!

Here’s some easy steps to follow to get back on the path to success – to enhance that twinkle in your eyes, learn to love what you don’t know, and EMBRACE THE UNCERTAINTY.

HAVE A GO!
Say Yes and then work out how.
The key is to make up your mind quickly and change it slowly. When you say YES, it confirms you’re worth it. You will then back yourself to figure out the rest. This way you’ll consistently discover that you’ve got more to give and you have yet another level within.
TRUST YOUR SENSES
Doing this effectively will form a belief within yourself that you can draw on at times of uncertainty – this will carry you through. By believing in yourself and trusting your senses, you’re more likely to give it a go in the areas that you may not think you know so well.
DO ONE THING EVERY DAY TO GET YOU OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE
Could be as simple as speaking to someone you wouldn’t usually, going down a slide at the park (with or without the kids there), go bare foot on a trail walk.
DO THE LESS PREDICTABLE THING
Not to shock others, but to surprise yourself. This will build your inner trust.
CHOOSE A MORE POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND LOOSEN UP–
“I have no idea how to do this, yet I’m going to have a good ole crack at it and work out where I suck”. Through striving forward and giving it a go, we discover where we struggle and where the gaps are for us to move forward.“Fantastic, I now know what I have to learn and where to progress”It’s unreasonable – and disrespectful – to any craft, to believe that you’ll get it 100% right on the first go… or 2nd… or 3rd. It’s like saying you’ve been on a sailing boat before and now you’re going to Captain it from Melbourne to Sydney – yet you have no idea how to put up a sail, use any navigation equipment, tell where the shipping lanes are, or even raise and lower the anchor.A business, an organisation, a team, must continue to push the boundaries, be innovative, strive for performance and not conformity – this often requires trying new things…
Now that you know the steps – get in there, have a champion’s mindset and get out of your comfort zone – that’s where the magic happens.
Before I go, let me ask… while you’ve been playing it safe, what have you had to give up?

HOW SAFE IS YOUR BUSINESS FROM COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN?

by sally | Aug 6, 2021 | Business

Amidst the uncertainty of current working environments, there’s one thing that remains constant;

The need for effective communication to get results!

One common challenge I regularly hear is “how do I motivate and inspire my staff?” Communication is the most important determining factor needed to achieve the connection for this to happen…. and everybody has their own way of communicating!

I recall some early days in my career as a leader…

— Staff begin work, staff do job, staff tick off lists, staff finish up for the day –

No spark. No creativity or innovation. No extra mile.

Seemingly ‘stuck’ in their day-to-day regime – and me, unsure of how to communicate to get things back on track.

I tried everything to reinspire and motivate.

I tried ‘everything on each of them’… meetings, extra breaks, feedback, incentives, buddy’s.

I tried everything that I believed would help to get my team’s buy-in….

It was hit and miss with my results and at times I certainly felt lost, uncertain and a little helpless.

Sound familiar?

I eventually discovered that the problem lay in my approach.

I was viewing solely, through my own lense… and under the impression that I understood what the problem was – ‘surely I get it’, ‘they must be feeling the same as I would in that situation’.

Key factor was that I had no idea how they were feeling and thinking about the situation… I could take an educated guess, but really… no idea.

At that time, I was yet to understand that although I saw differences in all people… I didn’t quite get that there genuinely are;

different ways that we each respond to the same event and
different things that make each of us tick….

A-HA moment!!

Whether the team member has

lost focus
seems bored
is straying from responsibility or
seemingly ‘stuck in their ways’

…. it is the leader’s approach to these problems that will determine the success of the outcome.

Each ‘problem’ is typically identifiable through certain actions… and when you can look out for such behaviour and notice those traits in your staff, then you are able to effectively offer the right approach/solution.

There are four types of main problems that you’ll likely notice.

I’ve stated them below, along with the solution of how to approach that particular behaviour to ensure confident development.

When you lead in this way, with awareness and acceptance, it builds;

Trust – developed through respect and care felt by staff, and

Resilience – the determination to push through, because staff feel worthy and accepted.

In yourself, it promotes growth in self-awareness, felt through your purposeful approach and actions – which must be flexible in order to inspire creativity and innovation.

Trust, Resilience and Self-awareness are the ingredients that will transform and redefine your culture. An amazing culture moves your business from mediocre to outstanding.

Problem – LOSS OF FOCUS – Forgetting the roles and forgetting the goals leads to making small mistakes. This person will often create their own little informal groups.

Solution – Focus on the big picture, maintaining a positive attitude. Take the time to chat and talk, helping to achieve recognition. Avoid too many details.

Problem – BOREDOM – Doesn’t stay in area of responsibility, seeking out new challenges (often not received). This team member becomes bored and uninterested in teamwork.

Solution– Act quickly with this person, focusing on the issues and providing direct answers. Show interest and offer alternatives. Enjoy the battle – they will! Avoid too much information and don’t take issues personally.

Problem – BOGGED DOWN – Some can become so overly cautious that they are bogged down in the details and thus resist responsibility.

Solution – Listen carefully and find out what the key issues are with this person. Be thorough and provide factual responses. Avoid small talk and applying pressure. Don’t expect decisions right away.

Problem – RESISTS CHANGE – This can happen to many, but a good percentage will adjust in reasonable time. This team member will resist even the simplest of new procedures and become protective of their team. They are at a stand-still, full of opinion with no initiation.

Solution – Building trust is key here. Remember fairness and justice and provide support. Keep conversation slow and ask specific questions to find out their true needs. Avoid domination and unreliability.

It is crucial that each team member is viewed upon as their own entity… it is not rational to discount them for ‘acting up’ (unless of course its continual or extreme!) or to presume that they are doing so for a particular reason… there is only one way to find out why… and it’s in the approach!

So, get curious!

Focus on looking at how the individual is ‘doing’ their undesirable behaviour… and see your team as a group of self-leaders, where your role is to provide opportunities for their growth.

If you need more help connecting and communicating with your staff, email me on sally@team-resilience.com.au. I am currently gifting free webinars that will strengthen connections and enhance all round communication.

HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY COMMUNICATE TO BOOST TEAM PERFORMANCE

by sally | Aug 5, 2021 | Business

You’d be excused if you were still scrambling around working out how to effectively manage your virtual and remote teams to get the most powerful result.

Many leaders and managers were thrust into this environment within a very short space of time and for a lot, it’s been trial and error.

The great news is that if your remote team is set-up and managed in the right way, research shows that they can actually out-perform an in-house team. The key point here is that its unreasonable (and irresponsible!) to assume that you can just disperse your group of talented people and hope for the best!

A few years back, remote teams were quite foreign and even considered strange but as internet connections have strengthened and software for video conferencing has improved in use and functionality, this style of working is now quite typical.

As this norm increases (even BEFORE COVID roughly 32% of workers in Australia were regularly working from home – as stated on the abs.gov.au site) more and more Companies are seeing the benefits and forming remote working teams. As this ability to work from all different locations, collaborating on projects and initiatives provides flexibility, it also requires leaders to support their people in a much different capacity to the norm.

Whether your team is 100% virtual, partially virtual or overlapping in hours or days of work, it’s likely your working environment and relationships have been affected. Communicating what was once simple, now requires more effort and thought.

Luckily, understanding Extended DISC can help you to understand your teams needs and wants.

If you are familiar with Extended DISC profiles for your in-house teams, then you know how helpful it is to be able to support and encourage your people in the way they need. But what about for remote teams? Are these profiles as important seeing as the majority of tasks are performed alone?

Yes. They are critical – that is, if your goal is to create a team of self-leaders, set them up for success and to set you all up to reap the rewards.

A DISC profile clearly shows you the natural, preferred style of your individual team member (or, if you have a team profile, you will also understand the team preference overall, how each member works with and bounces off each other and where the gaps are that must be filled).

When you understand your teams DISC profiles you’re able to tailor EVERYTHING to meet their needs – from projects and tasks to workstations, working partners and required support. The profiles give an insight in to your people’s skill sets and their natural behaviours – identifiers such as their strengths, stretches, how they perceive others, are perceived, what makes them tick, how they like to be motivated, inspired and challenged (if at all!).

The knowledge gained from a DISC profile can be the differentiating support tool that takes your team from ‘here’ to next level. Significant factors like knowing which of your team members can handle the isolation aspects and how much support and contact they need and expect from you to complete their role, will enable you to know where to focus (and how much!). Knowing what to offer your team is essential if you want a successful remote program.

Tips to effectively identify and support the DISC Profiles:

D Styles are your assertive high achievers, visionary and natural leaders. They are likely to stay on task and get things done. D Style workers want to be heard and thrive on competition. Ensure your D Style people have the space to share their achievements and opinions.
I Styles are your charismatic relationship focused workers. They typically have high Emotional Intelligence but may get easily distracted, even scatter brained under pressure. They do like to be around people and are the most likely to struggle with working remotely. Ensure you keep in touch with your I style people with messaging apps such as Slack (just don’t be surprised by the amount of chatter coming through these channels) and help to keep them focused and on-track.
Remote work is most suited to your S Style workers, especially if they are working at home with friends or family. Typically, they are your reliable workers who saty on task and follow instructions. They want to be comfortable but do not like instability. Ensure you offer them enough support to cope with the change in working environments.
Your C Style workers are your analytical, precise, logical team members. Ensure you provide them with very detailed emails, so they know the tasks they need to accomplish and how to perform them. Check-in regularly with your C Style people so they can ask questions and discuss their concerns.

If you’re interested in discovering more about your teams individual or group preferences, please get in touch.

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