A big part of an efficient workforce is maintaining effective working relationships. These relationships can be easily damaged when a leader fails to communicate properly with his or her employees.
To help you avoid certain phrases or responses that can be detrimental, here are six things you, as a boss, should never say to your employees:
1. I pay your salary. You have to do what I say. Leaders influence by inspiring, teaching and encouraging. Threats and power struggles don’t work anymore. As a leader, set a good example, praise in public, criticize in private, give credit where credit is due, and respond to feedback.
2. I don’t want to listen to your complaints. You should be actively seeking feedback, even if it’s negative. Complaints can point out where improvement is needed. If a complaint involves a problem that cannot be solved, allow your employees to vent. It can restore morale and build loyalty.
3. I was here on Saturday afternoon. Where were you? This kind of pressure to be working all the time is the fastest way to employee burnout. Not only will it destroy morale, but it rarely results in more productivity.
4. Isn’t your performance review coming up soon? If you really want to motivate people, show employees you value them, and let them know what they have to gain by doing a good job.
5. We’ve always done it this way. This statement is a good way to crush employee initiative. Your job as a boss is to encourage innovation. And employees who create more efficient ways to do things should be celebrated.
6. You should work “better.” Managers need to clearly communicate their expectations to their employees. When giving instructions, make sure they have been understood. Don’t assume.
Click here for original article.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
One Soldier’s Successful Journey from the Battlefield to the Boardroom: Part One
Orion’s recent Distinguished Candidate Conference was a tremendous success, with over 30 companies interviewing transitioning Military Officers for positions in the areas of Sales, Enginering, Leadership Development Programs and Operations Management. The event was enriched by the keynote presentation, given by Dave Krall, Regional Sales Manager at Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
An Army veteran and USMA Graduate, Krall discussed his own transition process and the attributes of a successful veteran. Krall’s transition began 20 years ago when he attended a military hiring conference in Atlanta and had 30 interviews in three days. And while most of these interviews resulted in offers for Operations positions, he decided to accept a position as a Sales Representative with Scott Paper Company selling paper products to commercial customers. Krall quickly turned his entry level sales job into a $500,000 order and soon after became the number one sales representative in all of Scott Paper.
Krall accepted a sales position with increasing challenge and responsibility and took a sales role with start-up (at the time) company Ethicon Endo-Surgery, a division of Johnson & Johnson. Throughout his ensuing 18 years with Ethicon, Krall has been involved in sales training, management, marketing, R&D, and senior leadership positions, and has helped grow the company from a start-up to $4 billion in global sales.
Krall’s transition to the civilian workforce exemplifies why Hire a Hero, Hire a Vet is a proud advocate of veterans in the workplace. Krall approached his transition with the tenacity and versatility that embodies the reasons for which veterans are sought-after employees in Corporate America. Stay tuned next month to read Krall’s take on the attributes of a successfully-transitioned veteran.
An Army veteran and USMA Graduate, Krall discussed his own transition process and the attributes of a successful veteran. Krall’s transition began 20 years ago when he attended a military hiring conference in Atlanta and had 30 interviews in three days. And while most of these interviews resulted in offers for Operations positions, he decided to accept a position as a Sales Representative with Scott Paper Company selling paper products to commercial customers. Krall quickly turned his entry level sales job into a $500,000 order and soon after became the number one sales representative in all of Scott Paper.
Krall accepted a sales position with increasing challenge and responsibility and took a sales role with start-up (at the time) company Ethicon Endo-Surgery, a division of Johnson & Johnson. Throughout his ensuing 18 years with Ethicon, Krall has been involved in sales training, management, marketing, R&D, and senior leadership positions, and has helped grow the company from a start-up to $4 billion in global sales.
Krall’s transition to the civilian workforce exemplifies why Hire a Hero, Hire a Vet is a proud advocate of veterans in the workplace. Krall approached his transition with the tenacity and versatility that embodies the reasons for which veterans are sought-after employees in Corporate America. Stay tuned next month to read Krall’s take on the attributes of a successfully-transitioned veteran.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Transformational Leaders
When Steve Rizley took over Cox Communications’ Arizona branch in 2000, they had not met budget in 3 years. Today, the branch is a model for organizational effectiveness. What caused the dramatic change? Rizley went to work and immediately focused on the people in the organization. And within two years his transformational leadership style resulted in outstanding growth.
Rather than the transactional leadership mentality which is “I have something you need (money) and you have something I need (labor),” the transformational leader recognizes that there are four human needs that must satisfied in order to encourage efficiency and growth.
1. The need to love and be loved. The transformational leader understands that tough-minded caring is important to being a leader and helping develop a powerful and fully expressed workforce.
2. The need to grow. A transformational leader is able to create a culture that allows people to flourish and to grow as leaders, employees and human beings.
3. The need to contribute. When we contribute in a significant way, we know we belong. To feel empowered, employees must feel their thoughts and ideas are part of a contribution to the whole.
4. The need for meaning. We have to see a bigger purpose. If there is not a clear picture of meaning we are not fully satisfied.
The transformational leader understands that when you meet all four of these needs, people become more passionate about their work and become more engaged and efficient.
Click here for original article.
Rather than the transactional leadership mentality which is “I have something you need (money) and you have something I need (labor),” the transformational leader recognizes that there are four human needs that must satisfied in order to encourage efficiency and growth.
1. The need to love and be loved. The transformational leader understands that tough-minded caring is important to being a leader and helping develop a powerful and fully expressed workforce.
2. The need to grow. A transformational leader is able to create a culture that allows people to flourish and to grow as leaders, employees and human beings.
3. The need to contribute. When we contribute in a significant way, we know we belong. To feel empowered, employees must feel their thoughts and ideas are part of a contribution to the whole.
4. The need for meaning. We have to see a bigger purpose. If there is not a clear picture of meaning we are not fully satisfied.
The transformational leader understands that when you meet all four of these needs, people become more passionate about their work and become more engaged and efficient.
Click here for original article.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Gemini Energy Services Awarded DOE Grant for Veterans Workforce Development
Gemini Energy Services, a division of Orion International, has been awarded a $200,000 Workforce Development grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, to create a tailored training curriculum for military veterans that will translate their military skill set into a Technical career within the Wind Industry. Orion International has committed an additional $154,000 to the grant award for training, tools and equipment costs, and will oversee the continuation of the program once the grant funding has been exhausted.
“Veterans are ideally suited for the Wind Industry due to their leadership experience, technical skill, and proven performance under the most difficult of situations, and yet a lack of wind-specific training can present a barrier to entry,” said Mike Starich, President of Orion International. “We are pleased to have been awarded this grant by the DOE, which will allow us to develop an industry leading military-specific training curriculum to eliminate this barrier.”
The program will create an intensive multi-phase training curriculum, combining OSHA, industry-specific, and OEM training segments, as well as on-the-job practical work experience. Participants will be hired as employees of Gemini Energy Services, and will be supplied with all tools and equipment necessary to begin their career as Wind Technicians.
Upon program completion, the Veterans will be fully trained and qualified Wind Technicians, with immediate career opportunities within the Wind Industry. They will have the option to continue their employment with Gemini Energy Services as contract service technicians, or use Orion’s military career placement services to seek permanent employment within the Wind Industry.
According to James Haley, Director of Operations for Gemini Energy Services, “We are thrilled with the opportunity to create a world-class training and employment program for Veterans in the Wind Industry, at no cost to them. It is an added bonus that we will not merely be training these Veterans, but will provide career placement as well, in turn increasing the level of expertise and professionalism within the Wind Industry as a whole."
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Hidden Reasons Employees Leave
90% of Hiring Managers believe that employees stay at, or leave a company, based primarily on money factors. But in a recently published book titled “The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees leave,” 19,000 current and departing employees were interviewed to reveal more accurate reasons why employees leave.
The job or workplace “was not as expected.” Managers misrepresent pay, or promotions that were promised never happen. Expectations weren’t met.
There’s a mismatch between the person and the job. Employees may not be aware of the strengths and weaknesses and what interests them in a job. And sometimes, managers are in too much of a hurry to fill a position to accurately evaluate a candidate’s skills and fit. The result is a bored, stressed out employee.
There’s not enough feedback or coaching. The symptoms of this issue on the manager’s part are inattentiveness, irregular or nonexistent feedback and criticism and no praise.
There are too few growth or advancement opportunities. There may be barriers between departments, training focused mainly on current positions or lack of help to define career goals. Information on career paths and job requirements should be openly available internally.
Employees feel “devalued and unrecognized.” Problems may arise if good employees are overdue for pay increases or are paid the same as those that may underperform.
Employees suffer “stress from overwork and work-life imbalance.” Look for those that are consistently working late, work though their lunch, work sick, take home work or don’t take vacations.
There’s a loss of trust in top leaders. Many workers see those at the top as greedy and unconcerned about their employees. Keeping workers trust is vital.
Click here for original article.
The job or workplace “was not as expected.” Managers misrepresent pay, or promotions that were promised never happen. Expectations weren’t met.
There’s a mismatch between the person and the job. Employees may not be aware of the strengths and weaknesses and what interests them in a job. And sometimes, managers are in too much of a hurry to fill a position to accurately evaluate a candidate’s skills and fit. The result is a bored, stressed out employee.
There’s not enough feedback or coaching. The symptoms of this issue on the manager’s part are inattentiveness, irregular or nonexistent feedback and criticism and no praise.
There are too few growth or advancement opportunities. There may be barriers between departments, training focused mainly on current positions or lack of help to define career goals. Information on career paths and job requirements should be openly available internally.
Employees feel “devalued and unrecognized.” Problems may arise if good employees are overdue for pay increases or are paid the same as those that may underperform.
Employees suffer “stress from overwork and work-life imbalance.” Look for those that are consistently working late, work though their lunch, work sick, take home work or don’t take vacations.
There’s a loss of trust in top leaders. Many workers see those at the top as greedy and unconcerned about their employees. Keeping workers trust is vital.
Click here for original article.
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