Category: The 10 Quick Tips

Ten Tips, Tactics, Approaches and Skills to Improve Leadership, Work Culture and Life.

Toot Their Horn

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By Polly Walker

What is your opinion on recognition?  If you are a leader do you do it often?  If you are a team member, do you value it?  Most leaders, supervisors and managers don’t realize the value of recognition, and as a result they don’t give enough praise and recognition to their team members.  They probably think that the “good” team members must be happy…they are productive and doing a great job, right?   Wrong.

The following is based on a true story.  The names have been changed to protect the innocent, high-performer.  Jackie is a great team member.   She has exemplary evaluations, always going above and beyond to finish projects on time.  Her customer service is outstanding, she is always upbeat and a great team player.   Jackie is pretty much the perfect employee.    Jackie is such a perfect employee, in fact, that she only sees her supervisor about once a week for about 5 minutes at the coffee machine.

Is this ok?   Not ok at all …but it happens all too often.  Team members want (AND NEED!) interaction and praise from their leader.   Here are some points to follow when giving positive feedback to your team members:

  • Be consistent and be fair (recognize everyone equally and in the same manner)
  • Be specific (outline what the team member is doing RIGHT)
  • Offer praise as close to the event as possible (don’t wait until the quarterly one-on-one or the annual evaluation)
  • Remember recognition is personal (some team members want recognition given in private, while others want it in the team meeting in front of their peers)

There is no such thing as too much “horn tooting” when it comes to recognizing your team members.   Happy and productive team members are key to the success of your business.  Leaders play a pivotal role in keeping them happy and productive…simply by offering praise and recognizing their value as often as possible.

Polly Walker’s areas of focus include leadership development, quality management, customer service, team member engagement and process improvement. She is an engaging and experienced facilitator, team builder, trainer, and change manager. 

The Practice of Gratitude

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Gratitude Creates a Happier Life

“It is not happiness that brings us gratitude. It is gratitude that brings us happiness.”
Anonymous

By Teresa Lowry

It’s that time of year again when our thoughts turn to gratitude and thanksgiving. From the end of November until New Year’s Day many of us become more reflective taking stock and counting our blessings. We may periodically think or say what we are grateful for, but for many of us it is not a daily routine. Let’s use the momentum of this season to note and express gratitude 365 days a year.

Building and maintaining a robust daily gratitude practice can result in a happier outlook on life. A gratitude practice is recommended for everyone. It is essential for successful leaders. You change your life when you change something you do daily. The secret of your success will be found in your daily routine.

Science Says

There is certainly ample antidotal evidence that a regular gratitude practice can have a positive impact on emotional composition. Some would describe it as a form of self-care. World religions and many spiritual paths extoll the virtue of living in a state of gratitude. Now a growing body of research links a regular gratitude practice to better sleep, greater happiness and even lower blood pressure. Says Amie Gordon, PhD, a research scientist at the University of California, San Francisco “Gratitude is a powerful way to boost well-being”. A 2015 study in the Journal of Health Psychology found improved sleep quality for participants after two weeks of keeping a gratitude diary. Other benefits include improved self-control and greater relationship harmony and feelings of happiness.

Building a Gratitude Practice

To develop and maintain a gratitude practice set a designated time and place each day. You are intentionally identifying things you are grateful for and noting them. I am old school and enjoy writing my gratitude list out longhand in a journal. You could use a notebook or binder paper it doesn’t have to be fancy. If you want to journal electronically go for it. This will be a daily entry and each entry should be dated. Make five to ten gratitude notations. People, places, things, nature, animals, events, experiences, the potential is limitless. If you get stuck start with the basics – I am grateful for my breath.

Gratitude 2.0

Once you get started there are additional questions you can ask yourself. For example, include something you did, some action you took where you can give yourself appreciation. Yes, you can be grateful for you. Use all your senses. Touch, smell, sound, taste. Also ensure that at least one of the grateful notations is about a challenge, struggle, loss, hurt or pain. Look deeply for the good in something that was difficult at the time but brought a positive outcome or great lesson for you. Pick one of the items of gratitude and purposefully express it to the person involved.

Louis Armstrong Singing “What a Wonderful World”

I am able to attest personally to the power of a daily gratitude practice. I have been making my daily lists for over twenty years. This is a powerful and positive way for me to start each day. There are many repeat notations in my journals. One you will see more than once is hearing Louis Armstrong sing “What a Wonderful World”. No matter where on the planet I am if that song comes on the radio or through a sound system and I hear it I smile and melt. So many of you reading this will have been on my list many times. I am so very very grateful for you my family, friends, my Aegis Learning Team, Honey Badger Team, Bootcamp Team, colleagues and customers. Thank you all for the many ways you enrich my life.

Teresa Lowry is a passionate advocate for learning, growth and generating real organizational change.

Recommended Reading-Lean In

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Kelley Reynolds from Aegis Learning
Leading Edge from Aegis Learning

By Kelley Reynolds

Warning: This is not a hashtag worthy political statement. This is a book review! #nothashtagworthy. My goal, consistent with one of the author’s goals, is to inspire you to great leadership.

The book Lean In: Women, Work and The Will to Lead was written by Sheryl Sandberg. The book was purchased because I was interested in reading it. However, being honest, it was read with a skeptical eye. What was her message? Was this woman of privilege going to tell us how easy it was to have-it all? What challenges could this Harvard graduate-Google-FB-C suite-woman have possibly faced? And, would they be relatable to the challenges faced by us regular nanny-less, economy seat people?

Overall, think: A rising tide lifts all boats. While one of Sandberg’s goals was to encourage more women into leadership roles, she realized the path to attain this goal included raising awareness as well as continuing to develop our current leaders into great leaders.
Although reading the book was effortless, this review was somewhat challenging to write. As I read the book, I found myself taking notes on almost every page, as each page was filled with interesting and intriguing information. There were many relevant stories and some surprising statistics which made it difficult to select tidbits to share. Sandberg relayed revealing experiences of hers as well as those of other women. Some eye-opening stories. Many of the anecdotes were followed by a footnote or referenced a research study that informed us the story was likely not the exception but the norm. Within the first two chapters, Sandberg cited over 50 footnotes; giving credit to as many or more other literary works. The Notes section at the end of the book extended over 30 pages!

The book was an easy read with entertaining stories and some surprising information. She wrote with a light, warm tone and was remarkably candid. Early in the book Sandberg acknowledged that she is fortunate and does not face some of the issues other women and mothers face. She confessed this fact graciously and humbly.

The book began with an introduction written by Sandberg. On page one she grabbed my attention with an experience at Google during her pregnancy. She wrote that with her weight gain of 70 pounds, her feet grew two sizes. This made walking difficult. The story ended with her waddling, Sandberg’s word, not mine, into the Google founder’s offices and announcing they needed designated parking spots for pregnant women. Although the tale was shared in a light-hearted, self-deprecating manner, she admitted feeling embarrassed that it required her to become pregnant before she ever considered challenges pregnant women face.

There were many dynamics shared by Sandberg that are consistent with the ten leadership competencies identified in Tim Schneider’s book Lead Well. Her stories and lessons illustrated topics taught throughout Aegis’ Leadership Development programs.

In Sandberg’s chapter titled “Sit at The Table” she shared her discomfort at receiving positive feedback. After years of rebuffing compliments, Sandberg learned to respond by simply saying “Thank you”. In this chapter, she also wrote about internal barriers or blind spots that hinder or limit our success and the importance of making the effort to self-improve to over-come them.

In “Success and Likeability”, Sandberg reminded us that leaders won’t please everyone all the time. When faced with vocal to the point of being vicious critics, she reiterated to be aware of your emotional composition and then get back to work.

There were several facets of the “Are You My Mentor?” chapter. However, primarily, she reminded us the benefits of developing leaders through mentorship and the value of peer coaches.

“Seek and Speak Your Truth” was centered around the importance of authentic communication and how it is necessary for successful relationships. This chapter included the skills of listening, soliciting and providing feedback as well as the power of empathy.

The chapter entitled “Don’t Leave Before You Leave” discussed the phenomenon when women self-limit themselves in the workplace. According to Sandberg, this is done in the anticipation of having a family and the assumption that women need to choose between leadership and a family. Women do this one small decision at a time. Taking smaller projects, not seeking promotions, etc.

Because this isn’t another you-are-woman-and-can-have-it-all books, Sandberg has a chapter dedicated to the “Myth of Doing it All”. One suggestion she made was to utilize a skill like Time Management for Guilt Management. Sandberg closed this chapter quoting Journalist Mary Curtis with the best advice anyone can offer “is for women and men to drop the guilt trip…The secret is there is no secret – just doing the best you can with what you’ve got.”

Sandberg suggested that while we have supported women with the ability to choose between working at home or outside the home, we have overlooked encouraging them to become leaders. Additionally, she wrote that until we respect men who work within the home, neither will really have a choice.

“I do not pretend to have perfect solutions to these deep and complicated issues. I rely on hard data, academic research, my own observations and lessons I have learned along the way…I hope (this book) inspires men as much as it inspires women.”

Kelley Reynolds from Aegis Learning

Kelley’s optimistic outlook on life guides her belief that change is possible!

Her easy going instruction style mixed with a dry wit make her an entertaining educator. She has instructed professionals throughout the nation as well as internationally. Kelley has earned a Master of Business Administration and possesses a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, both from University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Confessions of a Rotten Boss

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Learning the Lessons of Great Leadership......The Hard Way

“I did then what I knew how to do.  Now that I know better, I do better.”

Maya Angelou

By Teresa Lowry

Research tells us one of the top reasons people leave the workplace is they don’t like their boss. Your leader is the most influential person in the organization to you and the people on your team. People don’t usually leave their job for more money. They leave when the boss is disengaged and disconnected. They leave because they have a rotten boss.

My Aegis Learning colleague Polly Walker recently wrote a great article entitled “7 Deadly Signs of a Rotten Boss”. This prompted me to reflect on my early days as a boss. Having been promoted due to technical expertise and not emotional intelligence I certainly had my share of cringe worthy moments. Some of my rotten boss behaviors are listed below. I take comfort now in Maya Angelou’s words “I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better I do better.”

OPEN DOOR POLICY IS ENOUGH

There I was in the big corner office adorned with floor to ceiling windows with an administrative assistant acting as guardian at the gate. My door to her adjacent space was open. I could say I had an open-door policy and tell people if they wanted to see me they could come to my office. The onus was on the members of my team. If they had a question or wanted to see me, they knew where to find me.

Fact: Leadership requires us to make frequent, personal contact with team members a priority. Get out of the office and walk around your organization.

WE ARE NOT HERE TO SOCIALIZE OR HAVE FUN

No need to attend social events or be social. This is work. Serious business. I’ll donate money for your parties, sign birthday and retirement cards, maybe send an email to acknowledge your milestone but don’t expect me to attend your parties and socialize because I am busy working. I am a stoic, private person with no desire to tell the people who work for me anything about me or my private life. Nor do I need to know about your personal life. Any need to socialize should be addressed outside of work.

Fact: Leadership requires relationship depth with team members. Successful organizations work hard and have fun. Create an environment where social interaction is valued and encouraged.

A PAYCHECK IS ALL THE REWARD YOU NEED

What is all the fuss about giving praise and positive feedback to people for doing a job they are getting paid to do? You get a paycheck, benefits, your job is stable. What more do you need? Feedback is provided in your yearly evaluation. If you don’t hear from me it means you are doing a good job.

Fact: Pay provided to team members compensates for the lowest minimum requirement of performance and behavior. Leaders can unlock discretionary effort through relationship depth and consistent positive feedback. When delivering positive feedback be direct and insure your tone is upbeat and positive.

TOUGHEN UP

A rotten boss expects you to accept and tolerate moods swings. Team members should not expect predictability. With great responsibility and the weight of the organization on my shoulders I am entitled to be sullen, serious and unapproachable depending on my emotional set point each day. Besides, this keeps people guessing and on their toes. I don’t want them to become too complacent or comfortable. Managing by fear is a good thing and promotes respect.

Fact: Successful leaders have good self-awareness and self-management. Emotional intelligence is far more predictive of workplace success than intellectual capacity. Consistency in behavior and approach is key in providing your team with a leader who is easy to follow. Solicit feedback from team members by asking “What am I projecting?”

One of the reasons I know what we teach at Aegis Learning works is because I learned the hard way what does not work. The rotten boss behaviors described above resulted in disengaged team members and low morale. Thankfully, you dear reader, now know better and can avoid ever being a rotten boss. Lead Well my friends.

Teresa Lowry is a passionate advocate for learning, growth and generating real organizational change.

What You Project is What You Get

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“There is no truth.  There is only perception.”

― Gustave Flaubert

By Polly Walker

Elite athletes and successful leaders have similar thought processes…they use mental models to positively and purposefully enhance performance. You can use mental models (frameworks that you carry in your mind) to impact your own performance, and the performance of those around you.

Here are four of the most powerful thought processes (mental models) that you can cultivate to maximize your effectiveness:

• Hope (believing that something good is going to happen): Focus on events where you were able to successfully handle serious situation in the past and good things that are coming in the future.

• Optimism (confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something): Focus on the positive achievements and things in your life, and expect the best.

• Resilience (the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties): Don’t dwell on things that you can’t do anything about. Focus on those things you can change and what comes next.

• Perseverance (steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success): Recall times that you have overcome personal challenges. Be determined to finish (and finish strong) long after others have given up.

What you PROJECT is often what you GET, so practicing these four mental models (and projecting them outward) can and will have very powerful impact on your outcomes and the outcomes of those around you.

Polly Walker’s areas of focus include leadership development, quality management, customer service, team member engagement and process improvement. She is an engaging and experienced facilitator, team builder, trainer, and change manager. 

Relationships: Where Trust is Built

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Matt Zobrist from Aegis Learning

People Connection Leads to Verified Trust

By Matt Zobrist

I am not an astronomer nor an astrophysicist. I like learning about space, technology and am an avid sci-fi buff. So, I was reading about the fact that scientist have recently reclassified SIMP J01365663+0933473 from a Brown Dwarf Star, to a large planet (about 13 times bigger than Jupiter), even though is not orbiting a star. Stunning, right? You may not care, and I don’t blame you. But here is why I tell that brief, but possibly boring story: When I read it I immediately thought to myself, “I should contact Dr. Armstrong to verify this?”

Doctor Armstrong happens to be someone I knew in high school. He is a PhD, astronomer that I reconnected with over social media. I wasn’t his close friend in high school and we haven’t spoken in person or on the phone, well… ever. So, why was he the first person I felt could call to verify the work of a full research team published in the Astrophysical Journal? Why did I think that if I needed to confirm what I read on astronomy.com and scienedaily.com I should contact an acquaintance from high school to verify it?

The simple answer is this: I have a relationship – however weak – with Dr. Armstrong. As humans, we tend to trust people with whom we have relationships. If I had several astrophysicist friends, I would have to decide who I trusted the most to answer my question. Or ask all of them and see if there was consensus. As it stands, I only have one. Even though our relationship is distant and weak, I would ask him rather than Google it.

This works in all areas of our lives. Buying a car? You ask people you know who drive that one already. Kids need diapers? You talk to someone who already went through that. Looking for a dentist or doctor? You check with friends and co-workers. We inherently have higher trust in information from someone we have a relationship than from other sources.

Because people trust those who they have relationships with, it is paramount as a leader to cultivate honest and open relationships with your team members. They will have an easier time trusting you when they know you. Take opportunities to build relationships with other people by talking to them about their families, their hobbies, and their life outside of work. Be interested in them as people and remember what they tell you. Celebrating their birthdays and special occasions will show that you care about them, not just their performance. PRO TIP: write this stuff down! Very few of us have photographic memories, so take notes. After a while, remembering personal things will become easier.

As you take time and effort to connect with people about non-work-related topics your relationships will grow. As your relationships strengthen, their trust in you will increase. Your role and ability to lead will become clearer and more defined, you will be more effective, and your team more productive.

Here’s a simple trust litmus test is this: Do they ask for your opinion instead of using the internet?

Matt Zobrist from Aegis Learning

Matt Zobrist is an energetic and dynamic facilitator, coach, presenter and speaker with Aegis Learning, LLC.

Resiliency-A Personal Journey

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Kelley Reynolds from Aegis Learning

“Fall down seven times, get up eight.”

Japanese Proverb

By Kelley Reynolds

The thing about resiliency is in order to attain it, life has to knock you on your ass first. Right? How can you get up if you aren’t on the ground in the dirt?

My story, by the numbers:

26 = Trips to UCLA
10 = “Extra” months
5 = Brain surgeries
Infinite = Tears cried

“Brain tumor” NO WAY! There can’t be anything wrong with my husband’s brain. He earned a Master’s degree from Berkeley.

“Dying” IMPOSSIBLE! Have you even seen my husband? He is the Fitness Instructor for the Las Vegas Office of the Secret Service.

Cancer did not care about the logic of my denial. It didn’t even slow down for me to catch my breath.

There were 26 trips made to UCLA for treatment. For hope.

Inside one of buildings we frequently visited on the UCLA campus was a lovely courtyard with a tree and couple of tables and chairs. While he was receiving care, I would walk to a local restaurant and order lunch to go. I returned as the nurses finished with him. He and I would sit outside in the courtyard and eat lunch, like any two people in the world. It was a break, a respite from our current lives. Back when life was normal, once a week or so, we would meet for lunch. For an hour, in a courtyard at the UCLA cancer clinic, we could be normal.

We fought bravely, fiercely, naively, through exhaustion, through tears.

And then one day, there were no more lunches.

Life did not care that this was not my plan. Life continued without my consent. The sun rose the next morning. And the next. And the next. And so did I.

For whatever inexplicable reason, I was drawn to return to UCLA. I felt the desire to return. I wanted to walk to get lunch and go eat in the courtyard. I had this image; a way to honor or to connect to him. But life was moving forward. Life was not going to wait. Work beckoned. Piles of mail beckoned. The children’s activities beckoned. And so I rose and moved.

Life continued and changed. Children grew. People entered. Others left. New job. Fresh diploma. And still I felt pulled to return to UCLA. To eat lunch in the courtyard.

Only a few years had passed since he and I were there together. Now the time was right. My life was at a point and I was ready to make the trip.

The drive was unremarkable. When I arrived, I parked and set off on foot to decide on a restaurant. The sidewalks were familiar. But the place at the end of the block, where hamburgers had previously been sold, now specialized in fried chicken. That new café used to be the ice cream shop where I purchased about ten gallons of strawberry ice cream with crushed Butterfinger pieces on top. I continued undaunted. Thankfully, the sandwich shop was still on the corner.

With the paper bag, filled my husband’s favorite lunch, in hand, I followed the path I had walked dozens of times. I arrived at the familiar crosswalk and pushed the button. As I made my way across the street, I looked around the neighborhood. There was a brand new big building sitting in front of my destination. Maybe I was at the wrong intersection? No. I was in the correct spot. I would just walk through the new building to get to my courtyard. When that didn’t work, I decided to walk around this beautiful new building that was filled with eager energetic dental students, to get to our courtyard.

It only took 20 minutes of walking in circles for my denial to dissipate. My building was gone. Our courtyard was gone. Not just metaphorically, but actually. The courtyard that I daydreamed about for three years, demolished to make way for new fresh life. Now what was I going to do with the French dip sandwich? How was I going to honor him? I couldn’t sit in the new place. There weren’t any trees or greenery. And, it wasn’t ours.

Still clutching the lunch bag in my hand, feeling confused and disappointed, I made my way back to the street. As I stood on the sidewalk, contemplating my next move, I noticed that right next door was a park. Big trees, greenery, bushes.

Although we never visited it, I knew, being an avid outdoorsman (he proposed to me at Zion National Park), he would have loved this place. There was a perfect spot, under a tree next to the pond. I sat on the ground and savored our lunch.

While on the ground, I thought about this situation. Sure, my life was moving, better than I imagined it would. Yet it never occurred to me that the lunch of my day dreams could have changed. What a silly expectation. That life would stand still.

Soon lunch was over. It was time for me to leave. So once again, I rose from the ground and continued to move.

Kelley Reynolds from Aegis Learning

Kelley’s optimistic outlook on life guides her belief that change is possible!

Her easy going instruction style mixed with a dry wit make her an entertaining educator. She has instructed professionals throughout the nation as well as internationally. Kelley has earned a Master of Business Administration and possesses a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, both from University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

You Never Know

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Your Impact Can Be Deep and Far-Reaching

“Every action we take impacts the lives of others around us.  The question is, are you aware of your impact?”

Arthur Carmazzi

By Teresa Lowry

It appeared out of the blue, completely unexpected. The request through Facebook Messenger asked if I would be available to meet her for coffee. She was coming to Las Vegas with her family. I said yes. If she had used her married name I would not have recognized her. She used her maiden name, so I remembered her.

We set a date and met at the Excalibur where she was staying for a long weekend. When I arrived, I shook hands with her sons and smiled at her grandchildren. Her middle son said they had been looking for me, calling past employers and searching social media. The children and grandchildren left for the arcade leaving her and I alone to reconnect.

She shared that for the past 17 years she has worked for social services in her home state. Most recently she was promoted to a position responsible for running a child abuse prevention program. This past spring, as part of a child abuse prevention and awareness campaign, she made a training video to educate and inform professionals in the field. It was important to her that the audience know that they can have a lasting positive impact on the lives of the children they meet. The video was well received resulting in the local sheriff making a request for copies for his department.

This video was personal. She decided to make it real and tell her story and the story of the professionals who helped her. There was the police officer, social worker, detective and teacher. She was a 13-year-old victim of unspeakable abuse picked up by a police officer whose instincts told him she was in more trouble than she was willing to admit. He took his time encouraging her to talk, he reassured her and calmed her fears. He promised protection and safety. She took a leap of faith and told her truth.

The officer rescued her but then she and her younger sister were alone without any family support. Knowing how isolated and lonely protective custody can be for a child the officer took steps to help. He and his wife would visit her and include her and her sister in their family outings.

She recalled the kindness of the detective assigned to her case. As the months in Child Haven dragged on, he made a point to include her in his family activities. She was able to have fun and be a kid again until a relative placement was found, and she moved away.

In high school, a caring teacher took an interest her, mentoring and guiding her to graduation and her first part time job in a bank. She gives credit to this teacher for keeping her in school and getting her through the difficult times when running away was an ever-present option.

Reliving her story through the video sparked a thought. Could she find any of the people who had helped her? She wanted to say thank you. Her son told her he would help. He didn’t give up until he found me.

Thirty-four years ago, I was a 24-year-old social worker assigned to child abuse investigations. She was one of the children on my caseload. I remember the solemn intensity and seriousness she carried at such a young age. Her name was one that stayed with me. We talked for almost two hours. The memories were fresh for her as she described my holding her hand while she cried waiting to testify in court. She said my words of encouragement gave her strength. She reminded me that I had taken her shopping for clothes and shoes on her birthday. She wanted me to know that my kindness mattered. She said thank you. I told her I was proud of her. We promised to keep in touch, hugged and said goodbye.

Teresa Lowry is a passionate advocate for learning, growth and generating real organizational change.

Signs Your Workplace is Toxic

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You May be in a Toxic Workplace If:

Tim Schneider, Coach, Speaker, Author and Trainer from Aegis Learning

By Tim Schneider

Last week, our very own Polly Walker, wrote a great piece about horrible bosses and poor leadership.  Great read and I encourage you to take a look at it.

And now, a bit of a different perspective related to a toxic working environment and the signs that you may be in one:

Hiring and Promoting Practices

Based on experience, longevity or insider favoritism.  Over-values technical skills and under-values interpersonal skills.  Turnover, or transfers out are extremely high.  Those not transferring or leaving are looking.

Input Not Solicited 

Never is input, comments or ideas solicited from team members.  The boss has all the ideas and dictates outcomes.

Favoritism and Harassment are Permitted

Even when reported, rampant favoritism and harassment is ignored or tolerated.  Only the lowest level team members are actually held accountable for a code of conduct.

Learning is Ignored

Little or no value is given to learning and growth.  Opportunities for learning and growth are minimized for “work coverage” and no holistic view is given to team member learning.

Needs Are Not Met

The primary needs of self-esteem and relationship connectivity are not met or are not being fed.  The environment does not encourage social interactions and praise is only used begrudgingly.

Communication Vehicle and Frequency

Too much email and not enough face-to-face communication occurring.  Email is used to cover your you-know-what.  Widespread copies and blind copies.  Good communication is rare and rumors rule the data flow.

Opaque Transparency

Secrecy and those who know versus who does not know.  Nothing is shared in a forthright and open manner.  Creates huge amounts of anxiety among team members.

Budget is King

All hail the mighty budget!  Doesn’t matter what the right thing is or where opportunity is missed, its all about being under budget.

Right is Never Right

As obvious as the right thing is, it escapes the toxic environment.  Discipline for the bad is ignored and taking care of the good is an afterthought.  

Tim Schneider

Tim Schneider is the founder, CEO and lead facilitator for Aegis Learning.  

7 Deadly Signs of a Rotten Boss

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“Good leadership isn’t about advancing yourself.  Its about advancing your team.”

― John Maxwell

By Polly Walker

At some point in your career you (or someone close to you) has probably worked for someone that was a rotten boss. According to an April 2015 Gallup study, 50% of workers in the United States have quit their job to get out of this very same scenario. This situation is very common because hiring and promotion decisions are usually based on a team member’s past experience and/or technical expertise, and not how good of a leader they are or what management skills they possess. These folks get rewarded for their technical expertise by being put in an entirely different role supervising or managing team members…often with disastrous results.

What is a rotten boss? Here are seven of the most common behaviors of someone who probably shouldn’t be in a leadership position:

1. Nitpicking and micromanagement: Nobody can do it as good as they can. They are down in the weeds and in your business.

2. Public criticism/bullying: They enjoy correcting people or calling team members out by name in meetings and public forums.

3. Lack of positive feedback: Their only interactions are to tell team members what they are doing “wrong”, and there is never a pat on the back for what they are doing “right”.

4. Doesn’t encourage career growth: No discussions are held to find out how the team member wants to develop and how the business and the leader can support them.

5. Bad listener: They don’t solicit input and/or they can’t or won’t listen.

6. Plays favorites: They expect less and relax rules for certain team members.

7. Never wrong/don’t apologize: Everyone makes mistakes. But when they do they sweep it under the rug or don’t apologize for it.

Did reading these seven signs bring back memories? What kind of impact did that rotten boss have on you, your team members and your organization? Team members are an organization’s greatest asset. Companies need to ensure that when hiring decisions are made that the person has either demonstrated good management skills, or that they are given the leadership training they need to be a good supervisor or manager prior to or as soon as possible after promotion. Rotten bosses result in team members who either leave the organization or stay and are miserable, so it is very important companies hire and promote the right people and provide timely and impactful leadership training.

Polly Walker’s areas of focus include leadership development, quality management, customer service, team member engagement and process improvement. She is an engaging and experienced facilitator, team builder, trainer, and change manager.