Category: Leadership

The entrepreneurial journey is one of major personal growth. Creating a vision for your life around your health and wellness and setting personal goals is extremely important when it comes to keeping your mind balanced and in check. Likewise, creating a vision for your business is equally as important for scaling and growing your business. 

While performance, budgeting, and money are all very important aspects of scaling and something that every business should do, it’s not the core of scaling. Creating a vision to scale your business involves getting a clear picture in your mind of where you see your business going. This picture involves the customers you’d like to serve, the different revenue streams that your business will create, the employees you’ll be hiring, the physical space where you would like to operate, and so on. 

A clear vision of how you will feel once you achieve this business growth is also very vital to the process, as you are connecting your mind with your emotions. The clearer you are able to get, the better. Whether it’s writing it down or adding pictures to help tie what you see in your mind to a clearer vision. This will help you stay on track, get clarity, and keep your eye on the prize. 

Tips to remember as your scale your biz

Once your vision is clear, it is time to get ready for growth and scaling your business. Below are 4 important things to remember as you scale your biz:

1. Flexibility – When we create a vision for scaling our business, our main focus tends to be the ‘what.’ Sometimes, when we are too focused on the ‘how’ we become too rigid in our approach. Being able to pivot and be flexible is super important on this journey. Flexibility allows us to be able to thrive, even in the face of adversity. This was proven by businesses that were able to stay flexible during the pandemic. 
2. Learn to pivot – Flexibility and pivoting go hand in hand, and are essential for entrepreneurs. Sometimes we need to pivot and change our model to better suit the current conditions of the business environment. Learning to pivot in unexpected situations is key to sustaining growth. 
3. Don’t give up at “no” – On this journey, you are going to get nos; it’s inevitable. But the good thing is that you’re also going to get yesses, but you have to keep going past the nos. When you understand and believe in your mission and core values of your business, a ‘no’ should not stop you. You have to remember that a ‘no’ from someone does not mean a ‘no’ from everyone. There are always people who will need and want your services.
4. Remember your “why” – When you create a vision to scale your business, the deeper meaning behind it should lead back to why you want to do it. Keeping anchored to your “why” is going to help you to stay on course and focused and help you to scale your business. For most entrepreneurs, it’s more than just dollars and cents. It’s about creating impact. This is what will keep you going. 

So, while spreadsheets and budgets are important, one of the most important things about scaling your business is having a clear vision. Those key points listed above will help you to scale, stay on track, and grow the business of your dreams. 

For more help on scaling your business, book a discovery call! I’ll be happy to work with you on specific takeaways that you could implement right away. 

How You Can Make Your Employees Feel Empowered

Empowering employees is one of the most motivating things you can do. Empowering employees means giving your team members permission to take action and make decisions within your organization. It also implies trust and understanding and allows your employees to feel more part of the process and a bigger contributor to the results.

Empowering employees is important for growing a sustainable business. While many companies may grow ground-up from one or two entrepreneurs’ time and dedication, true growth is the product of multiple people working together. “Multiplying” yourself (as opposed to a strict leader-follower mindset) multiplies your organization’s strength and capabilities.

Motivating and empowering employees is vital for leaders of all levels. Research shows employee empowerment leads to higher job satisfaction, improved work performance, and greater organizational commitment.

Whether you’re a seasoned or aspiring leader, understanding how you can enable your colleagues to reach their full potential has several benefits. Here are some ways to empower your employees and cultivate a winning team.

What is employee empowerment?

Employee empowerment is a management philosophy emphasizing the importance of giving employees the autonomy, resources, and support they need to act independently and be held accountable for their decisions.

Employee empowerment can significantly impact employee satisfaction, productivity, and engagement. The hallmark of this approach is a willingness among leaders and managers to share power with their teams to achieve better results for the company, employees, and customers or clients.

Knowing how to motivate and empower employees

The benefits of employee empowerment

Empowering employees may boost morale, increase productivity, foster innovation, and increase retention, positively impacting the company’s bottom line.

Motivated employees

According to research, employee motivation has been directly connected to increasing employee autonomy. More control over the time, place, and manner workers do their duties has increased productivity. On the other hand, employees will put their best foot forward if they get the opportunity to show off their talents.

Greater trust in leadership

According to a meta-analysis published in Harvard Business Review, leaders who empower their staff are more trusted by their subordinates than leaders who do not empower their employees. To be clear, this does not mean that empowering staff means handing over tasks that managers don’t like. Empowered leaders act as coaches, encouraging and supporting their employees as they strive for excellence. 

Improved creativity

In the same Harvard meta-analysis, leaders perceived as empowering had direct reports and were more likely to be rated by their colleagues as highly creative. Unsurprisingly, subordinates who allowed their employees to think for themselves and collaborate across teams generated more novel ideas. 

Additionally, direct reports who felt empowered were more likely to volunteer for extra assignments and support their organizations outside their day-to-day job function. Psychologists suspected that empowered individuals were more committed to meaningful goals and used their creativity to achieve them.

A stronger bottom line

Companies that promote employee empowerment perform better than those that don’t. Businesses with highly motivated workers are 21 percent more profitable. Conversely, disengaged employees in the U.S. cost businesses a staggering $450 to $550 billion yearly.

4 steps for empowering employees in the workplace

Empowering people has many advantages, but establishing it as part of a company’s culture requires substantial effort. Follow these four steps to begin establishing best practices throughout your business.

1.) Feedback reveals how to empower your workforce effectively.

When a company’s empowerment plan is implemented, individual personnel and the company’s culture must be considered. Spend time figuring out which forms of employee empowerment are most effective for your group. And empower employees to provide feedback to managers and senior leadership from the start of their time with the company, so they get into the habit, and any early issues can be identified and addressed. It’s important to use the correct engagement solution to facilitate open, honest interactions between workers and executives, in order to empower everyone and build trust.

2.) Recognize to empower

More than twice as many employees are engaged in companies with a high rate of employee recognition, according to Brandon Hall Group’s Culture of Recognition Pulse Survey. Workplaces with high employee recognition are 79% more likely to have a high brand rating. Platforms for employee recognition have been demonstrated to boost NPS ratings and raise stock values, in addition to enhancing individual performance.

3.) Provide opportunities for professional growth — and the necessary support

40% of workers who get subpar training quit their jobs within five years, according to HR experts. 

HR must also ensure its employees have a clear route to promotion within the organization.  Employees who are serious about advancing their careers should have access to a variety of resources, including coaching, mentorship, and training, to help them get there. If you’re looking to enhance morale and give your staff a sense of direction, try forming mentor connections with more senior employees. The seasoned boss and the newly hired employee may benefit from the other’s knowledge and expertise. Employees will not benefit much from the partnership if psychological safety is neglected.

4.) Make empowerment part of your organization’s culture and vision

A culture of empowerment can only be fostered by leaders who see their job as a support system for their staff. Think of methods for current employees to mentor new hires or set up mentorship circles. Everyone on your team, from HR to managers to upper-level executives, has to feel empowered if you want your business to succeed.  An excellent starting point is to listen to and recognize workers, but this must be done regularly if it is to have an impact on the whole business.

A culture of continuity is created when people are empowered to face any challenges that may come their way, even a worldwide epidemic.

The Positive Change Group is on a mission to empower entrepreneurs and leaders by giving them the tools they need. Book a strategy call today.

Everyone aspires to improve in their careers at some point. Whether you are in an executive position or managerial role, there are steps you can take that will help you to become even more successful in your career, and improve your organization. One of those steps is to invest in yourself with Executive Coaching. 

What is Executive Coaching?

Executive Coaching is a collaboration between an Executive Coach and clients that consists of a series of one-on-one sessions that motivate clients to achieve their personal and professional objectives.

The main goal of executive coaching is to prompt behavioral and mindset change, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the professional which has positive ripples through the organization.  The skills acquired from coaching can also positively impact their personal development as everything in life is connected and with a good coach you can thrive in all areas of your life. 

Coaching allows the individual to take full responsibility in their life, allowing them to live from a more empowered state. The methodologies and strategies that a coach uses can be life changing but a key element of success in coaching is accountability with the professional. This is how change is created. 

Benefits of Executive Coaching 

Here are four (4) reasons why Executive Coaching will improve the way you lead in 2022. 

1. Identifies strengths and weaknesses – A successful business understands its strengths and weaknesses and makes adjustments to improve. Executive coaching aims to accomplish this in client sessions as well.  As a coach, they will help you identify your ‘zone of genius’ – what you excel at and allow you to focus on those areas. They will also help you self-recognize your areas of weakness and how you can improve those areas or set you up for success.  This then is exactly what you can do as a leader with your team, let them focus on their genius and get support for their weaknesses through support or with implementing different systems.  That way everyone in your organization can thrive.
2. Helps to clearly identify professional and personal goals – goals allow you to have a measurement for success and also stretch you in what you can achieve. Goals give a bigger vision of what is wanted. However, these goals must have certain criteria in order to be effective. They must be S.M.A.R.T – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.  These goals can be achieved with careful planning and helpful guidance from your coach. They will give individuals and the overall business a unified direction.
3. Improve productivity – Productivity is every organization’s main goal. In order to achieve maximum productivity, a coach will not only help with time management but also in how the executives capacity can increase and be more effective through mindset shifts, upgrading limiting beliefs, and raising individuals’ vibrations through a positive daily routine. When managers or leaders shift their own energy, not only does their productivity go up but they positively impact the whole team around them. A good coach will not navigate you to work harder, but rather adopt a work smarter mentality.
4. Help managers navigate change – Change is inevitable, especially in organizations and with the fast pace of the world today. People will move on or be promoted, or there might be shifts in the market and economy as we are witnessing now. The key to any leader’s success is being able to smoothly navigate these changes with a positive outlook and enough energy to lift those around them up when they feel defeated. But with every good leader to have the energy for others, they need a coach to help them with theirs. . Executive coaching will help to guide leaders on how best to move through these changes to keep the organization on track and thriving. 

Those are some of the reasons that executive coaching can give leaders a real competitive advantage. 

One amazing book every leader should read in 2022

A good leader invests in quality executive coaching and great books that will challenge, inspire and stimulate the mind. 

Sometimes as leaders, you become so submerged in helping others that you completely disregard your own needs. Me First was written to help you overcome self-sabotage and develop a ‘me first’ mentality, to reclaim your life with joy and fulfillment. 

You can also purchase the transformational bundle, which includes transformational workshops! 

Your employees are your biggest asset and in the current climate companies have had to expand in how they invest in their teams. A business is only as good as its employees’ weakest link and that’s why you need to consistently invest in your team. It’s impossible to grow revenue without a strong team of knowledgeable, dedicated employees. Investing in your team is also crucial at the leadership and management level.

There’s more to it than simply planning a team building day. You need to create a healthy environment and culture where your employees can perform their best daily. Here are the five major elements that you need to focus on.

Training

For entrepreneurs wishing to invest in their team, training is one of the most important places to start.

Statistics show that training is a key motivator for employees.

When on-boarding new workers, it is important to have an extensive training program. This should include a thorough orientation, process manuals, or video tutorials including the soft and hard skills needed to do the job. Employee success is dependent on how extensive your training is, so you need to ensure that you go in-depth and cover the full scope of their responsibilities.

Ongoing training is essential as every employee needs professional development linked to their current role. Essentially you need to set your team up for success by giving them the proper tools. This ongoing training is an activity that you should tailor to the needs of your business. Providing ongoing training is crucial if you want to grow revenue. 

Benefits

“Benefits” is a phrase that has changed subtly over the years and continues to evolve as workers demand change. As a business owner, you’ve certainly seen what other workplaces offer, and there’s a chance you’ve contemplated offering the same benefits so you don’t lose your competitive edge.

Recently, several employee benefits packages have been upgraded to include perks such as increased vacation time or remote work options. Benefits need to include support for mental health as we have seen this on a critical scale in today’s workforce. This can include wellness workshops, mindful coaching, wellness days and stress management tools.

The benefits you offer should represent the values that you and your employees share, as this will increase productivity and motivation. Bonus side effect; grow revenue.

Motivation

You can motivate your employees to perform their best in various ways, and money isn’t necessarily at the top of the list. Of course, you need to pay your employees what they’re worth and at a competitive rate if you want to retain them. However, what frequently inspires employees is a sense of belonging that stems from an authentic business culture where they feel appreciated.

Investing in your team should include learning about individual team members and finding methods to recognize and celebrate their accomplishments. It is critical to motivating them.

You can’t engage your team if you don’t get to know them, so investing in your team requires learning about them. Investing in your team and creating a culture of motivation can also simply include the leaders and management taking time throughout the day to interact with employees. 

One of the most effective methods to engage employees is to be interested in their motivations, families, hobbies, and so on. This creates a work environment where they will feel valued, appreciated and part of a community and that is when they’ll do their best work! 

Even something as simple as monthly accomplishment awards can alter the workplace and take on new significance when you invest in them. When you know your team, you can personalize their rewards to match their objectives and needs rather than generic awards that are meaningless in the long run.

Culture

The three elements mentioned above are all critical, but if they do not accurately reflect the culture of your workplace, they’re all meaningless. Integrity is one of the most important principles in establishing a solid corporate culture. This will hold all employees accountable including you as the leader to do what you say. It doesn’t matter whether it is a small promise like honoring a meeting time to a big promise such as a pay increase in an employee review. The key is when you have integrity as part of the corporate culture it builds everyone’s trust which will have a positive effect on revenue growth.  

Having 3 to 5 company core values is a great way to set the culture. A good team building experience is to get your team involved in coming up with these core values if you don’t already have them, or reviewing the current ones you have and updating them. This participation in your company’s core values will create ‘buy-in’ to reaching a common goal..

A connection formed from mutual respect with your workers contributes to developing a stable and healthy work culture. A business culture that enables employees to be a part of the bigger vision and feel like they make a difference promotes employee engagement and helps you grow revenue.

The Positive Change Group is here to help you grow as a leader. Julie Cass will help you wholistically work towards your goals. Everything you’ve ever wanted is within your reach. Learn more about how you can achieve them today!

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