Remote Leadership

We are in a lifespace now where work and home are blurred. Gone are the models of having defined space for work and family, time for tasks, and an ability to focus solely on work. Now childAnnotation 2020-03-23 142437ren are asking for help with schoolwork or may be just bored, our spouse has a web conference call the same time you do, and you’re wondering if anyone let the dog out. As a leader the rules have changed and now, more than ever before, the emphasis needs to be on managing the work and leading the people.

Let’s focus on what others are dealing with in their lifespace, how you react sets the tone for the team. Empathy, understanding, and trust will create a culture where people will align to the purpose so let’s forget about the 9-5 model and move towards a framework where the deliverable, the outcome, matters and allow people to flex the middle space so they can meet the need with the intended results.

Take a look at this short video, Leadership@Home, and let’s think about ways to create a compassionate, connected community that can work effectively, live joyfully, and is engaged with all the people in their lifespace. If you want to talk about working remotely and ways to engage with your team, let’s talk! Use the contact button above or visit our web site!

Behavioral skills are tomorrow’s success!

There is a lot of talk about the challenges in hiring and recruiting skilled employees. To make it more concerning industry analysts are warning employers that college graduates that meet technical job-specific skills today will need to upskill and be trained for the same role in about 6 years.

Perhaps it’s time to examine the real needs of the organization today and in the next 24 to 36 months. New research on successful candidates reveal the need employers have is centered more on behavioral skills so while technical skills might get you the job it is the competencies, behavioral skills, around communication, adaptability, prioritization and time management, working on and with teams – these Higher Order Thinking Skills are needed for employees to be successful operating across functional, organizational, and time-defined boundaries.

Check out this video and let’s discuss how we can partner with you to define the real-world behavioral skills these roles need and create the path forward to bring people with purpose into a productive environment.

If you would like to learn how to implement and use workflow learning and develop thinking workers using learning as a strategic business tool send me an email or call me and let’s talk! Use the contact button above or visit our web site!

Let’s move past learning kNOW

We have created training departments and many organizations have continued to bring Screen cap1a learning culture and supporting performance to their employees. It’s time to grow again and move into workflow learning where we help people think through the problems towards solutions and learn while they are working, at the point of need and the point of kNOW. It’s time to extend the path from skilled worker to knowledge worker to what I am calling the thinking worker. This worker learns kNOW, they learn in the flow of work.

Check out this video, Let’s move past learning kNOW , to see how L&D will fit in this workplace. Our role is to be within the business focused on developing thinking workers who create reliable solutions that directly impact the work. This Workflow Learning Diagnostic Process map provides views we can use to create a changing role and one that is deeply involved in the workflow. Personally, I see my role including the development of a robust and trusted network that in the process of work brings people together to share experiences, observations, and active thinking that fosters an open, engaged culture of care.

If you would like to learn how to implement and use workflow learning and develop thinking workers using learning as a strategic business tool send me an email or call me and let’s talk! Use the contact button above or visit our web site!

Coaching – it’s where leadership begins

I had an amazing leader once, she later told me she enjoyed how I could make her ideas actually work but what I am forever grateful for is that she gave me a gift of feedback on Capturehow I came across – I’ll share with you my #1 strength is focus so when I am really listening to someone I am locked in and my problem solving skills kick in by listing all the barriers and challenges of the situation being discussed.

Instead of telling me directly that I came across as negative she began the process by asking me what I was thinking and then shared that she thought I was upset by my reaction. Then she suggested I ask a question or 3 to give myself some time to think thru the situation, and she also suggested I smile.  You see, if I can figure out the barriers then I can start the solution process but what she shared was that while she knew I would solve the problem getting there was painful.  She coached me on a life skill that helped me at home and at work!

It used to be that you got a coach when you weren’t performing, and coaches were only for senior leaders.  What we see now is that coaching is an integral component of leadership development.  Coaching can help people develop and hone their skills and abilities and move forward on a performance and career pathway by dealing with issues that could become problems if not identified early –like my list of barriers instead of listening and asking questions and smiling leading to solutions.

There are other advantages too and if you would like to learn how to design and implement coaching into your leadership development process check out this short video, Coaching – it’s where leadership begins.  If you would like to learn more about using learning as a strategic business tool send me an email or call and let’s talk!