Moving to New Location

Hi Everyone,

I'm consolidating my blogs at http://www.selfawarenessworkshops.com. I'll be focusing on team building, effective communication, leadership and diversity training ideas for thoughtful and creative people. I look forward to seeing you over there.

Take care,

Guy

Diversity Can Help You Succeed

Businesses are frequently faced with managing diverse staff and bringing them together to support the mission of the company. Companies have realized the benefit of creating a workplace that harnesses the energy of different people and draws from their diverse talents and abilities.

In today's workplace, diversity is no longer an abstract concept but an opportunity to strengthen your business. Here are some focus questions that will help your company begin to formulate a diversity plan.

• What is our company's overarching philosophy on diversity?
  
• What does our workforce look like?
• What are the elements that unite us?
• How do we address differences?
• How do we bring disparate elements together?
• Does our company have a coherent policy to address diversity?
• Is our diversity policy enforced and practiced at all levels?
• Does our workforce reflect diversity at all levels?

Once you have thought through these concepts you will be at a point where you can begin to develop a philosophy, a strategy as well as policies and procedures that will guide you successfully into the future.

Regards,

Guy Farmer
Diversity Training

What Would Your Employees Say About You?

When I work with companies, the issue of how management is perceived comes up frequently. Employees often have interesting insights on how their superiors function. There is often a wide gap between what the manager thinks of himself/herself and what the staff says.

This isn't a problem unless it leads to ineffective communication between parties. Managers can do the following things to ensure that they understand how to best communicate with staff. Improving communication allows managers to truly understand where they stand with staff.

1. What percentage of time do you listen to your staff with no interruptions?
2. What is the last great idea you got from a staff member?
3. Do conflicts keep recurring at your company or are they resolved?
4. Are people generally happy or does that even matter?
5. What advice would your employees give you about how to improve your company?

If you know the answers to these questions then you have been doing a good job of communicating with your employees. Chances are that you also know what they are saying about you. If you don't have answers to these questions you can always make some basic changes to make sure you are connected to your employees.

Regards,

Guy
Management Training

Where do You Want Your Business to Go?

Many of us let our business take us where it will. Do you know right this moment where you want to take your business? If the answer is no, then you can ask yourself these questions:

1. Am I doing what I really want to do?
2. Do I feel successful and fulfilled when I go to bed at night?
3. Does my business build me up as a person?
4. Do I have clear goals for the future?
5. Do I have a strategy and plan for the future.

Many talented business people don't put their full skills and abilities to use because they haven't identified them yet. Coaching helps people identify what they really want to do and take their business in any direction they choose to.

Regards,

Guy
Facilitation Services

Treat Your Employees Well for Business Success

Most companies that hire me understand the important link between employee satisfaction and performance. The way your employees feel at work affects your bottom line every day. Think about how your business is affected by employees that function under the following parameters:

Rushed.
Under constant deadline pressure.
Infrequent recognition for work well done.
Constantly micromanaged and over supervised.
Unable to grow or offer talents.
Strict hierarchy.

A large percentage of our companies function under the misapprehension that the parameters listed above are what makes business move. I grant that there are plenty of businesses that make a lot of money by treating their employees in this fashion but think about how your organization would function if you just shifted your modus operandi slightly in a different direction. It might look like this:

Time to do tasks.
Anticipating deadlines.
Frequent and constant recognition.
Allowing employees autonomy to do their work.
Constant opportunities for growth.
Horizontal organizational structure.

Every business owner, manager or supervisor has the ability to deeply affect the trajectory of the company by his or her actions. This can be done by simply shifting one's priorities. I recommend that companies strive to build policies and procedures that embrace the second list because it tends to lead to better results, improved productivity and higher profits.

Think for a moment how you would like your company to look. Do you prefer the first or second list? Give some thought to which one would help you build the strongest and most dynamic company possible. You hold the answer and you determine the trajectory.

Regards,

Guy Farmer
Leadership Training
Training Blog

The Art of Delegating

When I facilitate workshops on delegating we look at several strategies to help business people learn this valuable skill. Delegating allows you to recognize the talents your employees bring to the table, assign appropriate tasks and build a more independent and motivated workforce that makes you look good. Some things to think about when delegating:

1. What is delegating?
2. What is it about you the helps you delegate?
3. What are some specific techniques you can use to delegate?
4. How will you and your business benefit from delegating.
5. Do you know how to use your employees talents to help you look good?

Delegating is one of the most important skills a business owner or manager can learn. When you master delegation you open the doors to having your employees do the work and help you succeed rather than always having to do things yourself. Delegating allows you to grow by freeing you up to work on building your business rather than micromanaging employees.

Regards,

Guy
Leadership Training

Micromanaging

Micromanaging is the act of inserting yourself into every task you employee is doing. At its most basic, micromanaging is the inability to let other people do their jobs. Why does this happen? Often it is simply that we don't know any other way to manage people. You can enjoy even better results from you employees if you keep the following tips in mind:

1. Let people do tasks alone and only help if they ask.
2. Give people the opportunity to show you what they do well.
3. Provide education only when people ask you.
4. Figure out why it is you choose to micromanage.
5. Picture what you could do with your business if you weren't micromanaging.

They myth in business is that you have to be a "hands on" manager. Regrettably, this approach does not allow employees to grow or to experience the learning that comes from doing things oneself. True growth occurs on the job when we are allowed to learn from our mistakes and our successes.

Regards,

Guy
Management Training