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Stuart's Tips

A Quick Guide to Maintaining Motivation in a Hybrid Workplace

8/27/2022

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Hybrid workplaces have been the trend in the business world for several years. This workplace setup combines remote and in-office work, giving employees the best of both worlds. However, as with any work situation, motivation can be a challenge. 
 
After all, employees need to be both physically and mentally present to be productive. Moreover, if they are used to working from home, they may not have the same level of interaction with their colleagues and may not feel as invested in their work.
 
This is where strategic leadership comes into the picture. You want to ensure that your team will stay motivated despite the hybrid workplace arrangement. But how do you do that? Here are some tips you can apply:
 
1. Foster a Sense of Community
 
Make sure your team members feel and understand that they are part of a community. You can do this by creating opportunities for them to interact with each other, such as through regular video calls or online chats. You can also encourage them to participate in company-wide events, even if you hold them online.
 
Another method you can do is to hold a leadership skills development program for those interested in getting involved in as many leadership opportunities as possible. This could include taking on additional responsibilities at work, becoming involved in extracurricular activities, or volunteering for leadership roles in community organisations. 
 
2. Encourage Social Interaction
 
While you want your team to be prolific, you also don't want them to feel isolated. Make sure to encourage social interaction, whether it's through work-related activities or simply catching up with each other. This will help them feel more connected to their colleagues and motivated to do their best work.
 
You can also conduct team-building activities or business coaching sessions to help improve team communication and collaboration. Some examples would be trust exercises, problem-solving exercises, and team sports.
 
3. Promote a Healthy Work-Life Balance
 
Setting work and personal time boundaries is important when promoting a healthy work-life balance. This means ensuring employees take breaks during the day and offering flexible work hours to give employees more control over their time.
 
Additionally, you can encourage employees to use their vacation days and ensure they understand that taking time off from work is okay. Promoting a healthy work-life balance will create a more rewarding and happier workforce.
 
4. Recognise and Reward Good Work
 
As a manager, it's essential to recognise and reward good work. This shows your appreciation for your team's efforts and motivates them to do their best. You can do this in several ways, such as through verbal praise, public recognition, or financial incentives.
 
No matter which method you choose, be sincere and specific in your praise. This will let your team know that you truly value their work and will help to build a positive and productive work environment.
 
Final Thoughts
 
When trying to maintain motivation in a hybrid workplace, key things to remember are to keep routine, set goals, and stay connected to your team. It's easy to let work slide when you're not in the office, but by following these tips, you can stay on track and be productive no matter where you're working.
 
Stuart Andrews provides high performance leadership coaching programs in Australia for business leaders who want to improve motivation in hybrid workplace arrangements. Get in touch with us today, and check out Stuart Andrews’ book, The Leadership Shift: How to Lead Successful Business Transformations in the New Normal!

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5 Creative Managerial Strategies to Solve Poor Performance

8/20/2022

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We all know that feeling when an employee just isn't meeting our expectations. Maybe they're not working hard enough, or they're making too many mistakes. Whatever the case may be, it can be frustrating to see someone not performing up to par.
 
As a manager, it's important to nip these performance issues in the bud before they become bigger problems. But how do you do that?
 
Here are five managerial strategies you can use to solve poor employee performance:
 
1. Don’t Wait to Raise Performance Concerns
 
As a manager, you shouldn’t wait to raise performance concerns. If you wait, the problem will likely worsen, and the employee will become more entrenched in their poor performance. It’s essential to address the issue as soon as you see it so you can nip it in the bud.
 
2. Document the Process of Employee Performance Management
 
Employee performance management is a process used by businesses to ensure that employees are meeting performance standards. The process typically includes setting performance goals, tracking progress, and providing feedback. However, in today’s world performance management needs to be real-time and can’t wait for formal yearly or biannual reviews.
 
When done effectively, employee performance management can help businesses improve employee productivity, identify training and development needs, and make informed decisions about employee compensation and promotions.
 
By documenting this process, organisations can ensure that all employees are treated fairly and consistently, and that performance improvement efforts are aligned with the organisation's goals.
 
3. Be Ready for the Difficult Conversations

There are bound to be some difficult conversations along the way. Whether it's addressing a specific issue, goal or simply giving constructive feedback, these conversations can be tough to navigate. However, by being prepared and keeping the lines of communication open, you can make these conversations more streamlined and less process driven.
 
When it comes to difficult conversations, honesty is always the best policy. Be direct in your communication, and avoid beating around the bush. This will help ensure that you and the employee are on the same page. Moreover, it's important to remember that these conversations are a two-way street. Be open to feedback from the employee, and be willing to listen to their perspective. This will help create a more productive conversation.
 
4. Have a Follow-up Talk to Check the Employee’s Progress
 
Following up with employees after performance conversations is essential to ensure they are on track and more importantly demonstrate that you care about them.  A genuine check-in to gauge the employee's progress and ensure they have taken your feedback on-board will ensure a positive change. This is also a good time to provide additional support or resources if needed.
 
When following up, ask specific questions about the discussed goals. This will help you get a better sense of the employee's progress.
 
5. Reflect on Your Performance, Too
 
As a manager, it's important to reflect on your own performance, too. After all, we are all not perfect, and there's always room for improvement.
 
Think about the feedback you gave to your employees. Was it constructive? Did you use positive language? Were you clear and concise? Also, consider how you could have handled the situation differently. Maybe you could have been more patient or provided more support.
 
Reflecting on your performance will help you become a better manager and leader. It will also make you more aware of your strengths and weaknesses.
 
Final Thoughts
 
There are a few critical managerial strategies you can use to solve poor employee performance. By following these steps, managers can help to improve employee performance and create a more positive work environment.

Learn more about employee performance management by working with me at Stuart Andrews.me. We offer executive leadership coaching in Australia to help business leaders deliver successful initiatives and outcomes. Start by buying my business leadership coaching book and booking a 30-minute discovery session today.

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The Differences between Helpful Feedback and Harmful Critique

8/11/2022

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Constructive criticism is a way for someone to give feedback on your performance in a way that is intended to be helpful. This can be beneficial for people in any industry as it can give them a clearer perspective on their performance and help them grow. However, it is important to be able to distinguish between helpful and unhelpful criticism, as the latter can be harmful. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell the difference between the two, but it is important to be able to in order to make the most of the feedback you receive.

There are two types of criticism: destructive and constructive. Destructive criticism is mean and makes fun of our mistakes. Constructive criticism is more helpful because it offers suggestions on how to improve.

To distinguish the main differences between the two, you may take note of the following tips below.

1. Constructive Criticism Makes You Hopeful; The Other Does Not

Helpful criticism is specific and makes it clear what needs to be improved. It is also positive and offers suggestions on how to improve. Unhelpful criticism is vague and leaves you feeling confused about what needs to be changed. It is also negative and doesn't offer any helpful suggestions.

2. Constructive Criticism Focuses on Solutions

Constructive criticism is meant to help you improve by pointing out what you can do differently. Unhelpful, even harmful critique is meant to make you feel bad without offering solutions.

3. Constructive Criticism Is Usually Delivered Calmly

When critiquing someone, it is important to be respectful and deliver the message in a way that is easy to understand. This ensures that the person receiving the criticism will be more likely to accept it and use it to improve their work.

The way you give feedback can make a huge difference in how the person receiving it reacts. If you give feedback respectfully and constructively, the person is more likely to be open to hearing what you have to say and to make changes based on your suggestions. On the other hand, if you give feedback critically and negatively, the person is more likely to become defensive and shut down your suggestions.

4. Constructive Criticism Focuses on Behaviour; The Same Can't Be Said for the Other

Constructive criticism is a great way to help someone improve their behaviour or skills. It involves observing specific behaviour and providing feedback in a helpful way. This can be very beneficial for the person receiving the feedback, as it can help them to identify areas they need to work on and improve.

Destructive criticism, on the other hand, is not as helpful. It involves observing someone's behaviour and providing feedback in a harmful way. This type of criticism can damage the person receiving it and make them feel insecure or discouraged.

5. Constructive Criticism Isn't Personal, but Factual

The SBI (situation, behaviour, impact) method is a great way to give constructive criticism that is objective and professional. This method ensures that personal feelings are left out of the equation, and only the facts are included. This is helpful for the person receiving the feedback because they can focus on what they need to improve without feeling attacked.

Conclusion

Overall, helpful feedback is specific, objective, and actionable. It is given in a respectful and supportive way, with the goal of helping the recipient improve. Harmful critique, on the other hand, is vague, subjective, and often unhelpful. It is given in a disrespectful and often critical way, with the goal of making the recipient feel inadequate.

Be sure to go for constructive feedback as it promotes further development rather than frustrated stagnancy that no one ever wants to feel or experience.
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If you want to learn more from one of the best executive coaches in Australia, I, Stuart Andrews, would love to help. I offer leadership coaching to support Executives and Business Leaders drive successful initiatives while their teams consistently perform at the highest level, all with the assistance of my book, The Leadership Shift: How to Lead Successful Business Transformations in the New Normal. Feel free to check out my book for more helpful insights and tips on being a successful executive throughout your career.
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How Today's Leaders Can Make the Best Decisions

8/8/2022

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Leaders are under constant pressure to make decisions quickly and efficiently in today's constantly changing environment. However, with the ever-changing landscape in technology, innovation, and new business models, it is becoming increasingly difficult to always make the right decisions. Leaders need to be able to take into account all of the factors that go into making a decision and execute it rapidly.

There are a few things that leaders can do to make better decisions. 

Choose a process and style that fits the situation

Leaders need to be aware of their own decision-making style and how it might fit (or not fit) the situation at hand. Some decision-making processes are more effective than others in certain situations. 

For example, a leader who generally relies on logic and reason may find that a more intuitive, creative approach is needed in a particular situation.

Get input from others

Leaders should seek input from others, especially subject matter experts when making decisions. This can help them identify potential problems and obtain a variety of perspectives on the issue.

Consider the consequences

Leaders need to think about the potential consequences of their decisions before they make them. They should ask themselves what could go wrong and what the impact of their decision could be.

Be prepared to defend your decision

Leaders should be prepared to defend their decisions to others. Communicating the reasons behind the decision is imperative for sustaining an aligned vision and purpose. 

Set a deadline

Leaders should set a deadline for when they want their decision to be implemented. This will help ensure the decision is reviewed against competing priorities and given the appropriate attention for implementation.

Be transparent

Leaders should be transparent with their team so everyone knows what is happening and why. This builds trust in the decision-making process. 
Be open to feedback

Leaders should be open to feedback with their decision-making process so that they can continually improve it, especially in a constantly changing landscape. This ensures that their decision-making is always in the best interest for the organisation and its people.

Determine the worst-case scenario

Leaders should always be prepared for the worst-case scenario when making decisions and for any potential challenges that may arise, including a plan to mitigate them.

Follow your guiding values

All leaders should have a set of guiding principles when making decisions. These values should be based on the company’s mission, vision, and objectives. These principles should be used to review all decisions made by the leaders in the organisation.

Make a decision matrix

When faced with a difficult decision, it can be helpful to create a decision matrix to help organise the information and make the decision-making process more systematic.

The Bottomline
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Leaders need to make sure that they are taking the time to make thoughtful decisions with all the facts. They need to consider all of the options and make sure that they have their employee’s needs at the heart of everything they do. Leaders also need to be open to feedback and willing to change direction if they are presented with new information.

Do you need executive coaching in Australia? Stuart Andrews can help you and your team with effective and efficient decision-making. We help executives and business leaders drive successful initiatives while their teams consistently perform at the highest level. Get your copy of “The Leadership Shift” now to help you orchestrate successful transformations. 

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Executive Coaching Must Have Great Culture in Its Teachings

8/2/2022

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It's official: the hybrid work model is here to stay. The great work-from-home experience of more than two years has shown that employees can be just as productive working from anywhere and even more! This has led to companies realising that a remote or hybrid workplace is a viable option.

Most workers want their company to offer a hybrid work model post-pandemic, with the option to telecommute up to four days per week or less with compressed hours. Many companies are implementing a "productivity anywhere" workforce model and introducing the possibility of a hybrid workplace for employees and executive coaching to navigate this new approach.

The hybrid work model combines remote and in-person work, becoming more popular as companies attempt to create a more productive and positive work culture. However, some potential challenges come with this model, such as longer working hours, micromanagement, and the dissolution of traditional company culture. However, there are ways to avoid these challenges by building a more productive, streamlined, and positive work culture.

Creating a Hybrid Work Experience

As businesses move to a hybrid work setup, they face the challenge of preserving or upgrading traditional company culture. This can be difficult, as culture is more than just office perks and team-building events. Businesses must find ways to keep their employees connected and engaged, even when they are not in the office.

It’s More Than Just Added Perks

Culture starts with how a company approaches work. Things that are important to the company like trust, transparency, executive coaching, and autonomy can be achieved by giving employees the flexibility to work from home.

Free lunches and snacks will not help employees who are stressed or too busy to eat. Creating a healthy workplace culture is much more effective when you help your employees feel comfortable with their work and how they do it.

It’s Building Them Up for Success

Companies can do this through a combination of physical and emotional support, such as ensuring:
  • Employees have the needed equipment to be productive from remote locations effectively, including backup options for emergencies and funding for new equipment if necessary.
  • Your company is constantly creating new opportunities for remote workers to access the same level of experiences and training as office workers.
  • Managers who oversee remote employees have the necessary skills to do so effectively. This includes being able to manage, coach, and supervise employees from a distance, as well as being able to build strong teams remotely.
  • Employees telecommuting have ample opportunity to engage with management. This can help ensure that they feel supported and their concerns are heard. It can also help them to feel more connected to the company and their coworkers.
  • A balanced schedule is achieved. For instance, you can implement a company-wide 3 PM finish on Fridays, cutting hour-long meetings to 30 minutes, and encouraging employees to take a certain break each day.
  • Employees have the means to address what is most important to them and therefore encourage contentment and job satisfaction. 

Hire an Executive Coach Who Can Bring All These and More
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Get executive coaching on leading hybrid workplaces with Stuart Andrews today! Stuart supports executives, management teams, and business leaders in building and leading high performing teams. Read more about it in his book ‘The Leadership Shift’, available now on Amazon!​

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