Transcript of Your Best Next Move: A New 3 Cs Approach to Employee Engagement – Part 3 

Hi everyone, Bobbie LaPorte here again with my weekly leadership tip for your Best Next Move, where I help you see continuing curveballs as an opportunity.

Over the last two weeks I’ve focused on the subject of employee engagement, because it continues to be an important issue for most companies. I’ve cited a new survey from the Conference Board where 30% of employees say their level of engagement is lower than six months ago. And 18% said their level of effort had declined over the last six months.

There has been so much emphasis on this issue with many different programs, approaches and viewpoints offered. I have suggested perhaps a new way of approaching this issue, based on my experience training for endurance events. I offered three points that have helped me successfully cross the finish line that I hope will be helpful for you to consider.

They are the three Cs:

• Connection
• Certainty
• Contribution

I have already covered Connection and Certainty.

This week I will share the final concept of Contribution.

I think we all understand that it is a basic element of human nature to be validated, to feel we have value, particularly during these times when people feel disconnected, not sure how or where they fit in.

As leaders, we can always show acknowledgement and praise for good work and value that a team member contributes, but more than that is the connection to a larger purpose.

I know it may sound trite, but helping team members see how their specific work contributes to – but doesn’t fully satisfy – the complex needs of today’s changing organization is a critical  focus. Many of the issues leaders are being asked to solve are ones we may not have experienced before, and we need to draw on the collective talents and skills of all involved to address them .

Here’s my tip:

Think about your team or organization’s larger purpose. Why do people join your company and come to work every day? Who is the ultimate beneficiary of the work your team does? It may be internal stakeholders or external customers…or even the broader community in which you operate.

If your organization was disbanded tomorrow, who would feel it the most? Work back from there and find simple, consistent ways to remind your team of what their personal contribution means.

You can reinforce this in 1:1 meetings and by sharing team successes that show how their work impacts and benefits others. Help them (literally) raise their head from the day-to-day work they do to see the downstream benefits of what they are producing.

That’s my tip for the week. These “Best Next Move” tips are going to take a break for the remainder of 2022. I wish all of you and a successful close to what was another challenging year, and a happy holiday season.

I will see you in the New Year.

Your Best Next Move: How to Help Your Team Understand Their Value in the Organization and Set the Stage for Your Evolving Team’s Success

Hi everyone, Bobbie LaPorte here again with my weekly leadership tip for your Best Next Move, where I help you see continuing curveballs as an opportunity.

I’m in Lake Tahoe and my internet has been very unpredictable over the last couple of days, so instead of you having to watch a really terrible video, I decided this week’s tip will just be audio.

It seems like every week I hear about (yet another) organizational change in one of my clients’ companies. More often than not, that means that you might find yourself with new team members – people you’ve inherited from other teams – along with new team members you are possibly hiring and adding to your team.

All these changes can be very time-consuming and distracting for leaders who are feeling the pressure to execute and deliver results.

But it is also important to remember that this represents an opportunity to set the stage for your evolving team’s success, to ensure that they are clear on the value proposition of your team to the organization, of the unifying theme that ties all their individual work together, of their connection to a larger mission that we all crave as human beings.

But even beyond these reasons, the current challenging and competitive environment we all find ourselves leading in requires our team members clearly understand, connect to, and can articulate their wider contribution.

Why? Because there is increasing focus on leaders to do the work that matters, to create connection with their team members in a post-Covid world, and to show how all experiences, perspectives, and work products are valued. (See related posts below for more insights.)

Here’s My Leadership Tip:

You don’t have to create this value proposition from scratch. Start with the mission statement for your company; after all, this is the ultimate reason why you were hired and do what you do.

Then, is there a more specific, refined mission for your department? How do you speak to someone you are hiring about the opportunity they have to join your team and make an impact?

This will help your team members (literally) “look up” from their work and see how they are adding value to your ultimate customer.

For example, if your company makes software that helps people create new products for their customers…. think of the extended impact you and your team are producing.

This will vary from company to company, but you need to make it clear in a way that everyone on your team understands and can articulate.

That’s my tip for the week, I’ll see you next Monday.

Related Posts:

How to Share Your Voice and Value in Team Meetings

Create an Inclusive Environment for Meeting Participation

Why You Need to Share Your Success

Transcript of Your Best Next Move: Create an Inclusive Environment for Meeting Participation

Hi everyone, Bobbie LaPorte here again with my weekly leadership tip for your Best Next Move, where I help you see continuing curveballs as an opportunity.

Each Sunday when I sit down to compose the next week’s Tip, I reflect back on the prior week to trends I am seeing and issues that are coming up with my clients. This past week I heard an ongoing issue that I have not heard about much lately – and that is about participation (or lack of) in meetings.

You might be thinking: “Come on, this is something we all should be aware of by now.” Yes, we “should” – but apparently many of us are not.

I heard two versions of this:

• “In my leadership team meetings, I am usually the only one talking…or it is the same vocal people all the time. I’ve tried to encourage others to speak up, but it’s not working”
• “In my leadership team meetings with my boss and peers, I want to speak up and contribute…. but the same ‘loud voices” always seem to dominate the conversation. It is intimidating”

So why does this seem to be happening – a lot – now? Well, I have a few theories.

1. During Covid and remote work, many people got used to being “off-screen” with their cameras off and not contributing. It was challenging to know when to jump in and contribute, to have the body language to gauge when it was appropriate – so they gave up.
2. With all the change and uncertainty surrounding us over the last 2+ years, many of us also experienced a lack of confidence in our skills and knowledge, a fear that we might not have the answers we are expected to have or to be wrong. So, we say nothing.
3. With the return to the office, strong leaders are trying to reestablish their authority and position in in-person meetings, making up for what they consider time lost during Covid. This can feel intimidating and not welcoming for some who are more laid back.

Whatever it is – and you may have your own theories – this is not a good thing. The problems that organizations are now facing are complex – no one person or a subset of a team can solve them alone. Now more than ever, all voices, including different ones, need to be heard to get the collective best of everyone.

That is the only way the team will be successful. It is how we, together, change the environment to enable everyone’s success. It is shifting to the “We Got This” vs. the “I Got This”.

Here’s my tip to create an inclusive environment for meeting participation:

As a leader, the ball is on your court here to make this explicitly happen. You can say: “There is value to hearing all voices and drawing on all experiences.  I expect there will be differences and I encourage that. That’s the only way we get the best of everyone”.

And for the quieter voices in the group, and those who need time to think and process, you can offer: “In our next meeting we are going to be talking about “x,” so please come prepared to share your ideas.”

These are just suggestions.  The power is in the team, not a few powerful voices that try to shape the conversation. However you manage it, your job is to create an environment where that can happen.

That’s my tip for the week, I’ll see you next Monday.

Related posts:

2 Tips to Gain Better Team Collaboration

Leveraging Your Team’s Strengths

Capacity Building in Your Team

Transcript of Your Best Next Move: Leaders – It is Okay to be a B Student Sometimes

Hi everyone, Bobbie LaPorte here again with my weekly leadership tip for your Best Next Move, where I help you see continuing curveballs as an opportunity.

It would be an understatement to say that these are challenging times for leaders. From global socio-economic issues that impact every business, to learning to manage remotely, to The Great Resignation, Quiet Quitting, Stakeholder Capitalism (who knows what’s next) – and a workforce that is simultaneously desiring to be autonomous while also sorely in need of reassurance and support. It’s enough to make anyone’s head spin.

Here is a sample of what I’ve been hearing from clients lately:

• “I am trying to be more empathetic and connected to my team but not sure I am really making a difference”
• “My company is going through so many changes and struggles right now; I try to do my best every day but most days I just don’t feel it’s good enough”
• “I feel like I am failing my team – we just can’t seem to get back to feeling supercharged like we were in the past”

I get it. You wouldn’t be in a leadership role if you didn’t care about the people on your team, and about your vision for what could be. But there’s only so much you – as one person – that you can control – and that’s more true now than ever.

Each day we wake up and it feels like a new world…..one where curveballs seem to keep coming out of nowhere, and you think: “What now?”

Here’s my leadership tip:

I know you want to do your best…and I am guessing that most days you are. I appreciate that you are all high achievers. But somedays – and we are most definitely in those days – it is OK to be a “B” student. You don’t have to, nor can you always aim to be an A+ leader. Really, no one expects that of you.

Realize that, manage your own expectations and give yourself some credit for what you are doing. I’ll bet the people you are leading are more than fine with what you provide on “B” days.

We all need to give ourselves a break sometimes. Like now.

That’s my tip for the week. Try to chill out a bit and I’ll see you next Monday.

As leaders, we have so many demands on our time—and so many curveballs that keep coming at us—that we rarely take time to savor our own successes. Even if they’re relatively small accomplishments, they’re always worth celebrating. Watch Bobbie LaPorte’s September 13 “Your Best Next Move” video for a reminder to stop, listen, and appreciate those occasions when others appreciate YOU.

Transcript of Your Best Next Move – How to Know if You’re Making a Difference as a Leader

Hi everyone, Bobbie LaPorte here again with my weekly leadership tip for your Best Next Move, where I help you see continuing curveballs as an opportunity.

It’s been 2 ½ years since I delivered my first TEDx talk in early 2020, just before Covid took over our lives. Who could have predicted the times ahead and all the challenges we’d be facing…and still are. But there have also been many accomplishments: breakthrough success on projects; new and often unexpected relationships; a better understanding of us and others; and (hopefully) a new appreciation of what is possible…as well as what’s best left behind.

With all the demands on your time, the things that are weighing you down, and the curveballs you continue to crush, how do you know if you’re making a difference?

When I speak with clients every day, I hear about challenges and problems, but rarely about successes or victories, however small they may be. I remind them of why they do what they do, and to find those moments that lift all of us, that makes it all worthwhile to be a leader during these challenging times.

What prompted this thought? Well, back to my TEDx talk, which is now approaching 1 million views, an achievement I would never have imagined when I was preparing to deliver this in early 2020. It was a great experience in both the planning and delivery, but the real currency here for me is in the feedback and comments that I have received on YouTube – like the following:

“If you are facing change in your company, or fear change you need to see this talk”

“It’s incredible how different an outcome can be when you approach the difficulty with awareness and positivity! Thank you for this reminder, Bobbie”

“This was such a joy to watch! And so many helpful hints at finding balance… this talk couldn’t be more apt for everyone at the moment. We’re all going through such uncertainty. Thank you, Bobbie!”

So gratifying…and this is why I do what I do. So, what about you?

Here’s my tip to know if you’re making a difference:

Stop to connect and “listen” to what people, particularly your team members are saying. Take the time to ask them, “Is this helpful, is this making a difference for you?”

Take it in and appreciate how others appreciate you. You might be surprised – and gratified as I am.

That’s my tip for the week. I’ll see you next Monday.

Related Posts:

Why You Need to Share Your Successes

Helpful Ideas for Motivating Your Team

When “How Are You Doing?” Isn’t Enough

Leading with Empathy and Agility During Uncertainty

Coronavirus Curveball Tip of the Week: Step Back and Reflect

Help Star Performers Find Meaning in Their Work – Before They Resign

Transcript of Your Best Next Move: How to Gain the Support of Your Boss 

Hi everyone, Bobbie LaPorte here again with my weekly leadership tip for your Best Next Move, where I help you see continuing curveballs as an opportunity.

I was looking over these VLOGS that I have been producing since Covid (I can’t believe it’s been that long), and one thing that struck me is that one of the most viewed posts was on having a boss who doesn’t support you. I wasn’t completely surprised, but it was a little unsettling to see how common this is.

In times past, we depended on our manager for knowledge transfer, advocacy, coaching and navigating the corporate landscape, among other things.

But over the last decade, we’ve definitely become more independent, less tied to the fortunes of our boss and more skilled in developing supportive relationships across the organization.

That said, in these times of change and uncertainty, we are now more likely to look for support, guidance and certainty about our professional future. And this is coming at a time when your boss is also likely feeling anxious: no one knows what’s ahead so many leaders are (understandably, but disappointingly) concerned first about their own future. Often the people who work for them are left to figure out the path ahead by themselves.

In previous vlogs, I’ve addressed this, suggesting you are clear about your value in the organization, that you build relationships across the enterprise and stay flexible when change does come.

So, here’s an additional tip when you feel your boss does not support you:

One of my former managers often reminded me: we all work for someone.

It’s important to acknowledge that your job is to help your boss be successful. So, understand what is important to your boss: is it a high-visibility project that might be in trouble; is he aiming for a promotion; maybe he is having challenges with one of your peers that is affecting the entire team.

Remember that you have more currency in the organization than you might think. Use your personal agency to find ways to support your manager in achieving his goals. Doing so could increase your impact and influence in the organization, while going a long way to having your boss become a stronger supporter of – you.

That’s my tip for the week. I’ll see you next Monday.

Youmay also like:

Dealing with a Bad Boss

How to Increase Your Career Advancement Advocates

How to Approach Mentors and Sponsors to Grow Your Career

Transcript of Your Best Next Move: 3 Leadership Themes to Consider in an Economic Slowdown

Hi everyone, Bobbie LaPorte here again with my weekly leadership tip for your Best Next Move, where I help you see continuing curveballs as an opportunity.

Over the last few weeks, I have focused these tips on leading through the current economic slowdown we are experiencing.

In earlier tips, I’ve proposed the idea of “doubling down” on successful, small projects to amplify their impact, why the concept of building your social capital is more important than ever in challenging times, and how now is the time to be investing in your team members’ growth and advancement in the company.

As I speak to clients and hear about the changes their companies are installing to deal with economic uncertainty, I hear three major leadership “themes” that I believe would be helpful for you to consider. They are execution, employee engagement and retention, and “watch the numbers.”

1. Let’s start with execution: while many leaders might find themselves in retrenchment or “protection” mode, this is time to double down on execution – no excuses about lack of resources or focus from your team. Delivering results should always be at the top of your list. If you need support or insight from others, get it. But get it done.
2. Retention and engagement: you are probably tired of hearing about this, but we know it continues to be an issue for all organizations. Whether it’s the Great Resignation or Quiet Quitting, a recent study by Korn Ferry found that 6 of 10 employees are accelerating their job search, given all the present uncertainty. There are so many small, inexpensive but meaningful things a leader can do to show your team they are valued.
3. Finally, watch the numbers: the pullback that many companies are implementing started with recognizing that their internal financial plan isn’t realistic given the soft and uncertain market conditions. Approach this time like it’s your money, and make decisions that reflect these challenging times.

So that’s my tip for this week. These are all issues that are part of the cyclical nature of business. If you consider them as opportunities to use your personal agency to act, to build capacity in yourself and your team, you will be in a better position the next time this happens. And it will.

Please also check out my “Summer Slowdown” tips on LinkedIn each Thursday, to help you make the most of this summer.

Have a great week; I’ll see you on September 6^th, after the Labor Day holiday weekend. Enjoy the holiday as we close out summer.

Transcript of Your Best Next Move: Invest in Your Team in an Economic Slowdown

Hi everyone, Bobbie LaPorte here again with my weekly leadership tip for your Best Next Move, where I help you see continuing curveballs as an opportunity.

This is my third vlog on the topic of leading through the current economic slowdown we are experiencing.

In earlier tips, I’ve proposed the idea of “doubling down” on successful, small projects to amplify their impact and also why the concept of building your social capital is more important than ever in challenging times.

This week I want to revisit the idea of investing in your team at a time when hiring freezes and people exiting their jobs seem to be continuing. It seems to me to be an opportune time to clearly demonstrate to the people on your team that you value them and are committed to their growth and development in their roles. I know, it sounds pretty trite, but do we really pay attention to this with all the other pressing issues we need to address? I think it’s worth some additional focus.

There are so many ways to do this in a resource-constrained environment; here are three ideas:

1. You can invest time in building an upskilling program for your team – based on what you believe they will need to be successful 12-18 months from now. This will pay off in the long term and, in the short term demonstrate your commitment to helping your team grow in your organization.
2. As a way to demonstrate “strength-spotting,” – ask each of your team members what skill/strength they have that they are not currently using. Suggest that they find an inexpensive course or instruction that will help them amplify that strength and develop a plan to put it to use within your team.
3. And as a way to demonstrate social capital building, identify someone in the organization who could be a good contact for your team members – whether it’s a peer on another team, another leader they could learn from, or someone who can benefit from their expertise. And make the intro – show them the value of this practice.

So here is my leadership tip:

These are just three suggestions; there are countless other ways to invest in your team in challenging, resource-constrained times. The important thing here is to use your personal agency and ACT – pick one. Keep it simple, involve your team and make it happen.

You might be surprised at their appreciative response – which can go a long way to building retention and engagement.

That’s my tip for this week. Please also check out my “Summer Slowdown” tips on LinkedIn each Thursday…to help you make the most of this summer.

Have a great week; I’ll see you next Monday.

This week’s Your Best Next Move: The Importance of Social Capital in an Economic Slowdown

Hi everyone, Bobbie LaPorte here again with my weekly leadership tip for your Best Next Move, where I help you see continuing curveballs as an opportunity. This year, I will help you actively use your personal agency to accelerate what you want to accomplish in 2022.

This week I’d like to continue to address the topic I introduced last week – which is the current economic slowdown we are experiencing.

And in this environment, the concept of “social capital” is more important than ever.

What is the importance of social capital in an economic slowdown?

Because our professional networks have shrunk since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, while our companies’ attrition and hiring challenges are growing. To help reverse these trends, people and organizations will need to manage workplace interactions more intentionally. And it all starts with you as a leader.

Before I provide more context and offer my tip, let’s define social capital.

Social capital is the presence of networks, relationships, shared norms, and trust among individuals, teams, and business leaders. It is the glue that holds organizations together.

When teams feel connected, they tend to get more work done and do it faster. When colleagues trust their managers and one another, they tend to be more engaged, more willing to go beyond minimum work requirements, more likely to stick around, and more likely to recommend that others join their organization.

Social capital matters to an organization’s performance. And it is an important currency for today’s leaders.

Also, employees who feel more connected with people in their networks are two times more likely than those who feel less connected to report higher levels of sponsorship for their career advancement, one and a half times more likely to report a sense of belonging at work, and one and a half times more likely to report being engaged at work.

But recent research shows people are less focused on building or nurturing their networks. During the pandemic, employees turned inward and focused mostly on maintaining connections with close associates and members of their own teams rather than building or maintaining relationships with newer colleagues or other indirect associates.

While this varied by industry, job level, and gender, it is clear that social capital is no longer just nice to have. It’s becoming a core lever business leaders can use to attract, retain, and bring out the best in employees, enabling them to achieve (and even exceed) their performance goals.

Leaders should manage social capital in the same way that they manage other types of corporate capital: intentionally.

So here is my tip:

Motivation is one of the keys to building and maintaining relationships in this environment.

Consider your motivation: how can being more intentional in building and deploying your social capital to benefit you/ your team/your organization? Start with identifying just one person who could be instrumental to your success. Then answer these 3 questions:

1. Do you have a strong, existing relationship with this person?
2. Do you need to repair/reinvest in this relationship?
3. Do you need to build this relationship from scratch?

If you do this each week for the next month, you will be on your way to building the critical social capital you need…and starting to role-model how this is done for your team.

That’s my tip for this week. Please also check out my “Summer Slowdown” tips on LinkedIn each Thursday to help you make the most of this summer.

Have a great week; I’ll see you next Monday.

Transcript of Your Best Next Move: Amplify Impact in an Economic Slowdown

Hi everyone, Bobbie LaPorte here again with my weekly leadership tip for your Best Next Move, where I help you see continuing curveballs as an opportunity. This year, I will help you actively use your personal agency to accelerate what you want to accomplish in 2022.

You’d have to be living under a rock over the last couple of months to not know we are experiencing a widespread economic slowdown. I know it’s affecting my clients in the Bay Area and beyond. Call it a retrenchment, pullback, or whatever you like, it’s part of the cyclical nature of business.

Growth, even boom times when the environment is good, followed by a more conservative, cautionary approach when it is not.

After the last two+ years, it’s understandable that we’d all be a little cautious about making commitments, while at the same time we want to get back to work, to feel optimistic, to see what’s possible and continue to invest in our success.

It does sometime feel like we’re taking two steps forward, one step backward.  We need to acknowledge that we will always be dealing with change and uncertainty, and remember how far we’ve come, to celebrate the progress we have made.

It’s all about looking at change and uncertainty from a place of “what can be,” not from fear or resignation.

So here is my tip:

In this time of ongoing uncertainty, there are limited things you can control or impact. Identify one thing you currently do have control over: maybe it’s an important, upcoming product launch, or a recent customer program that was a success, or an employee upskill program you launched that is so needed in these times of employee retention and recruitment challenges.

Then double-down on this one project or program: think boldly how you can make it even better, how you can further amplify its impact, and importantly, how you can share this success with others – and help them see what is possible even in the most challenging times.

In your own (not so small way), you can use your personal agency to create an even bigger success than you might have imagined possible, rather than defaulting to the retreating and retrenchment mindset so many others are holding.

That’s my tip for this week. Please also check out my “Summer Slowdown” tips on LinkedIn each Thursday…to help you make the most of this summer.

Have a great week; I’ll see you next Monday.