Manager Development: What Is The Fuss About?

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, organizations constantly seek ways to stay competitive and achieve their goals. One crucial aspect that contributes to organizational success is effective management. Managers play a vital role in leading teams, making critical decisions, and driving organizational performance. Therefore, organizations need to invest in manager development and training. But what exactly does development of managers entail, and why is it so important? In this blog, we will explore the concept of manager development, its key aspects, and its role in organizational success.

Table of Contents

Manager Development: What Is The Fuss About?

What is Manager Development?

Manager development, also known as management development and training, refers to a systematic process to enhance specific management skills and competencies. It involves providing managers with the necessary tools, resources, and training to become influential leaders. It encompasses various areas, including manager leadership development, management skills enhancement, and new skill acquisition. By investing in manager development, organizations can groom effective managers with the necessary skills to drive organizational performance and success.

Why does manager development matter?

Interestingly, manager development is more than a functional exercise for L&D teams. The impact of development initiatives for managers (or the lack thereof) is directly visible around us in multiple ways.

For one, the managers would be happier if the company invested actively in their growth and development. They are also likely to stick with the company longer, as LinkedIn has highlighted.
Conversely, employees perceive managers without training as a major hurdle. Think of the annoying ones you must have met somewhere in your career. Team members recognize the need and impact of training among their managers as a significant factor in their overall success and performance, as SHRM has outlined.
And most importantly, effective managers mean effective team processes and outstanding performance – the ultimate result that any L&D team wants. Manager development is not just about going through a series of lectures; it’s about creating a sustainable impact on your organization’s managerial practices and behaviors.

Now that we know why manager development is essential, let’s think of when we need manager development. To help through this, we have listed a few signs identifying the need for manager development for a team. If you catch them around, investing in your managers is time.

Signs that your organization needs to rethink manager development

High turnover: If your organization is experiencing a high turnover rate, it may indicate that managers need further development. Effective managers play a crucial role in employee retention, and a lack of manager development can lead to dissatisfaction and turnover. Moreover, the managers could leave due to a lack of growth opportunities.
Organizational behavior problems: Poor organizational behavior, such as conflicts and communication issues, can indicate the need for development initiatives. Effective managers can address these problems and create a positive work environment.
Business problems: If your organization faces challenges such as declining productivity, low performance, or customer complaints, it may be a sign that managers need additional development. Effective managers can address business problems and drive performance improvement.

L&D teams need to proactively identify these signs and invest in manager development to address deficiencies and improve organizational performance.

Key Aspects of Manager Development

Manager development encompasses various vital aspects that contribute to the growth and effectiveness of managers. These aspects include enhancing managerial skills, leadership development, and acquiring new skills. By focusing on these areas, L&D teams can ensure managers have the necessary competencies and capabilities to lead teams, navigate challenges, and drive organizational success. In the following sections, we will explore these critical aspects of manager development and understand their importance.

Managerial Skills Enhancement

Managerial skills enhancement is an essential aspect of manager development. Effective managers possess technical, management, and soft skills that enable them to lead and manage teams effectively. The following are the key points related to enhancing managerial skills that an L&D team must focus on:

Developing management skills: Manager development programs focus on equipping managers with the necessary management skills, including decision-making, problem-solving, and communication skills.
Improving technical skills: Effective managers must have a solid understanding of their field’s and industry’s technical aspects. Development programs for managers help managers enhance their technical skills to stay updated and informed.
Strengthening soft skills: Soft skills, such as leadership, emotional intelligence, and teamwork, are crucial for effective managers. Manager development programs focus on improving these soft skills to enable managers to build strong and collaborative teams.

Leadership Development

Leadership development plays a critical role in manager development. Effective leaders can inspire, motivate, and guide their teams toward achieving organizational goals. Several key aspects of leadership development and training can complement development of managers, such as:

Leadership training: Leadership development programs provide managers with the necessary training and resources to develop their leadership skills. These programs focus on strategic thinking, decision-making, and team building.
Developing competencies: Leadership development programs aim to develop specific competencies for effective leadership, such as communication, coaching, and problem-solving skills.
Fostering talent management: Leadership development programs help organizations identify and nurture talent within their managerial ranks. By investing in the development of future leaders, you ensure a sustainable leadership pipeline.

Building Organizational Agility

Building organizational agility is another critical aspect of manager development. Managers must be agile and adaptive to remain competitive in today’s fast-paced and ever-changing business environment, and development plans are key to building these capacities. Primarily, it works by:

Addressing organizational change: Effective managers are crucial in leading teams and driving successful organizational change initiatives. These programs equip managers with the skills and competencies to navigate change and manage resistance.
Solving business problems: Managers need problem-solving skills to effectively identify and address business problems. Manager development programs focus on enhancing problem-solving abilities, enabling managers to improve performance and address business challenges.
Enhancing agility: By investing in manager development, organizations can foster an agile mindset and culture within the workforce. Agile managers can adapt quickly to new challenges, identify opportunities, and make informed decisions.

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The Role of L&D in Manager Development

Learning and development initiatives, under the purview of human resource management, are pivotal in developing managers. L&D professionals are responsible for designing and implementing programs and strategies to support the growth and development of managers. The L&D process for manager development goes as follows:

Identifying Development Needs

Identifying development needs is a crucial step in manager development. L&D teams first assess the skills and competencies required for managers to be effective. This assessment involves performance reviews, competency assessments, and feedback from peers and subordinates. Once development needs are identified, organizations can design programs to address these specific skills. Managers can drive better team performance and contribute to organizational success by addressing performance gaps and enhancing skills. Read more: Leadership Development Framework for the Future: 5 Mistakes to Avoid

Drafting Leadership Development Plans

Drafting leadership development plans is a crucial step in manager development. These plans provide a systematic process for developing leadership skills and competencies required for effective management. A few key things to keep in mind while drafting manager development plans include:

Aligning with organizational goals: Leadership development plans should align with organizational goals and strategic objectives. They should be designed to support the organization’s overall strategy and vision.
Identifying specific skills and competencies: Leadership development plans should identify the skills and competencies required for effective organizational leadership through a competency framework. These skills include communication, adaptability, problem-solving, and strategic thinking.
Creating a systematic process: Leadership development plans outline a systematic leadership development and training process. The plan specifies the resources, training programs, and development activities required for managers to acquire and enhance leadership skills.
Establishing a strategy for leadership development: Leadership development plans are strategic and form part of an organization’s talent development strategy. By drafting these plans, L&D can ensure the systematic and targeted development of leaders at all levels of the organization while also ensuring that succession planning goes well.

Different Methods of Manager Development

Manager development comes in many forms. Some cover the technical aspects, while others focus heavily on soft skills. The right manager development tools for an organization can vary depending on their needs. How many managers do you have? And what areas do they need training in? How will they learn the best? All these questions are crucial to narrowing down the right mix of manager development tools for your team. Let’s have a look at some common manager development methods that can help you out:

Knowledge Training

Knowledge training is an effective method for manager development, focusing on providing managers with the knowledge and information required to address new challenges and make informed decisions. Knowledge training as part of manager development is helpful in:

Addressing new challenges: Knowledge training equips managers with the knowledge and understanding to navigate new challenges and adapt to changing business landscapes.
Enhancing critical thinking: Knowledge training programs stimulate critical thinking skills, enabling managers to analyze problems, evaluate options, and make sound decisions.
Improving problem-solving abilities: Effective managers need strong problem-solving skills. Knowledge training programs help managers develop problem-solving abilities, equipping them to effectively identify and address organizational problems.

Skills Training

Skills training is another effective method for manager development, focusing on enhancing specific skills and competencies required for effective management. There are three major areas where skills training for managers can come in handy:

Developing soft skills: Effective managers possess strong soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, and leadership. Skills training programs focus on developing these soft skills, enabling managers to build effective teams and foster employee engagement.
Enhancing technical skills: Depending on the industry and organizational context, managers need specific technical skills. Skills training programs provide managers with the necessary technical skills to perform their roles effectively.
Acquiring new skills: In today’s rapidly changing business landscape, managers must continuously acquire new skills to stay relevant. Skills training programs offer opportunities for managers to enhance their skills and competencies, preparing them for future challenges and new roles.

Innovative Training Techniques

In addition to traditional training methods, organizations can utilize innovative training techniques to enhance manager development. These techniques offer new and engaging ways to build skills and competencies. Some of the most common yet innovative ways to focus on manager development include:

Coaching and mentoring: Coaching and mentoring programs provide managers with one-on-one guidance and support, enabling them to enhance their skills and competencies.
Secondment programs: Secondment programs allow managers to temporarily work in different departments or business units, gaining exposure and experience in different areas of the organization.
Action learning: Action learning programs involve managers working on real-world problems and projects, allowing them to apply and develop their skills in a practical setting.
Simulation and gamification: Simulations and gamification provide managers with immersive and interactive experiences, enabling them to practice and develop their skills in a risk-free environment.
Experiential learning: Experiential learning programs, such as outdoor team-building activities and workshops, offer managers hands-on experiences that promote skill development and team collaboration.

Types of Manager Development Programs

Manager development programs come in various forms, catering to organizations’ and managers’ specific needs and requirements.

In-House Training Programs

In-house training programs are designed and facilitated within the organization, targeting specific skills and competencies required for effective management. In-house training programs are customized to address your organization’s specific challenges and needs, ensuring relevance and practicality. Thus, they enable managers to align their team members’ development with organizational goals and objectives, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

External Workshops and Seminars

External w orkshops and seminars allow managers to learn from external experts, industry leaders, and peers. Managers gain exposure to industry best practices, innovative strategies, and new trends by attending external workshops and seminars, enabling them to bring fresh ideas and perspectives to their roles. External workshops and seminars allow managers to connect and network with peers and professionals from other organizations, facilitating knowledge sharing and creating valuable professional relationships.

Online Learning Platforms

Online learning platforms have gained traction as practical tools for manager development. These platforms offer flexibility, accessibility, and a wide range of resources. The best part is that online learning platforms allow managers to conveniently access training and development resources, eliminating geographical and scheduling constraints. Through such mediums, managers access many resources, such as e-learning courses, videos, webinars, and interactive modules, enabling them to engage in self-paced learning and development.

Choosing the Right Candidates for Manager Development

Choosing suitable candidates for manager development is crucial to ensure effective development programs and organizational success.

Assessing Managerial Potential

Assessing managerial potential helps you identify managers with the necessary competencies and capabilities for success but still need an extra nudge to reach their potential. You can determine managers’ competencies through skill assessments, performance reviews and feedback sessions, and contributions to daily workflows.

Evaluating Willingness to Learn

In addition to assessing competencies, evaluating managers’ willingness to learn is equally vital for effective manager development. Managers with a growth mindset are more open to learning and development. You should determine managers’ attitudes toward ongoing learning and improvement to gauge their willingness to learn and grow. Moreover, motivation plays a crucial role in manager development. It helps ensure that they are enthusiastic and proactive in their development journey.

Measuring the Success of Manager Development Programs

Measuring the success of manager development programs is crucial to evaluate their effectiveness and impact. However, L&D teams often fall into the trap of vanity metrics such as completion rates and end-term quizzes, where scores do not correlate very well with impact. Hence, it’s essential to pick a set of metrics that reflect the impact on areas that matter to your stakeholders in the L&D process.

Performance Metrics

Performance metrics are an effective way to measure the success of manager development programs. The following points highlight the importance of performance metrics:

Measuring performance improvement: Performance metrics, such as key performance indicators (KPIs) and performance appraisals, enable you to assess managers’ performance and improvement over time.
Setting benchmarks: You can set performance benchmarks and goals for managers, comparing their actual performance with the desired performance, providing a precise measure of development program effectiveness.
Evaluating organizational performance: Effective manager development programs contribute to organizational performance improvement. By evaluating organizational performance metrics, such as productivity, employee engagement, and customer satisfaction, you can assess the impact of manager development on overall organizational outcomes.

Feedback from Managers

Feedback from managers is a valuable source of information when measuring the success of manager development programs. It helps identify areas of improvement and further development needs. Gathering feedback allows organizations to assess managers’ satisfaction and engagement with development programs. Positive feedback indicates the program’s effectiveness, while constructive feedback helps make necessary improvements. Managers can provide suggestions and recommendations for improving development programs based on experience and perspective, ensuring program relevance and effectiveness.

Conclusion

In conclusion, manager development plays a crucial role in the success of organizations. It is essential for managers to continuously enhance their skills and develop leadership qualities to navigate through the challenges of the dynamic business environment. Investing in manager development programs can foster a culture of learning and growth, leading to improved employee engagement, increased productivity, and better overall organizational performance.

Deeksha Sharma

Deeksha, with a solid educational background in human resources, bridges the gap between your goals and you with valuable insights and strategies within leadership development. Her unique perspectives, powered by voracious reading, lead to thoughtful pieces that tie conventional know-how and innovative approaches together to enable success for management professionals.

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Unlocking the Secrets to Exceptional Management Skills

In the words of Jim Rohn, “The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.” That makes management quite a tricky business, doesn’t it? But fret not because this blog will uncover the critical management skills we need for success. From problem-solving to delegation, we will understand them all and see what they do for us. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

Table of Contents

Unlocking the Secrets to Exceptional Management Skills

Understanding the Basics of Management Skills

To become an exceptional manager, it is essential to understand the basics of management skills. Management skills encompass various abilities enabling individuals to lead, coordinate, and inspire others. We can broadly categorize these skills into two types: hard skills and soft skills.

Hard or technical skills are specific competencies required to perform job-specific tasks. Examples of management hard skills include project management, financial analysis, data interpretation, and technical proficiency. These skills are often acquired through formal education, training, and practical experience.
On the other hand, soft skills, also known as interpersonal skills, are personal qualities and attributes that enable individuals to interact and communicate with others effectively. Examples of soft skills are communication skills, emotional intelligence, problem-solving, empathy, and leadership skills. These skills are essential for building good relationships, managing conflicts, and motivating team members.

What is The Importance of Management Skills?

Management skills play a crucial role in leadership positions. Effective leaders possess hard and soft skills that enable them to guide their teams, make informed decisions, and drive organizational success. One of the key aspects of management skills is the ability to build good relationships with team members. In a leadership role, managers are responsible for overseeing the work of their team members. By leveraging their management skills, effective leaders can establish clear goals, allocate resources efficiently, and promptly complete tasks. It not only enhances productivity but also fosters a positive work culture. Additionally, good relationships between managers and team members are vital for employee engagement and job satisfaction. When managers have strong interpersonal skills, they can effectively communicate, listen, and understand the needs and concerns of their team members. It creates a sense of trust, loyalty, and job security, resulting in increased productivity and employee retention. Furthermore, management skills are essential for establishing a cohesive and collaborative work environment where team members feel valued and supported.

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Exploring Key Hard Skills for Managers

Now that we have understood the basics of management skills let’s explore some vital skills crucial for effective management. These hard skills significantly enable managers to lead, coordinate, and execute projects successfully.

Leadership and Delegation

One of the most influential hard skills for managers is leadership. Effective leaders inspire and motivate their team members to achieve goals and objectives. They provide guidance, set expectations, and create a vision that aligns with the organization’s objectives. The next step in making your team follow this vision is delegating jobs to them.

“The first rule of management is delegation. Don’t try and do everything yourself because you can’t.” Anthea Turner

Delegating tasks to team members is a great way to develop their skills and foster a sense of ownership in their work. Managers can maximize productivity and create a collaborative work environment by assigning responsibilities according to team members’ strengths. Within leadership and delegation, we can look into several sub-skills of management, such as:

Empowerment: Effective leaders empower their team members by providing them with the necessary resources, support, and autonomy to make decisions. It not only boosts team members’ confidence but also fosters a sense of trust and accountability.
Project coordination: Effective leadership skills are essential for coordinating and managing projects. This involves setting clear objectives, assigning tasks, and ensuring effective communication and coordination among team members.
Trust-building: Good leaders trust their team members’ capabilities and encourage them to take on more responsibilities. This promotes professional growth and enhances team members’ confidence, motivation, and job satisfaction.
Inspiration: Excellent management skills and leadership inspire team members to give their best efforts, stay engaged, and embrace the organization’s values and vision. By leading by example, managers can inspire their team members to achieve exceptional results.

Project Management and Coordination

“Many people don’t focus enough on execution. If you make a commitment to get something done, you need to follow through on that commitment.” Kenneth Chenault

In addition to leadership skills, practical project management skills are crucial for managers. Projects often involve multiple tasks, team members, and deadlines, so effective project management ensures smooth workflow and project success. Effective project management involves planning, organizing, and controlling project activities to achieve project goals within the specified constraints. It includes defining project objectives, allocating resources, setting timelines, and monitoring project progress. Moreover, project management skills for managers include:

Effective project coordination: Project coordination requires effective communication, delegation, and collaboration among team members. Managers must ensure that tasks are assigned, progress is tracked, and team members work together towards project milestones.
Workflow management: Effective management skills for workflow management include establishing transparent processes, streamlining workflows, and ensuring efficient communication and coordination among team members. It ensures that tasks are completed on time and project goals are achieved.

Planning and Time Management

Another important hard skill for managers is effective planning and time management. These skills help you prioritize tasks, allocate resources, and meet deadlines. Let’s explore the time management skills for managers in some more detail here:

Effective planning: Planning is a crucial management skill that involves setting objectives, developing strategies, and determining the resources required to achieve desired outcomes. By carefully planning project timelines, resource allocation, and task assignments, you can ensure the success of project initiatives.
Prioritization: Identifying and ranking tasks based on their importance and urgency to ensure that the most critical tasks are addressed first is also essential for getting time management right. You must identify what to do and delegate or schedule the rest for later so your strategic objectives do not suffer.

Unveiling Essential Soft Skills for Effective Managers

Now that we have explored some critical hard skills, let’s shift our focus to essential soft skills that effective managers should possess. Soft skills are interpersonal skills that enable effective communication, collaboration, and empathy in the workplace.

Empathy and Active Listening

“Don’t persuade, defend or interrupt. Be curious, be conversational, be real. And listen.” Elizabeth Lesser

Empathy and active listening are two critical soft skills that effective managers should possess. These skills are vital in building strong relationships, understanding team members’ needs, and fostering a positive work environment. Within this broad zone of listening, there’s much more that a manager must delve into:

Empathy: Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. Effective managers demonstrate empathy towards team members, which helps build trust, resolve conflicts, and create a supportive work environment. You can better understand their perspectives, concerns, and needs by putting themselves in their team members’ shoes.
Active listening: Active listening involves entirely focusing on, understanding, and responding to what others are saying. Effective managers utilize important communication skills to understand team members’ thoughts, ideas, and concerns. Active listening fosters open communication, builds trust, and enables managers to effectively address team members’ needs.

Clear Communication and Collaboration

“The art of effective listening is essential to clear communication and clear communication is necessary to management success.” James Cash Penney

Clear communication and collaboration are crucial soft skills for effective management. Clear communication ensures that information is effectively conveyed, expectations are understood, and feedback is provided. Collaboration enables team members to collaborate, share ideas, and contribute to achieving common goals. Here are some key points to consider when it comes to clear communication and collaboration:

Clear communication: Effective managers possess strong communication skills. They can convey information, listen actively, and adapt their communication style to fit the needs of different team members. Clear communication promotes understanding, minimizes misunderstandings, and fosters a positive work environment.
Collaboration: Collaboration involves working together, sharing ideas, and pooling resources to achieve common goals. Effective managers prioritize collaboration by creating a culture of teamwork, encouraging open communication, and valuing diverse perspectives. Collaboration enhances problem-solving and fosters innovation and creativity among team members.

Problem-solving and Conflict Resolution

“Rarely are opportunities presented to you in a perfect way. In a nice little box with a yellow bow on top. ‘Here, open it, it’s perfect. You’ll love it.’ Opportunities —the good ones—are messy, confusing and hard to recognize. They’re risky. They challenge you.” Susan Wojcicki

Problem-solving and conflict resolution are vital soft skills for effective managers. These skills enable managers to identify and address challenges, resolve conflicts, and maintain good relationships within the team. Here are some key points to consider when it comes to problem-solving and conflict resolution:

Problem-solving: Effective managers possess problem-solving skills to identify, analyze, and resolve problems effectively. They can think critically, explore alternative solutions, and make informed decisions. Problem-solving skills empower managers to handle complex situations, mitigate risks, and drive productivity.
Conflict resolution: Conflict resolution skills are essential for maintaining a harmonious work environment. Effective managers can understand different perspectives, remain calm under pressure, and facilitate open dialogue among team members. Conflict resolution skills enable managers to find mutually agreeable solutions, promote mutual respect, and build stronger relationships within the team.

Functional Skills Every Manager Needs

Apart from hard and soft skills, there are specific functional skills that every manager should possess. These skills are integral to effective management and can significantly contribute to the success of both the manager and the team.

Accountability and Ownership

Accountability and ownership are critical functional skills that effective managers should possess. These skills promote a sense of responsibility within the team, facilitating effective communication, enhancing productivity, and driving results.

“An employee’s motivation is a direct result of the sum of interactions with his or her manager.” Bob Nelson

Developing accountability skills: Managers should encourage team members to take ownership of their work and be accountable for their actions. By setting clear expectations, providing feedback, and recognizing achievements, managers can cultivate a culture of accountability within the team.
Encouraging ownership: Encouraging team members to take ownership of their work fosters a sense of pride, motivation, and commitment. Managers should empower team members to make decisions, solve problems, and take initiative. This not only enhances autonomy and job satisfaction but also promotes professional growth and development.

Coaching and Mentoring

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” John Quincy Adams

Coaching and mentoring are essential functional skills for effective managers. These skills enable managers to guide, support, and develop their team members’ skills and competencies.

Effective leaders understand the importance of coaching and mentoring: Effective managers recognize the importance of coaching and mentoring team members to unlock their potential and foster professional growth. They provide guidance, encouragement, and constructive feedback to help team members develop their skills and achieve their goals.
Developing coaching skills: Managers should possess practical coaching skills, such as active listening, asking powerful questions, and providing constructive feedback. Coaching skills enable managers to empower team members, identify areas for improvement, and support their professional development.
Mentoring team members: Mentoring involves sharing one’s knowledge, experiences, and expertise with team members to facilitate their growth and development. Managers should serve as mentors, providing guidance, advice, and support to team members. Mentoring relationships create opportunities for team members to learn, grow, and reach their full potential.

Adaptability and Innovation

“I learned to always take on things I’d never done before. Growth and comfort do not coexist.” Ginni Rometty

Adaptability and innovation are crucial functional skills for managers in today’s ever-changing business environment. Effective managers need to be adaptable and innovative to drive organizational success with rapidly evolving technologies, shifting market demands, and new challenges. Here are some key points to consider when it comes to adaptability and innovation:

Adapting to change: Effective managers demonstrate adaptability at work by embracing change, staying open-minded, and adjusting their strategies to changing circumstances. They can navigate uncertainties, handle challenges, and lead their team to success.
Encouraging innovation is the ability to think creatively, challenge the status quo, and develop new ideas and solutions. Effective managers foster a culture of innovation by encouraging team members to think outside the box, take calculated risks, and continuously improve processes and products.
Understanding the bigger picture: Effective managers have a holistic view of the organization and its goals. They know how their role contributes to the bigger picture and align their actions accordingly. By focusing on long-term growth, managers can identify opportunities, drive innovation, and lead their teams toward achieving organizational objectives.

Read more: Top 5 Qualities That Make A Great Manager

Identifying Areas for Improvement in Your Management Skills

To become an exceptional manager, it is essential to identify areas for improvement in your management skills. Recognizing areas that need development allows you to focus on enhancing your skills and becoming more effective in your role. Let’s explore some strategies for identifying areas of improvement in management skills.

Reflecting: Set aside time to reflect on your management skills, experiences, and interactions with team members. Consider the outcomes of your actions, the effectiveness of your communication, and the impact of your leadership style.
Assessing your skills: Assess your current skills against the requirements of your job description or the expectations set for your role. Identify areas where you excel and areas that may require further development.
Seeking feedback: Actively seek feedback from team members, colleagues, and superiors. Ask for specific examples of your strengths and areas for improvement. Their perspectives can provide valuable insights into your perception as a manager.

Using self-assessments from Risely

Self-assessments from platforms like Risely provide a structured way to evaluate your management skills and identify areas for improvement. These assessments often cover various dimensions of management, helping you comprehensively understand your strengths and areas of growth. Here are some key points to consider when using self-assessments:

Self-assessment tools: Use self-assessment tools provided by platforms like Risely. These tools often include quizzes, questionnaires, or surveys that measure various aspects of management skills, such as leadership, communication, and problem-solving.
Objective evaluation: Self-assessments allow you to objectively evaluate your skills, providing a benchmark for comparison and identifying areas needing improvement. Moreover, Risely’s skill assessments allow anonymous evaluation from your team.

Grab three free assessments now: Leadership Skills Assessments!

Enhancing Your Management Skills

Now that you have identified areas for improvement let’s explore some strategies for enhancing your management skills. Continuous learning and development are essential for becoming an exceptional manager.

Taking the Lead in Projects and Initiatives: One effective way to enhance your management skills is by taking the lead in projects and initiatives. It provides opportunities to apply your skills, gain practical experience, and learn from challenges and successes.
Peer coaching: Engage in sessions with colleagues with complementary skills and experiences. It allows you to learn from their expertise, share challenges, and seek advice on management strategies.
Learning from others: Be open to learning from others, including direct reports, colleagues, and mentors. Actively seek feedback, observe successful managers, and implement effective practices that align with your management style.
Learning from Successful Managers and Leaders: Learning from successful managers and leaders is a great way to enhance your management skills. Observing their leadership styles, management techniques, and approaches to problem-solving can provide valuable insights and inspiration.
Learning from Past Successes and Failures: Learning from past successes and failures is a long way to enhance your management skills. Reflecting on your experiences, analyzing outcomes, and identifying lessons learned can provide valuable insights into effective management strategies.

Also check out: Leadership Development: The Complete Guide with 9 Impactful Tips

Conclusion

To become an exceptional manager, you must develop a well-rounded management skill set. This includes hard skills like leadership, project management, planning and essential soft skills such as empathy, communication, and problem-solving. You can unlock your full potential as an exceptional manager by continuously enhancing your management skills. Are you ready to take the next step and become the best manager you can be? The choice is yours.

Deeksha Sharma

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4 Steps to Conduct a Solid Leadership Workshop [2024 Guide]

Leadership is a crucial aspect of any successful organization. Effective leadership is essential for leading teams, making critical decisions, and driving positive change. While some individuals possess natural leadership qualities, leadership skills can also be learned and developed through training and workshops. In this blog, we will explore ten valuable tips to conduct a solid leadership workshop. Whether you are a team leader, potential leader, or a team member looking to enhance your leadership skills, these tips will provide a comprehensive guide to organizing a successful leadership workshop. So, let’s dive in and explore the world of leadership development together.

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4 Steps to Conduct a Solid Leadership Workshop [2024 Guide]
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What are Leadership Workshops?

Leadership workshops are carefully designed programs to develop effective leaders within a team or organization. These workshops provide a platform for personal development and growth, enhancing leadership skills, communication, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities. Participating in leadership workshop activities, individuals gain a deeper understanding of different leadership styles, concepts, and best practices. Through interactive exercises, role-playing, and discussions, leadership workshops create a conducive environment for learning, practicing, and honing essential leadership skills.

The Purpose of Leadership Workshops

The purpose of leadership workshops is multifaceted. For coaches, it’s important to understand why people are attending an event to ensure their satisfaction.

Identify high potential employees: Firstly, these workshops aim to identify potential leaders within a team and provide them with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in their leadership roles. By focusing on leadership development, workshops equip individuals with the tools and strategies to become effective leaders who inspire, motivate, and guide their teams toward success.
Foster essential management skills: Leadership workshops also play a vital role in fostering effective communication, team building, and problem-solving skills. Communication skills are essential for leaders to clearly convey their vision, goals, and expectations while actively listening to their team members’ ideas and concerns. Team building activities within leadership workshops help cultivate trust, respect, and collaboration, enabling team members to work together cohesively towards common goals.
Build leadership capacities: Leadership workshop activities also focus on fostering decision-making and problem-solving abilities. These skills are essential for leaders to evaluate situations, make informed choices, and find effective solutions to complex problems. Leaders hone their decision-making skills and expand their problem-solving capabilities by participating in activities such as scavenger hunts, time management exercises, and critical thinking games.

Overall, leadership workshops serve as a platform for individuals to develop and enhance their leadership skills, instilling qualities necessary for effective leadership, including communication, team building, conflict resolution, decision-making, and problem-solving.

Who Can Benefit from Leadership Workshops?

Leadership workshops benefit a wide range of individuals, including team members, potential leaders, and new leaders.

For team members, leadership workshops provide personal development and growth opportunities. These individuals may not currently hold a leadership role but aspire to do so in the future. By participating in leadership workshop activities, team members can enhance their leadership skills, better understand different leadership styles, and learn effective communication and problem-solving techniques. It enables them to contribute more effectively to their teams and prepares them for future leadership roles. On the other hand, potential leaders can greatly benefit from leadership workshops as they provide a structured approach to leadership development. These individuals may already exhibit leadership qualities, but a workshop helps them refine their skills, explore different leadership styles, and understand their leadership philosophy. Leadership training activities empower potential leaders to lead confidently, inspire others, and positively impact their organizations. New leaders, whether recently promoted or taking on leadership roles for the first time, can find leadership workshops invaluable. These workshops provide them with essential leadership skills, guidance, and best practices to navigate their new roles successfully. New managers and leaders can learn effective communication strategies, team-building techniques, and problem-solving approaches that will enable them to lead their teams effectively, building a solid foundation for their leadership journey.

5 Key Principles to Cover in a Leadership Workshop

Building Trust and Teamwork

Enhancing team cohesion and morale is vital for successful leaders. Constructive feedback fosters trust within a team, leading to a more cohesive unit. Small group activities are an effective way to promote a common goal and foster team bonding. Challenging exercises such as the deserted island activity can push individuals to work together effectively, emphasizing the most essential leadership skills. Integrating the best leadership development activities into leadership workshops is essential for nurturing great leaders.

Encouraging Effective Communication

Improving effective communication through training activities like role-playing is crucial. Building communication skills with active listening activities is an effective way to foster a positive team environment. Developing communication skills through leadership workshop activities is essential for great leaders. Besides, leadership training activities play a significant role in enhancing communication skills within the team.

Promoting Conflict Resolution Skills

Practicing conflict resolution skills through role-playing activities encourages problem-solving in uncomfortable situations. These activities aim to constructively resolve conflicts within a team, instilling practical problem-solving skills in leaders. Furthermore, effective leadership training promotes the positive aspects of conflict resolution, emphasizing the importance of resolving conflicts empathetically and constructively.

Fostering Decision-making and Problem-solving Abilities

Promoting effective problem-solving and decision-making is fundamental in leadership development activities. Tasks like scavenger hunts cultivate decision-making skills, while challenges like the marshmallow challenge enhance critical thinking. It’s crucial to include time management activities to foster efficient problem-solving and encourage participants to think innovatively. Leadership workshop activities aim to nurture problem-solving abilities within a team, promoting a mindset of creativity and adaptability. These activities play a significant role in shaping the best leaders by cultivating the most essential leadership skills.

Leading with Empathy and Emotional Intelligence

Understanding and managing emotions is integral to leading with empathy and emotional intelligence. Developing empathy and understanding others’ perspectives are essential for creating good leaders. A successful leader values critical leadership skills and effectively navigates problem-solving with emotional intelligence. They understand that empathy and rationality go hand in hand, where empathy is the right hand, and rationality is the left. Great leaders use an effective way of giving and receiving feedback and know that being a good leader means leading with empathy.

How to Conduct a Successful Leadership Workshop?

Setting the stage for a successful leadership workshop involves meticulous preparation and planning. Establishing clear objectives and expectations is essential, ensuring that participants are fully aware of the purpose and desired outcomes. By incorporating these elements, facilitators can lay the groundwork for a productive and enriching leadership workshop.

Preparation and Planning for the Workshop

Meticulous planning and time management are essential for practical leadership workshop ideas. Before going ahead with the workshop, think of the most in-demand ideas and topics for workshops on leadership development. You can also look into what problems leaders are facing and then design a workshop around it. Thriving leader concepts center around a focus on the values of a leader and the goals of leadership development.

Setting Clear Goals and Expectations

To ensure the workshop’s success, it is essential to outline clear and achievable goals for all participants. It involves clearly communicating the workshop’s purpose and expected outcomes and setting specific, measurable, and time-bound objectives. Additionally, it is vital to ensure that each participant understands their role and expectations within the workshop. Establishing a shared vision and understanding of the workshop’s goals will ultimately lead to a more effective and engaging experience for everyone involved.

Creating an Engaging and Interactive Environment

To maintain an engaging and interactive environment:

Utilize various interactive activities to keep participants engaged.
Incorporate dynamic group discussions and team-building exercises to foster a positive and inclusive atmosphere, encouraging active participation.
Enhance engagement through the use of multimedia, role-playing, and group activities. It will create a supportive and collaborative space for effective learning and interaction, providing an effective way to develop leadership skills.
Foster an environment where everyone in the workshop feels like they are part of a team, with everyone supporting and helping each other grow as leaders.

Using Real-life Case Studies and Scenarios

Analyzing relevant scenarios to illustrate leadership concepts and presenting real-life leadership challenges for practical learning are effective ways to encourage critical thinking and problem-solving. Incorporating industry-specific case studies makes learning more relatable, and role-playing to simulate real-life leadership situations can enhance the development of essential leadership skills. Encouraging participants to apply critical thinking skills to solve real-world problems is vital to becoming a successful leader.

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Leadership Workshop Activities and Exercises

Engaging in leadership development activities plays a vital role in nurturing great leaders. Problem-solving exercises are an effective way to enhance the skills of a good leader. These activities cater to various participants, from young persons in middle school to corporate teams, making them suitable for different groups.

‘Dotmocracy’ for Better Decision Making

Dotmocracy is an effective decision-making method involving participants using dot stickers to indicate their preferences. It can be used in a leadership workshop to improve decision-making by engaging the whole group and ensuring everyone’s opinion is heard. Facilitating a successful Dotmocracy session involves setting clear guidelines, providing options for participants to vote on, and creating a supportive environment. Successful examples include using Dotmocracy to prioritize leadership development activities and make team initiative decisions.

‘Roles in a Meeting’ for Personal Development

Identifying the purpose and goals of the workshop in advance ensures clarity and direction. Selecting the right facilitator with experience in leadership development is crucial for a successful outcome. Tailoring the content to the target audience’s needs enhances engagement and relevance. Choosing an appropriate venue and planning interactive activities promote active learning. Encouraging open communication and discussion among participants fosters a conducive learning environment.

‘Marshmallow Challenge’ for Team Building

Team building activities like the ‘Marshmallow Challenge’ are a fun and effective way to foster collaboration and problem-solving skills. The activity encourages effective communication and teamwork by dividing participants into teams and providing them with materials. Setting a time limit and rules adds an element of challenge, pushing participants to think creatively and work efficiently. After the activity, debriefing and discussing key takeaways reinforce the metaphor for leadership and teamwork, making it an essential tool for developing the essential leadership skills in a whole group.

‘Active Listening’ for Improving Communication

Improving communication through active listening is essential for building trust and fostering strong relationships within a team. Maintaining eye contact and open body language are effective ways to ensure your team members feel heard and understood. Active listening also involves empathizing with others and understanding their perspectives, essential leadership skills for great leaders. By incorporating active listening exercises into leadership workshops, you can create an engaging and interactive environment that encourages the development of good leaders and problem-solving abilities.

‘What, So What, Now What?’ for Resolving Conflicts

Resolving conflicts in leadership workshops involves using the ‘What, So What, Now What’ framework. It helps identify the issue causing conflict (‘What’), understand its impact (‘So What’), and find a solution (‘Now What’). This approach ensures effective conflict resolution during workshops.

Mistakes to Avoid When Conducting a Leadership Workshop

Avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach is crucial when conducting a leadership workshop. Preventing an overload of information will ensure effective learning and retention. Addressing time and resource constraints is vital for the success of the workshop.

Avoiding One-size-fits-all Approach

Catering to diverse leadership styles with various leadership development activities is an effective way to nurture great leaders. Customizing training activities according to individual leadership roles fosters successful leaders and their teams. Different team-building activities ensure a tailored learning experience, recognizing and encouraging team cohesion among different leadership qualities. Adapting communication styles to different leadership approaches is essential for promoting effective leadership within the entire group.

Preventing Overload of Information

Enhancing learning retention can be achieved by breaking leadership training activities into smaller groups. Managing information overload becomes easier when time management activities are incorporated, fostering problem-solving skills to handle various issues practically. Preventing cognitive overload is possible by utilizing different leadership development activities, and promoting effective communication skills is facilitated through engaging in active listening activities. These strategies contribute to preventing the overload of information, ensuring that leaders can absorb and apply the knowledge effectively.

Time and resource constraints are genuine

Amidst the demands of leadership workshops, acknowledging time and resource constraints is crucial. Tailoring leadership training activities to fit these limitations is essential for their success. Practical time management activities can address and alleviate workshop time constraints, ensuring maximum efficiency. Furthermore, adapting team-building activities to suit time constraints can significantly enhance the overall effectiveness of the workshop. Leveraging leadership training activities that accommodate small groups can maximize resource utilization, making the most available resources. Read more: Finding The Missing Pieces: What Makes Leadership Training Successful

How do you evaluate the effectiveness of leadership workshops?

The effectiveness of leadership workshops can be assessed through

participant feedback
measuring impact on team cohesion
gauging skill development
evaluating individual leadership growth

Analyzing the application of new concepts post-workshop also helps determine effectiveness. L&D leaders can check out the detailed guide to measuring training effectiveness at work here: 4 Key Metrics for Measuring Training Effectiveness with A Questionnaire

Conclusion

In conclusion, a solid leadership workshop is essential for developing effective leaders. By focusing on principles such as building trust, encouraging communication, promoting conflict resolution, and fostering decision-making skills, you can create a workshop that empowers individuals to become better leaders. Remember to prepare and plan the workshop, set clear goals and expectations, and develop an engaging and interactive environment. Tailoring leadership development activities for different groups, leading with empathy and emotional intelligence, and understanding the role of feedback is also crucial.

Deeksha Sharma

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Why Learner Engagement Strategies Fail? 5 Mistakes To Avoid

Have you ever sat through a miserable collection of lectures and surfed through an elementary quiz to earn a certificate? If your answer is a resounding yes, then you are among the thousands who pass the beautiful routine of workplace training. Increasingly a big yet ineffective industry, workplace training initiatives have become infamous and contributed effectively to undermining the efforts of L&D leaders across the globe. Gallup calls employee disengagement the world’s $8.8 Trillion Problem, yet over half of US employees remain disengaged from their jobs to some extent. “Engagement and culture” are the top set (41%) when their reasons are probed. Among the list appears a commonly echoed sentiment that reflects heavily on the failure of learner engagement strategies, which is –

“I would like to learn more things, but the work I do is quite repetitive.”

Table of Contents

Why Learner Engagement Strategies Fail? 5 Mistakes To Avoid

What can you do to change this? Let’s figure out.

Learning and development initiatives are among the best ways to cut down on quiet quitting and turnover. An employee’s ability to envision personal and professional growth with the organization, which further facilitates internal mobility, is linked positively to their longer tenures with greater satisfaction. The good part is that 2024 is supposed to be a year where L&D leaders are getting more say in the functional aspects of organizations and working actively with CXOs and HR teams to achieve organizational goals. The bad part is that alignment is often missing between the corporate and L&D goals – it stands as the top priority for L&D leaders in the coming year. This gap is also the cause of missing learner engagement. Conversely, the lack of alignment between L&D and the employees themselves removes the remaining engagement. So, let’s unravel this by starting from the very start – understanding learner engagement.

What is learner engagement and why should you care?

Learner engagement is the level of interest, attention, and participation that learners exhibit during an educational or training experience. It is a crucial aspect of effective learning, as engaged learners are more likely to acquire and retain information, stay motivated, and succeed in their educational goals. Engaged learners are actively involved in the learning process, asking questions, participating in discussions, and demonstrating a genuine interest in the subject matter. They are an L&D team’s dream. But why?

Learner engagement matters because it directly correlates with how well your training is absorbed and applied. High learner engagement also leads to higher application when trouble strikes at work.
Imagine a lecturer going on and on without any interruption. The learning is limited to their talking points and lesson plans. How about we switch this up? Think of a lecture filled with questions and debates – the scope of learning is as far as the engagers take it.
Let’s remember that L&D initiatives cost a ton. And for most of us, getting the budget sanctioned and the team approved is lengthy and tiresome. At the end of it, it should count. Learner engagement is needed to demonstrate and bring out the ROI of your plans. It is the key to your success as an L&D professional.

What is a learner engagement strategy?

A learner engagement strategy helps you put all these pieces together in place. Your ideas, metrics, and goals all come together to create an effective roadmap for you. It is a plan or set of intentional actions designed to foster and enhance learners’ engagement in an educational or training setting. A learner engagement strategy aims to create an environment that motivates learners, encourages active participation, and facilitates effective learning. Well-developed learner engagement strategies consider the audience’s diverse needs, preferences, and learning styles.

What does good learner engagement look like?

Typically, when we think of good learner engagement, we get:

Asking questions and seeking feedback
Applying the know-how learned earlier
Consistent presence and submissions
Interacting with peers and trainers

All cool. But how can we measure this for, say, a hundred employees? Seeing how many questions each of them asks will be a little hard, so we go to some metrics – some standard for measuring different aspects of engagement. These employee engagement metrics typically include things like:

Changes in performance
Employee retention metrics
Measurement of skill gaps
New skills/tools learned

Signs your team needs a new learner engagement strategy

Your training initiatives do not get a high level of participation. Think of interactions, questions, and post-training conversations. Are they generating enough and the right kind of enthusiasm?
Employees often do not complete training
Performance does not really change before and after learning. There is little impact seen during reviews and for overall team goals
Team members do not get enough time to discuss or apply learning
Employees often express dissatisfaction with professional growth opportunities in your team

What makes your learner engagement strategy weak?

Now that we know what ineffective learner engagement looks like, let’s investigate why it happens. Why do employees not see value in the learning plans you created with so much thought? Hint: you might not have thought of them.

Your team finds it dull and confusing

When your team member does not see how the training is relevant and valuable to them, they are unlikely to see reason in giving it their all. Sadly, training, more often than not, is dull and lacks personalization. For instance, in a survey by 360Learning with L&D managers across the US and Europe, 27% of learners responded that their management training was boring, while 23% said it was confusing or poorly structured – all the reasons for disinterest. It is bound to happen when a learner engagement strategy does not complement an L&D initiative.

It does not focus on your team’s goals

Training for large groups is envisioned as a generic slop of everything – you have a little time management on top of some quantitative skills with a side of slides on effective feedback. More often than not, your team members would like and need only a part of this platter. But without a strategy that properly tracks the skills and competencies that the teams need and the employee’s value, we end up with this confusing situation that further demotivates employees. In the 2023 LinkedIn Learning Report, employees highlighted career growth as their biggest motivation to learn. Professional development is central to an employee’s perspective and, hence, needs to be tied well to the learning strategy you use to engage and retain employees.

Your team cannot apply what they learn

Learning is not a one-shot activity, neither is engagement. Yet most learners face short bursts of content that will help them sail through challenges. It happens when the learner engagement strategy remains active only in the classroom and does not extend seamlessly into the workplace. As a result, the employees have little space to discuss ideas and practice things in real-life scenarios. For many learners, the problem is that they cannot find relatable role models in the higher echelons. These figures often act as mentors and guides to overcome challenges and low moments, yet many people, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, do not have them.

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How can you make learner engagement strategies fail-proof?

We often spend our crucial time planning the initiative but miss out on the learner engagement strategy. As it’s a vital element of success, it’s high time that learner engagement strategies get their share in the discussions. Now that we know what hurts learner engagement let’s try to get some insights into changing this up.

Find The Goals of Your Learner Engagement Strategy

What’s the end goal of your L&D plans? Is it gaining 100% attendance in the workshops, or is there more to it? Having this clarity can be the deal breaker for most L&D teams. LinkedIn highlighted that in the past year, most teams were overwhelmed with their priorities all over the place – including managing change across organizations, keeping people engaged at work in the after-effects of the pandemic, and taking the cause of DEI forward. In the middle of this, focus gets lost. So, the next time you start creating a learner engagement strategy, begin with clear goals derived from the organizational and leadership vision instead of relying on it solely. Now that we are discussing it, what does a good goal for an L&D team look like? Suppose our goal is this:

“Conduct training sessions for all employees to enhance engagement.”

What’s wrong here? There’s no clarity on the training sessions and who needs them. We do not know the period of this goal’s operation. We cannot mark success or failure as we have not defined what and how much we want to achieve, Let’s see what we can do with the SMART goal-setting method to improve this bit of our learner engagement strategy:

“Increase employee engagement by 20% within the next year through targeted learning initiatives and developmental programs.”

It shows a specific and measurable goal (increase employee engagement by 20%,) the period to achieve this (within the next year), and how (targeted learning initiatives and developmental programs.)

Using Relevance in a Learner Engagement Strategy

Let’s be honest: one-size-fits-all training is among the most disastrous things one can witness. It barely covers enough scope for most candidates to keep them attentive yet annoys them enough to guarantee disinterest in further initiatives. There are some places where one training can fulfil everyone’s needs when the issue is generic, and everyone needs to give it the same level of care and attention. But as soon as the training needs become role-centric and delve into job knowledge, there’s much more to it! How can you find this out?

Conduct skill assessments of your employees across the key skills and competencies associated with their roles. It will help you understand where you are in the present and where the gaps lie.
Involve the employees and seek their feedback. It can work better as a one-on-one exercise where the team manager discusses learning interests and further guides in pursuing them.
Surveys can be your saviors in the case of a big team. Keep it short and simple with a few questions to understand what your team wants to do and how they envision progress. It is also helpful in understanding things like preferred learning modes and styles while showing trends at a glance.
Think of the future. What skills will your team need to remain competitive as your industry evolves? Focus on building these skills that ensure resiliency in the face of advancement and overcome the issues created by skill redundancy.

As an L&D manager, knowing your team’s training needs and working according to them is crucial. Otherwise, engagement is bound to be a consistent challenge. As per LinkedIn, professional growth is the biggest motivator for workplace learning – L&D professionals need to tie these two together and generate higher engagement for programs that matter to your people.

Designing for Learner Engagement

The key to a solid learner engagement strategy is effective interaction points. If the team can interact with and about the training freely throughout their work hours, they will likely develop a genuine interest in the program. A few factors that L&D teams can consider include:

People differ

Not all learning techniques will work with the same efficiency for everyone; hence, keep a mix of things going to deliver better. Ensure that the tone and content are suited to them.

Visual appeal is always better over dull sermons.

Now, when discussing visuals, let’s expand on the instructor’s slides. There’s a lot more that can help create more conversation around the issue, such as adding hand-outs, flashcards, worksheets, etc, for employees to engage with after the training session in your learner engagement strategies. Plus, this helps in the retention of learning, too.

Interactions are your best buddies while crafting a learner engagement strategy

Give people space to discuss and share what they are doing in training sessions. It will help them look forward to the program; sharing achievements and growth is exciting for the participants. Further, this peer participation reinforces the need to keep going.

Don’t punish participation.

I know this sounds ridiculous. Who even does this? But picture this: You have a long and hectic 8-hour workday staring at you, throw in some hours of chaotic commute, and then a training session that comes on top of all this. You don’t know what it’s about, but you can’t skip it, and it will take up an hour to finish some extra work. Sounds terrible, right? It happens more often than we realize and contributes heavily to the negative attitude toward training. Changing this requires mixing learning in the flow of work so that it’s an active part rather than a burden on the attendee.

Who Should Your Learner Engagement Strategy Cater? Stakeholders and How to Get Them

Now comes the tricky part of learner engagement strategies. Several L&D programs don’t see the light of day because they cannot engage stakeholders (typically senior leadership) in step one itself. How can one learning program meet the goals of multiple stakeholders? The key lies in elaborating the right bits to the right people. Before you head on to pitch, think of what matters to that stakeholder; once you know what will sway them – your job is already halfway done! Let’s get more in-depth below: Your primary stakeholders while drawing a learner engagement strategy are –

Employees

The end goal for employees is to acquire new skills, knowledge, and competencies that enhance their career growth and overall performance. When pitching programs to employees, emphasize the relevance of the training to their current roles, career advancement opportunities, and the potential for personal development.

Managers and Team Leaders

Managers are concerned with improving team performance productivity, and achieving business objectives. They want their team members to develop the skills necessary to excel and contribute effectively to the organization’s success. While talking to them, highlight how the training will address specific skill gaps within their teams, improve performance metrics, and align with departmental goals.

HR and Talent Development Professionals

They seek training programs that support organizational goals, enhance employee satisfaction and retention, and contribute to a positive workplace culture. When pitching programs to HR, emphasize how the training aligns with the organization’s overall talent development strategy, addresses critical competency gaps, and promotes a learning culture.

Executives and Senior Leadership

Lastly, the hardest nut to crack, i.e., the senior leadership. Executives are concerned with driving organizational growth, innovation, and profitability. They want to see a clear return on investment (ROI) from L&D initiatives and how they contribute to the company’s bottom line. Hence, focus on the strategic impact of the training on business outcomes, such as increased revenue, cost savings, improved customer satisfaction, or market competitiveness.

In toto, while sharing your L&D ideas with the stakeholders:

Speak in their language and about their goals. Demonstrate how your L&D plan is a stepping stone that they need.
Make numbers your friends. Results are best when they can be easily understood in metrics that people are familiar with.
Go with a variety of strategies. Every stakeholder has different goals and considerations that impact their decisions.
All your stakeholders matter in creating high engagement for learning. While employees and managers could be the learners themselves, their social reinforcement contributes a lot. You need HR to get the space, culture, and leadership for top-level guidance and support. Ignoring either of the stakeholders can ruin the engagement equation.

Taking Learner Engagement Strategies to the Real World

Learner engagement strategies fly well on paper, but the real test comes in the real world alone. The learner engagement strategy does not start once your course has begun. Instead, you work on it as the foundation – getting the enthusiasm up, keeping it on through the program, and closing on a good note. Yet often, there’s a lack of connection between the classroom and the work desk. What can you do about it?

Focus on how the skills will be applied from the very start. If you start with a reasonable assessment of training needs, you will have an accurate profile of your team’s training needs. In the second step, the key lies in creating opportunities for applying those skills. Managers can delegate relevant work or place people in projects that match their interests to encourage this.
Learner engagement strategies are not a one-way communication. Instead, turn them into a two-way exercise that keeps you up-to-date with the latest developments and thoughts of the team. After learning initiatives, make a habit of collecting and studying feedback from the participants. It will help the learners see their impact on the planning and motivate them to help you.
The ultimate question in a learner engagement strategy: how do we motivate learners? Even after everything, someone does not want to participate in training as much as you want. There’s no one-shot panacea to this, either. So what can you do? Have a chat. Discuss the issues they see with the training and elaborate on your side of things: why the training has been designed and how it will help them and the team work better. In such cases, the team manager is the appropriate liaison to get the roadblock out.

Wrapping Up

Learner engagement strategies can be the trickiest part for an L&D team to decode. The bottom line is that impact is heavily derived from the overall organizational culture and management’s attitude toward learning in general. So go the same way in tackling these challenges and setting things right for your team. Are you stuck with ineffective learner engagement strategies? Check out Risely in a free 14-day trial to see how we make learning exciting, one nudge at a time. We know long hours of training can be dull and tiresome, so we step back and resolve people management woes one step at a time. With an AI chatbot, Merlin, to support your managers 24*7, multiple skill assessments, and an understanding of over 50 challenges, Risely offers guidance designed just for you.

Deeksha Sharma

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Leadership Development Framework for the Future: 5 Mistakes to Avoid

No organization wants to be scarce on leadership. While each one is striving for the best leadership practices and performance, there remains considerable confusion about what it should look like. After all, “ideal leadership” can rarely hold a static definition. A leader needs to be adept at multiple domains and industry-specific focus areas. To make things more complicated, leadership development takes on many paths. There’s no set or best way out, and different teams adopt different routes. For L&D leaders, we can narrow down the issue to a couple of questions:

What do we mean by leadership?
How do we develop this leadership?

The answer to both these questions lies in an effective leadership development framework that not only defines but also puts in place the actions needed to achieve your goals. Let’s understand leadership development frameworks and how you can build one. What’s more? We will also discuss the most common mistakes you need to avoid!

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Leadership Development Framework for the Future: 5 Mistakes to Avoid
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What is a leadership development framework?

A leadership development framework is a structured and systematic tool for developing leadership skills and individual competencies. It serves as a guide or blueprint for organizations to identify, nurture, and set the leadership potential of their employees. The framework typically outlines a series of steps, processes, and activities designed to foster leadership growth at various levels within an organization. It derives objectives from understanding good leadership and what components you consider necessary. Leadership development frameworks are the foremost tools among L&D professionals to ensure manager growth and development. While providing a broad framework for long-term development, it should be able to help managers solve the issues that arise every day, like handling team conflicts smoothly and balancing delegation. Ideal leadership development frameworks are adaptable and ensure that progress continues although the situation changes –

Managers are often at different levels of growth and functions. Their needs are, thus, varied and context-dependent.
The organization is often at different stages of maturity. The notion of leadership and available tools can change accordingly.

Let’s look at some leadership development framework examples to know more

Competency-Based Framework: Identifies and develops specific competencies deemed essential for leadership success within the organization.
Transformational Leadership Framework: Emphasizes inspiring and motivating followers to achieve their full potential and exceed expectations.
Leadership Pipeline Model: Maps out the leadership journey from individual contributor to executive roles, emphasizing the transition points and skills required at each stage.
Cohort-Based Leadership Programs: Brings together a group of leaders who progress through a development program together, fostering peer learning and collaboration.
Cultural Leadership Framework: Incorporates cultural values and norms into leadership development, aligning leadership practices with the organization’s culture.

Why does your organization need a leadership development framework?

Picture this: There are some new managers on your team. Now that there isn’t a single point of reference, leadership varies.

One manager believes in being assertive. Their team often lacks clarity because they can hardly ask questions and make do with whatever information the manager provides them. On the other side of the table, the manager juggles too much. They find it hard to delegate things and end up doing a lot, often a bit too much themselves.

Another manager takes a democratic approach to things. Every decision goes on the table with a brainstorming session to follow it. Sometimes, things go alright. But when they don’t, no one is held accountable because everyone made the decision. Some team members feel that their voices are not heard, while others are tired of meetings that could have been emails.

In the middle of this chaos, the meaning of leadership is lost. For every individual, it means something different. If you were to manage this situation, how would you go about it? Let’s try to put a leadership development framework in place: First things first, the leadership development framework defines leadership for your team. The leadership philosophy typically comes from the founding team or the senior brood of leaders, codified into behaviors and actions for the organization to aspire for. In this instance, the organization believes in a purposive leadership style – an adaptable route focusing on goals. So, it urges the managers to change ways of doing things as per the situation instead of sticking to their comfort zone. A set definition gives clarity on what to do. Second, the leadership development framework prepares managers before putting them on the field. It is evident in the case of both managers that they did not receive adequate training. As a result, they depend on their management style and know-how to work things around. A framework for leadership development would curb this by identifying and grooming potential leaders within the organization. It creates a pipeline of people ready to jump to the next level and reduces risks during leadership transitions. Third, leadership development frameworks improve performance across the board. An effective leadership development framework ensures managers are familiar with the essential skills and deal with challenges well. It helps create an incredible culture that maximizes engagement and retention. Such alignment across the team translates into a competitive edge. Lastly, leadership development frameworks enhance manager effectiveness and retention. A manager’s performance is often the key to results for their team. As per SHRM, 57% employees believe that training managers could result in improvement across the board. By not doing this, organizations lose potential. Providing opportunities for leadership development also demonstrates a commitment to employee growth and can contribute to higher levels of job satisfaction and engagement.

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What does a good leadership development framework look like?

Before jumping on to a list of what to include in your leadership development framework, let’s build some conceptual clarity: what should you think of while shaping up your organization’s leadership development framework?

Diving deep in context

Your approach to leadership can vary based on where you are. You might need your team to suggest ideas for a creative decision and then narrow down on the best option. On the other hand, an organization facing stiff and sudden competition would need to focus on a quick and data-driven approach to decision-making. These differences are evident in your organization’s leadership philosophy and trickle down in your leadership development framework.

Made for your needs

A framework to develop leaders in your organization should take care of your circumstances. That includes thinking of where you operate, your most common challenges, your vision, how many people the typical manager is dealing with, and what resources you have. Without this basic question-and-answer exercise, you risk inconsistent ideas taking over leadership development.

Adaptable, accessible, and scalable for many use cases

Organizations evolve, and people change, and so does the framework. Within your team, not all managers will have the same set of cookie-cutter challenges. Instead, problems will differ, and so will the learning styles. The best mediums to help these people out cannot be one-size-fits-all. Thus, a leadership development framework needs to be adaptable. Accessibility is another concern to ensure such resources reach everyone in your organization. Frequently, individuals from historically marginalized identities or those handling multiple responsibilities are unable to avail of such programs. Moreover, as your organization grows, you need to consider maintaining scale consistency. Your framework should be able to expand to include more people while keeping the basic tenets the same.

Aligns with long-term goals

A leadership development framework is an interesting tool in the sense that it incorporates both long-term and short-term plans. For L&D professionals, ensuring that the leadership development framework aligns well with the organization’s long-term objectives, including the cultural and functional aspects, is crucial. At the same time, it should supplement succession planning and train a new level of leaders to take charge as another leaves. While doing this, the framework should enable managers to solve regular and recurrent team challenges.

Key Components of a Leadership Development Framework

An effective leadership development framework hinges on three key components:

Competency framework

A competency framework is a structured set of competencies or skills, knowledge, and behaviors required for effective performance in an organization’s particular role or job. These frameworks guide identifying, assessing, and developing the capabilities individuals need to excel in their positions. Competencies can encompass technical skills, interpersonal skills, leadership qualities, and other attributes contributing to a specific role’s success.

Assessment and evaluation tools

Assessment and evaluation tools refer to instruments and methodologies used to measure and analyze various aspects of an individual’s performance, skills, and competencies. These tools are essential for gauging the effectiveness of training programs, identifying areas for improvement, and making informed decisions about talent development.

360-Degree Feedback Surveys: Collecting feedback from multiple sources, such as peers, subordinates, and supervisors, to provide a comprehensive view of an individual’s performance.
Performance Appraisals: Formal reviews conducted by supervisors to assess an employee’s achievements, strengths, and areas for development.
Skills Assessments: Evaluating a person’s proficiency in specific technical or soft skills relevant to their role.
Psychometric Tests: Assessments designed to measure cognitive abilities, personality traits, and other psychological factors.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Quantifiable metrics measure an individual’s performance against specific objectives and goals.

Leadership development plans for individuals/groups

Leadership development plans are personalized strategies designed to enhance the leadership skills, knowledge, and effectiveness of individuals or groups within an organization. These plans typically involve a systematic approach to identifying development needs, setting goals, and implementing targeted activities.

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How can you build a leadership development framework?

Let’s break down the creation of the Leadership Development Framework into its planning, action, and after-stages to understand it better.

The Planning Stage: Crafting the Foundation

Define Organizational Leadership Criteria: Identify the unique characteristics and competencies that define effective leadership within your organization. Collaborate with key stakeholders, including HR, executives, and department heads, to understand organizational priorities. At this point, a few questions that you might want to answer include:

What does good leadership look like in your organization?

What skills and competencies contribute to good leadership?

What are your challenges and context of operation?

What do your participants think about leadership development programs?

Beyond the questions, a few key steps to take before kickstarting a leadership development framework include:

Assess Existing Leadership Skills: Conduct assessments or surveys to understand the current leadership landscape. Identify gaps and areas for improvement in the skills and competencies of existing managers.
Understand Preferred Learning Modes: Analyze the most effective and preferred learning modes for your managers. Consider workshops, coaching, e-learning, or a combination based on individual preferences.
Context and Challenges Analysis: Evaluate the organizational context, challenges, and external factors that may influence leadership development. Consider budget constraints, time limitations, and any specific challenges unique to your industry or company.
Gather Participant Feedback: Seek input from potential participants to understand their expectations and preferences. Use surveys or focus groups to capture insights and understand the mediums most likely to deliver results.

The Action Stage: Building the Framework

Prepare Building Blocks: Define the core elements of your leadership development program. It means selecting the skills and improvement areas you will work on. Based on this, you can include training modules or components addressing identified competencies.
External vs. Internal Resources: Determine the balance between utilizing external and internal expertise. Some resources might be available in-house, but some areas are best covered with subject matter experts – so L&D professionals should look to balance both and ensure quality.
Flow of Progress: Outline the sequential flow of the leadership development program. Ensuring a logical progression helps in alignment with organizational goals.
Track Engagement and People Factors: Establish metrics to track engagement and participation as the program progresses. Consider factors like motivation, collaboration, and communication skills, which can tell how your employees have received the framework.

The After Stage: Measuring Effectiveness and Feedback

Measuring Effectiveness: Define key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of the leadership development program. These KPIs should not be restricted to the functional areas alone; make sure that you create an all-around criteria that tracks essential elements like improved leadership competencies, team performance, and employee satisfaction.
Seeking and Incorporating Feedback: In the end, remember that we may not get everything right initially. And that’s perfectly fine. The best way to ensure your leadership development framework keeps evolving and growing is to incorporate the feedback of the people who will be a part of it. In addition to the feedback from the top-level stakeholders, implement a feedback mechanism to gather participant insights.
Refining the framework: Use this feedback to refine and enhance future iterations of the leadership development framework. Remember that the in-demand leadership skills, your organizational context, and the level of maturity of the leaders you are working with also change. Hence, some evolution is needed as the framework goes through many rounds.

5 Leadership Development Framework Mistakes That You Must Avoid

Value of the Leadership Development Industry

Yet, impact remains a question mark. Here’s why –

Ignoring the context of people and your organization

Again and again, we have noted that not all managerial problems are made alike. Hence, the solutions to these problems must also be unique. Yet, most organizations stick to training not tailored to their needs. Sitting in a training session that does not resonate with you and instead keeps you up when you could be doing something else does not help – it only makes the employees even more disinterested. Overlooking the importance of aligning leadership development initiatives with the organizational culture leads to specific contextual challenges. As a result, only about 20% of the skills or knowledge taught in leadership training programs is transferred into new leadership habits, even when leadership development remains among the most highly invested areas within L&D for organizations.

Isolating Leadership Development from Daily Work

When leadership development is isolated, leaders struggle to apply newly acquired skills in real-world scenarios. There’s a risk of a disconnect between theoretical knowledge gained in training sessions and the practical demands of their roles. Underestimating the value of peer-to-peer learning and collaboration in leadership development adds to this disconnect. It leads to a lack of immediate relevance and applicability, hindering the effectiveness of the development efforts. Not holding managers and leaders accountable for their development and the development of their team members also contributes to this.

Not planning for every type of leader in your organization

When asked about leadership development, 83% of organizations agreed it is essential at every level. However, only 5% have fully implemented development at all levels. Oftentimes, frontline and mid-level managers do not receive adequate attention and support. While it may seem unnecessary at first glance, the opposite is quite the case because these managers are the ones who deal with most employees at a very close level. This results in leadership gaps and succession risks when the top layer of executives leaves. In addition, leadership development frameworks often do not account for the diverse needs of people from marginalized backgrounds. As they may not be able to put in extra hours or take up expensive programs, leadership development frameworks have an exclusionary nature.

💡 For every $10 spent on senior leaders, only $1 is spent on frontline leaders.
Source: Inside HR

Lack of Measurement and Evaluation

After so much furor, nothing happens. Evaluation of leadership development programs is inconsistent. It starts and ends with learner feedback for 77% of programs, and 73% of them take completion statistics. Only 50% collect information on how learning points have been understood. Dropping further, only 31% collect data from learners on how they have applied their learning. As a result, much of the effort cannot be tracked, and the scope for progress and improvements is lost over time. Leadership development requires a top-down commitment. Lack of involvement from senior leaders may result in a lack of organizational buy-in, reducing the program’s overall effectiveness.

Failure to Adapt to Changing Needs

Failure to adapt to changing needs in leadership development occurs when organizations maintain a static or inflexible approach to their leadership programs. It happens when you stick to outdated content, ignore emerging leadership trends, or overlook the organization’s evolving needs. For L&D professionals of the 21st century, it is essential to keep track of the changes around them – how much will AI impact your managers and the workplace? What tech do your managers need to know? How can your managers cope with the global landscape better? – all of these need to be thought about and put into action. Read more: Finding The Missing Pieces: What Makes Leadership Training Successful

Wrapping Up

A leadership development framework serves as a strategic roadmap for cultivating and enhancing organizational leadership skills. In a scenario where leadership styles vary and individual managers struggle with distinct challenges, a thoughtful framework becomes the beacon that defines leadership for the entire team. The impact extends beyond individual performance, influencing team dynamics and organizational culture and, ultimately, contributing to a competitive edge. However, some mistakes hinder the effectiveness of leadership development initiatives. In essence, a well-crafted leadership development framework is not just a tool but a commitment to continuous improvement, aligning with the organization’s long-term goals and ensuring leadership excellence at every level. Risely, the manager’s buddy on the path of success understands this commitment and goes above and beyond to help your management professionals excel. With many exciting features, including daily nudges, an AI coach named Merlin, and toolkits and assessments to empower managers every day, Risely is the beloved guiding hand of 9 out of 10 managers. Join a new paradigm of leadership development for your team today with a free 14-day trial!

Deeksha Sharma

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How Can You Choose The Best Leadership Coaching Services?

Developing leadership skills is no easy game; your coach is crucial to getting things right. But how do we pick the right coach who will guide us just the way we need? This blog will determine the right way to choose a leadership coach, including the essential qualities you need to spot and what questions you should ask a potential coach. So, let’s hop right into it.

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How Can You Choose The Best Leadership Coaching Services?
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What does a leadership coach do?

A leadership coach helps individuals enhance managerial effectiveness. It provides professional guidance and support to individuals who aim to improve their leadership skills and effectiveness. These services typically involve one-on-one coaching sessions with a trained and experienced coach specializing in leadership development or any of its particular areas. A leadership coaching service can be the right bet for you if you want to:

Work on specific or generic leadership and managerial skills like communication, conflict resolution, and delegation, to name a few.
Get focused guidance on skills gaps or persistent issues.
Become part of a system that reinforces positive behaviors and helps build accountability.

Different types of leadership coaching services

Leadership coaching services come in many shapes and sizes. Before picking one, you should know the most common ones to make a suitable choice. Most often, leadership coaching services comprise of:

One-on-One Coaching: This is the most traditional form of leadership coaching, where a coach works individually with a client. Sessions are personalized to your specific goals, challenges, and development areas.
Group Coaching: In group coaching, a coach works with a small group of individuals, typically from the same organization or with similar leadership roles. Group coaching sessions provide opportunities for peer learning, collaboration, and support.
Executive Coaching: Executive coaching is tailored specifically for senior leaders, such as CEOs, executives, or top-level managers. It focuses on addressing the unique challenges and responsibilities associated with executive leadership roles.
Team Coaching: Team coaching involves working with intact teams to enhance their collective leadership effectiveness and performance. The coach helps the team clarify goals, improve communication, resolve conflicts, and build trust.
Virtual Coaching: With technological advances, coaching services can be delivered virtually via video conferencing, phone calls, or online messaging. Virtual coaching offers flexibility and convenience, especially for clients with busy schedules or locations in different locations.

What defines a good coach? 5 Must Haves!

Given that leadership coaching services come in different forms, it’s easy to be confused when choosing between a few. Here are a few things that you search for while evaluating a leadership coaching service:

Qualifications

Qualifications and accreditations are the first steps in selecting the right leadership coach for you or your team. The service should employ highly qualified, experienced, and certified coaches in leadership coaching. Look for coaches with relevant credentials, such as International Coach Federation (ICF) certification and a track record of success in coaching leaders. Additionally, you can look into the ethics and values guiding your leadership coach. You can easily build trust when they are clearly outlined and practiced.

Comfort and confidentiality

Leadership coaching often needs you to be vulnerable and even accept mistakes you otherwise would not. These sensitive matters must be dealt with with the utmost care and confidentiality. Thus, the coaching service should have robust policies and procedures in place to ensure client confidentiality. Moreover, the behavior of your coach can severely impact the results you can obtain from this exercise. For instance, if your coach appears biased toward you due to your background, you will have difficulty trusting them. On the other hand, if the coach comes with a shared understanding and appreciates your context while discussing challenges, the relationship would be much more easy-going. The ability to build a relationship on trust is the most critical element that you never ignore.

Personalization and flexibility

No two leaders are alike, so how can the same solution work for all of them? It hardly does. Successful leadership coaching services bring personalization and flexibility to suit your needs and cater to everyone separately. Personalization should ideally include one-on-one sessions discussing your challenges and strategizing together, in addition to support through resources and advice. In addition, flexible timings and modes help ensure that your schedule does not get in the way of your growth.

Ongoing support

Effective coaching requires ongoing support and guidance throughout the coaching journey. A solid leadership coach will ideally provide regular coaching sessions and access to resources, tools, and support between sessions to help clients stay focused and motivated. Regular feedback cycles and structured checkpoints across the journey are also an essential part of this.

Measurable results

Ultimately, the effectiveness of a coaching service is evaluated based on measurable results and outcomes. The coach should track your progress against established goals and objectives and continuously strive to demonstrate the impact of coaching on leadership effectiveness and performance. As a result, the coaching process should begin with clearly articulating your goals and expectations for coaching and assessing your present abilities. It includes defining specific objectives, desired outcomes, and measures of success to guide the coaching journey.

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When should you pick leadership coaching services for your organization?

Yes, we are managers, and we love to solve things on our own. Still, at times, it’s good to step back and hold hands to get through challenges. When is the right time to rope in a leadership coaching service? Let’s see:

If you are an individual manager:

You are going through or preparing for a change in your role or organization.
You feel stuck. You want more professional and personal growth.
Your team management issues are becoming bigger daily – think fights, delegation troubles, micromanagement!
You feel overwhelmed or burnt out and work. Some guidance to step out of the burden is what you need.

On the other hand, if you are an organizational decision-maker for HR or L&D, here’s the handy list of red flags that need the immediate attention of a leadership coach:

The managers feel stuck in their careers and often remain frustrated.
Team performance issues keep growing – missed deadlines, internal conflicts, misalignment, etc.
Your team needs formal leadership development initiatives, and mentors are not available (this happens often with small teams.)
Your employees express dissatisfaction with growth opportunities through feedback or turnover.

How to find a leadership coach?

Define Your Needs

Clearly articulate your goals, challenges, and expectations for coaching. Consider what leadership skills or areas you want to develop and what outcomes you hope to achieve through coaching. Ideally, a leadership coach will take you through assessments to discover areas of improvement, as you can miss some!

Define Your Context

Consider the organizational culture, structure, and dynamics that may impact your coaching experience. Understand how coaching fits into your broader L&D initiatives and organizational goals if you plan for a team.

Define Your Limitations

Assess any constraints or limitations, such as budget, time availability, or organizational policies, that can affect your ability to engage in coaching. Be realistic about what you can feasibly commit to in terms of time, resources, and effort.

Find a Balance Between All These

Strike a balance between your needs, context, and limitations by prioritizing what is most important and feasible for you. Focus on identifying coaching services that align with your key priorities and constraints while offering the support and resources you need. The more you can customize it to your needs, the better.

Ask the Right Questions

When evaluating coaching services, ask questions addressing your needs, context, and limitations. Some questions to ask before selecting a leadership coaching service include:

To understand coach-coachee match in terms of coaching methodology and approach:

What is your approach to coaching, and how does it align with my goals and needs?
What assessment tools or methods do you use to measure progress and outcomes?

To establish trust in the coaching service:

Can you provide examples of past successes or case studies with clients like me?
What is the coach’s background, experience, and qualifications in leadership coaching?
How do you ensure confidentiality and privacy in the coaching process?

General details that you must know:

What is the structure and duration of the coaching program, and what is expected of me as a client?
What is the cost of coaching, and what are the payment terms?
Can you accommodate any specific limitations or preferences I may have, such as scheduling or communication preferences?

Coaching red flags you must run away from

While searching for the best leadership coaching service to get things right for your professional growth, there are some obvious red flags that you should avoid.

One-size-fits-all: For instance, a coach who adopts a one-size-fits-all approach to coaching may not be able to help when you are stuck with a unique issue outside their course structure. Similarly, coaching services in large cohorts often cannot address individual concerns and ideas. Moreover, it is a roadblock to openness as we would hesitate to share challenges with others.
The feeling of trust and security is missing: Trust your instincts and pay attention to your gut feelings when interacting with coaching services or coaches. If you don’t feel a sense of trust, rapport, or alignment with a coach, it may be a sign that they’re not the right fit for you. Keep an eye on the feedback from previous attendees and communication habits to ensure that you are making the right choice in this crucial matter.
One-shot solutions: Lastly, remember that sustainable growth and development take time and effort, and coaching should focus on long-term growth and behavior change rather than quick fixes. Avoid coaching services or coaches that promise quick fixes or guaranteed results.

What if you cannot access leadership coaching – finding simpler solutions

Leadership coaching, for all its shapes and sizes, remains out of touch for many. At the organizational level, it is often only the top brass of managers who can avail of leadership development opportunities. In contrast, most mid-level, first-time, and staff managers are left to fend for themselves. On top of this, geographical, time, and money constraints come into play for many. In the end, there are barriers to leadership coaching that reduce the chances of success for many managers. Risely, the AI co-pilot for managers, helps these people easily.

With tailored steps and insights, Risely empowers you to solve challenges in simple steps:

Identify your challenges: The journey begins when a manager starts by defining their challenges. From 50+ challenges, managers and team leaders can identify the issues hurting their team.
Test your skills: In the second step, skills and qualities, such as expectation setting and prioritization skills, are tested with the help of leadership skill assessments to see how well you have achieved these critical functions. These assessments help us create detailed reports for skills and abilities.
Start growing: Now comes the good part: where your progress becomes Risely’s agenda. Managers can start making progress with the help of daily nudges, toolkits, and the interactive AI coach – Merlin, who is there for you through thick or thin, whether day or night.

Sounds exciting? You can start a free conversation with Merlin now!

Wrapping Up

Choosing an exemplary leadership coaching service is essential for managers seeking professional growth and development. With many options available, defining your needs, context, and limitations is crucial before embarking on your search. Look for coaching services that offer personalized and flexible approaches tailored to your specific goals and circumstances. Asking the right questions during selection can help ensure a good fit between you and your coach. Be wary of red flags such as one-size-fits-all solutions, lack of trust or security, and promises of quick fixes. If accessing traditional coaching services proves challenging, consider alternative solutions like Risely, an AI co-pilot for managers, which provides tailored support and guidance to overcome leadership challenges.

Deeksha Sharma

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7 Tips to Conduct a Solid Leadership Seminar [2024 Guide]

Leadership training comes in many shapes and sizes; in this blog, we will unravel the secrets behind the success of a popular format: the leadership seminar. This blog is for you if:

You want to conduct an excellent leadership seminar
You want to choose the right leadership seminars for yourself and your team

So, without further ado, let’s hop into the ingredients of successful leadership seminars and the hottest topics for 2024.

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7 Tips to Conduct a Solid Leadership Seminar [2024 Guide]
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What is a leadership seminar?

A leadership seminar is an educational event focused on developing the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to become an effective leader and manager. It can be designed in many forms, with workshops and lectures being the most common, while presentations, discussions, and other interactive activities are frequently added. Moreover, leadership seminars can include in-person workshops, virtual webinars, or multi-day conferences, depending on the preferences and needs of participants. Leadership seminars are often conducted by experienced professionals, consultants, or organizations specializing in leadership development. The primary agenda of a leadership seminar is to provide participants with valuable insights, tools, and strategies to become more effective leaders in their roles and organizations.

How to conduct a solid leadership seminar?

Conducting a solid leadership seminar requires you to get several things right. After selecting a relevant and engaging topic, the real business begins. Before jumping on to the following steps, you should have clarity on two things:

Your leadership seminar topic
Your leadership seminar audience

Once these are clear, we can begin planning how things are going to flow:

Move ahead with a plan

Planning is the most important element of execution. When you are about to conduct a leadership seminar, take some time to think of the fundamental details and plan them. Sometimes, you might need to go to your audience and do basic research to clarify these areas. These include things like:

What is the format of your seminar going to be? How many days will the event last?
In what mode will you conduct the event? While offline gives the best networking opportunities, online mode offers broad prospects, and a hybrid mode might suit quite a few attendees – find the balance and set things accordingly.
How many people are you planning to host? Can you ensure that their needs are sufficiently met?
How are you going to promote the event and engage your audience?
What are the possible modules and chapters within the seminar? Trends change, and people love to know the latest; ensure you are up-to-date and ready to provide real insights.
What is the pricing structure going to be like? Here, it’s important to ensure that you are providing value for the cost your audience will incur. Otherwise, they are unlikely to sign up.

A well-defined plan will serve as a roadmap to keep the seminar on track and ensure that participants derive maximum value from the experience.

Understand your audience and customize for them

Not all managers are made alike, and nor are their troubles. Tailor your methods and communications to resonate with them effectively. Whether it’s through interactive discussions, hands-on activities, or multimedia presentations, customization enhances engagement and promotes learning. Often, managerial setups and challenges vary a lot, so you are bound to find diverse people to work with. Now, your job as a coach would be to ensure that their diverse needs are met; this includes customizing things to their needs. A few things to do this right include:

Define the audience correctly. Ensure that your set is narrow enough to have similar issues that can be dealt with together but also broad enough to accommodate multiple instances of similar challenges and contexts.
Take a short survey while signing up people for your seminar. Adding some (5-6, not too many) short questions to the onboarding routine can help you understand what you are heading into.
Engage with potential attendees or people from similar backgrounds to understand their challenges and expectations from such a leadership seminar. These ideas will help you formulate according to their expectations.
Never forget feedback. Once you have conducted an iteration of your leadership seminar, a quick feedback exercise through surveys or personal interactions will help you understand what else you could have done and how your seminar was received.

Focus on the right environment and rapport

Getting the environment right is crucial to a good experience for the attendees of your leadership seminar. Hence, create a climate conducive to learning by paying attention to factors such as venue layout, seating arrangements, and ambiance. Foster a sense of rapport and trust among participants by establishing an open and welcoming atmosphere as the host. Moreover, it encourages collaboration, active participation and experiences, and mutual respect to cultivate a positive learning environment where ideas can flourish. Icebreaker exercises, discussion groups, and activities that need people to work together are great ways to organize interactions.

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Facilitate growth by encouraging reflection and interaction

The people attending your leadership seminar have come with one person at the center of their mind, and that’s not you. It’s them. An event catered to their development should encourage self-reflection and engagement with others. By designing a suitable set of activities and options for interaction, you can enable self-discovery and acceptance of advice from others, too.

Try to build reinforcement mechanisms

Leadership seminars are often a one or two-day event and leave the person without much support to carry their learnings forward. So, let’s change that! Here’s what you can do to build reinforcement:

Send them away with something. Handouts that sum up the major strategies, toolkits, booklets, and exercises to do later are all great ways to keep the connection alive once the event ends.
Set up goals and milestones for the participants to work on after the leadership seminar and ask them to share updates about their experience.
Remain available for questions and help people out. If you are a leadership coach, this is a further better way to connect with people long-term, as the proof of your work lies in this initial point of interaction.
Create a sense of community throughout the event so that the attendees can remain connected later and continue to interact. In addition to reinforcement and accountability, this keeps your presence alive as long as the group sustains.

Focus on more story, less theory

Bring leadership concepts to life by integrating real-life case studies and examples into your seminar. Stories resonate with participants on a deeper level, making abstract concepts more relatable and memorable. Share practical insights, success stories, and lessons learned from real-world leaders to inspire and motivate participants on their leadership journey.

Keep learning from mistakes

Once the show’s over, it’s time to buckle up and prepare to make the next one even better. This has two critical elements: first, learn from your mistakes. During the event, you will notice a few things not going as planned. Instead of fretting about them right there, please take a moment to note these issues and resolve them while preparing for the next leadership seminar. Second, learn from what others have to say about your event. Feedback is your best buddy in improving leadership seminars and taking them as close to your audience’s expectations as possible. So keep your years up and pens ready to make the most of what you hear. Positive feedback makes for great testimonials and proof of work, too! Check out more details here: Why should you look for external feedback for your teams?

Leadership Seminar Red Flags To Keep In Mind

Now that we know how to get leadership seminars right let’s consider what not to do. Not everyone is always ready to take what you serve, and that’s fine. Yet, there are some errors that you can outright avoid to ensure that you are providing a smooth experience that people love.

Time constraints: More often than not, we are under one, aren’t we? And so are the attendees. While planning a leadership seminar, ensure that you are not rushing through stuff to make the most of what you have. Instead, set an optimal amount of content to cover and allocate enough time to areas that would be important to the audience.
Information overload: No one wants to head out of an event with airplanes spinning around their head. Presenting too much information overwhelms participants and diminishes learning outcomes. Hence, prioritize clarity and conciseness when giving information. Identify the most critical concepts and focus on communicating them effectively by creating manageable chunks. Offering reference materials is helpful, too.
People are busy and uninterested: Participant engagement suffers if attendees feel disinterested or preoccupied with other commitments. It results in passive participation, distractions, or early departure from the seminar. So be ready to keep engagement high and schedule at the right time.

Top 6 Leadership Seminar Ideas for 2024

Check out the most in-demand topics for leadership seminars in 2024 to start creating a valuable resource for people managers and leaders. While these ideas provide an essential guide, you can modify and change things to suit the needs of your audience in a better manner.

Strategic Leadership Seminar

This topic focuses on developing the skills and mindset required to lead organizations strategically. It covers vision-setting, goal alignment, strategic planning, and execution. Strategic leadership seminars are ideal for executives, senior managers, and business leaders responsible for setting their organization’s direction and long-term vision.

Effective Communication Skills Seminar

Effective communication is essential for successful leadership. It covers various aspects of communication, including verbal, non-verbal, and written communication, as well as active listening and influencing skills. This seminar suits leaders at all levels who want to enhance their communication skills to inspire and motivate their teams, build strong relationships, and effectively convey their messages.

Emotional Intelligence in Leadership Seminar

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is a critical component of effective leadership. This topic explores the principles of EQ, including self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and social skills, and how they contribute to leadership success. This seminar benefits leaders who want to develop their EQ to better understand themselves and others, manage emotions effectively, and build strong interpersonal relationships in the workplace.

Change Management and Adaptability Seminar

Change is inevitable in today’s business environment, and leaders must be adept at managing and leading through change. This topic covers strategies for navigating organizational change, fostering adaptability, and leading teams through transitions. Change management seminars suit leaders and managers responsible for driving change initiatives within their organizations or leading teams through transition periods.

Leadership Seminar on Building High-Performing Teams

High-performing teams are essential for achieving organizational goals and driving innovation. This seminar explores team-building strategies, fostering collaboration, resolving conflicts, and empowering team members to reach their full potential. It is ideal for leaders and managers who oversee teams and want to enhance team performance, productivity, and cohesion.

Seminar on Strategies for Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity and inclusion are critical for fostering innovation, creativity, and a positive organizational culture. This topic explores strategies for creating inclusive workplaces, promoting diversity, equity, and belonging, and leveraging diverse perspectives for business success. Diversity and inclusion seminars benefit leaders and managers who want to cultivate inclusive leadership practices, foster diversity within their teams, and create a culture of belonging for all employees.

Wrapping Up

Conducting a solid leadership seminar demands attention to detail and strategic planning to ensure maximum impact. Start by crafting a clear plan that outlines the seminar’s format, duration, audience size, and promotional strategies. Create a conducive learning environment by selecting an appropriate venue and fostering rapport among participants. Encourage reflection and interaction to facilitate growth and learning and provide reinforcement mechanisms such as handouts and action plans to sustain momentum beyond the seminar. Finally, embrace mistakes as learning opportunities and seek feedback to continuously improve and refine your leadership seminar for future success. By addressing these key considerations and avoiding common pitfalls, you can ensure a successful and impactful leadership seminar experience for all participants.

Deeksha Sharma

Check out Risely’s range of skill assessment for leaders.

Master the art of leadership by reviewing your skills with a free assessment now.

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How to Obtain Buy-In for Training from Stakeholders?

In the dynamic landscape of today’s corporate world, the pursuit of excellence is a perpetual journey. Organizations striving for growth and innovation recognize that investing in the development of their workforce is not just a luxury but a necessity. Enter Learning and Development (L&D) initiatives – the driving force behind nurturing talent, fostering skill development, and ultimately, propelling organizational success. However, despite the undeniable benefits of L&D programs, their success hinges on a critical factor: stakeholder buy-in. Obtaining buy-in from stakeholders – whether it’s senior leadership, HR professionals, managers, or employees – is akin to securing the cornerstone of a building; without it, the structure lacks stability and direction. In this guide, we delve into the intricacies of obtaining stakeholder buy-in for L&D initiatives, exploring strategies, challenges, and best practices to unlock the full potential of organizational learning and development.

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How to Obtain Buy-In for Training from Stakeholders?
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Why do you need buy-in for training from stakeholders?

Buying in from stakeholders refers to their agreement, support, and involvement in a particular initiative or decision. It means stakeholders with a vested interest or influence in the outcome demonstrate acceptance and endorsement of the proposed course of action. When stakeholders “buy-in,” they commit to the initiative, align their efforts, and contribute to its success. It is especially crucial for L&D initiatives as the support of stakeholders lends reinforcement to your initiatives and makes adoption easier across the board. Moreover, involving the relevant stakeholders can help in many areas – think of higher budget allocations and easier approvals – having the right people on your side can tilt the balance and make life way easier.

What if buy-in for training is missing?

Now before jumping into all of this, why do we even need to care about stakeholder buy-in for L&D?

Buy-in from stakeholders ensures that your L&D initiatives get participation and engagement that is relevant to their success
Stakeholder buy-in from the senior leadership is a great reinforcement and support mechanism
Higher buy-in from stakeholders like managers and trainers ensures that people are motivated and give their best
Employee buy-in for L&D programs is a key determinant of their success

What are the signs of missing stakeholder buy-in for training?

In case you are wondering where you stand, here’s a handy checklist for you below. If you see a lot of these symptoms around you, chances are that your stakeholders are not up for L&D plans as much as you need them to be. But fret not, we will delve into strategies to secure stakeholder buy-in for L&D in the next sections.

Minimal engagement or involvement in L&D discussions and decisions.
Resistance or skepticism from stakeholders about the value or feasibility of L&D initiatives.
Reluctance to allocate sufficient resources, including budget and personnel, for training.
Differing or unclear expectations regarding L&D goals and outcomes.
Inconsistent or ineffective communication about the L&D plan.
Low participation or enthusiasm for training activities among employees.
Lack of organizational culture that promotes learning and development.

Who are the stakeholders and what are their needs?

While identifying the primary stakeholders in an organizational L&D process, think along the route who will be interacting with you:

Senior Leadership: Executives and top-level management are the first and foremost stakeholders who deal with us. They are crucial in setting the strategic direction for L&D initiatives, allocating resources, and demonstrating commitment to employee development.
Human Resources (HR) Department: HR professionals are often responsible for designing, implementing, and managing L&D programs, and they are the second stakeholders we need to consider. They collaborate with other departments to identify training needs, select training methods, and evaluate the effectiveness of learning initiatives. Moreover, L&D initiatives work best in sync with HR.
Employees: Employees are the primary beneficiaries of L&D initiatives as they participate in training programs to acquire new skills, knowledge, and competencies that enhance their performance and career development. Their interest is most interesting to us, so keep them in mind.
Managers and Supervisors: Frontline managers and supervisors are vital stakeholders in L&D initiatives as they play a critical role in supporting employee learning, providing feedback, and reinforcing newly acquired skills in the workplace.
The Training Providers: This stakeholder can take different forms depending on how your organization structures the L&D programs. This set primarily includes external trainers engaging with your people, internal mentors and coaches, subject matter experts, and training specialists devising the plans for your team.

Here comes the tricky part: every stakeholder has their priorities set. While they lead to a shared set of goals, there’s more divergence in the details. And that’s where the negotiation and persuasion skills of L&D managers come into play. Before delving into the solutions, let’s first understand what these challenges for L&D professionals look like and why they even arise.

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What are the common challenges of teams seeking buy-in for training from stakeholders?

Getting buy-in from stakeholders is not a single issue. If we try to scratch the surface, we will see many facets to this typical L&D challenge. Let’s see how it unfolds:

Your stakeholders don’t get what you are talking about

Ever gone ahead with an excellent presentation to the CXOs only to be met with “Huh?” It happens to the best of us, and often because we forget that their language and metrics differ from ours. While learning retention is great, they probably want more employee retention. A mismatch in stakeholders’ needs vs. what we convey is challenge number one to handle.

Resource crunch

Buy-in from senior and executive level stakeholders gets stuck due to the unavailability of resources. Time, money, and effort are all scarce. It could be financial or operational, but resources will go first in the area that appears important in their view, and hence, you might be left with little.

They don’t want to change

Some stakeholders may resist L&D training initiatives due to fear of change, reluctance to invest time or effort in learning new skills, or skepticism about the value of training itself. It happens most often when you share a new way of learning or fresh learning content with a set of people who are unfamiliar with it.

They cannot see a point or result

If the objectives and expected outcomes of L&D training are not clearly defined or aligned with organizational goals, stakeholders will question the relevance or effectiveness of such initiatives. They will question the return on investment of L&D training if the results are not easily measurable or if there is a perceived disconnect between training outcomes and organizational performance.

Your organizational culture is not ready

When do L&D initiatives create the best impact? Studies show it happens when culture and mid-level managers are willing to reinforce your actions at every single step. If they are not open to L&D plans or changes, you are unlikely to succeed even after having an on-paper buy-in from stakeholders like managers and employees.

How to get buy-in for training from L&D stakeholders?

The key to getting buy-in for L&D initiatives lies in two central concepts: clarity and impact. Clearly demonstrate the impact on returns your stakeholders value, and they will listen to you. Let’s see some specific areas to understand how you simplify stakeholder buy-in for your team here:

Showcase alignment and impact with their metrics

Instead of just talking about what you will do, show how it will work. When discussing a process, leverage ideas like a proof of concept to give an initial picture of what’s to come. Similarly, bring in ROI to demonstrate the impact you promise to create. At this step, remember to take the right set of metrics. Forget the vanity behaviors and rather get down to what matters. Talking about crucial areas with data to reinforce your point will help make a more persuasive case.

If you are discarding an old system, tell why

Asking someone to change things up super quickly is obviously not going to go down well with them in many cases. Instead, if you explain why a change is needed and what that change will look like, the process will be much easier. Similarly, if you are introducing a new idea or training method, start by elaborating why that idea works and why your team should adopt it. Make a relevant case about the “why” of L&D before heading onto the “how.” By clearly articulating the shortcomings of the existing system and highlighting the benefits of the proposed changes, you can help stakeholders overcome resistance and embrace innovation.

Manage the risks and costs associated with training

Stakeholders might be hesitant to invest in L&D initiatives due to concerns about risks and costs associated with training. To address these concerns, L&D teams should proactively identify and mitigate potential risks, such as disruptions to productivity, employee resistance, and budget overruns. Additionally, developing a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis that outlines the anticipated costs and potential returns of training can help stakeholders make informed decisions about resource allocation. In sum, be ready to resolve their concerns about what you are proposing.

Leverage data and evidence: ROI, proof of concept

Empty talk goes nowhere. So let’s bring in something more to get things done. Data-driven decision-making is essential for gaining buy-in for L&D initiatives. By leveraging data and evidence, such as past performance metrics, benchmarking data, and case studies, you can provide stakeholders with concrete proof of the effectiveness and value of training programs. Demonstrating a clear ROI and presenting a proof of concept alleviates concerns and builds confidence in the potential outcomes of L&D initiatives. Read more: Using ROI of Training to Lead Successful L&D Interventions

Focus on communication

Effective communication is critical to securing buy-in for L&D initiatives. You should develop targeted communication strategies that highlight the benefits of training in a clear, compelling, and accessible manner. Tailoring messages to different stakeholder groups and using a variety of channels, such as presentations, workshops, newsletters, and intranet portals, can help ensure that key messages resonate with the intended audience.

Start with a pilot program

To mitigate risks and build credibility, organizations can consider starting with a pilot or pilot program before scaling up L&D initiatives organization-wide. A pilot allows organizations to test the effectiveness of training programs, gather participant feedback, and make adjustments based on lessons learned. Additionally, planning for potential exits or course corrections in the event of unforeseen challenges can help stakeholders feel more comfortable investing in L&D initiatives.

Wrapping Up

In conclusion, securing buy-in from stakeholders for your Learning and Development (L&D) initiatives is crucial for their success and effectiveness. It serves as a foundation for commitment, alignment, and collaboration across all levels of the organization. Without buy-in, your L&D initiatives may face numerous challenges and obstacles that hinder their implementation and impact.

Deeksha Sharma

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Patience At Work Is Often Tested. 6 Ways To Strengthen This Essential Quality

In an era ravaged by the unexpected, managers are expected to handle both good and bad situations with unstoppable efficiency. However, the dearth of patience has been observed to be one of the biggest roadblocks to effective management. Being patient is as much of a virtue as it is a trait that shows maturity and leadership qualities. You must, therefore, exercise patience when you are making decisions, giving direction, and working with others all at the same time. This article is all about the ways in which you can develop patience as a trait while working as a manager. It takes this attribute with utmost importance and outlines some of the ways in which you can develop it.

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Patience At Work Is Often Tested. 6 Ways To Strengthen This Essential Quality
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What is it to Have Patience?

Patience is a virtue. It applies to the ones who are willing to endure difficulties and enjoy their success in doing so. So, what does that mean, exactly? It is the ability to wait calmly for something you want or need. It’s being able to resist the urge to act impulsively. And it’s also being content with doing things at a slower pace. Patience is not simply waiting. It’s waiting with purpose. When you’re working on a long-term goal, it’s easy to get discouraged. Especially when things don’t seem to be going your way. But if you have patience, you’ll be able to see the big picture. You’ll know that the work you’re doing now is for a greater purpose. And that’s what will keep you going when times are tough. As a manager, you are constantly juggling many different tasks and responsibilities. It can be difficult to maintain your composure when things don’t go according to plan. But the ability to have patience is one of the most important traits you can possess. There will be times when things don’t move as quickly as you would like them to. There will be times when employees don’t meet your expectations. Also, there will be times when customers are less than pleased with your service. But if you have the patience to see these events for what they are, you will be able to move through them successfully.

Managers Need the Patience to Achieve Greatness in Their Roles

Before managers can truly begin to help their team grow and develop, they must be committed to helping their people reach their potential. They need the patience that allows for a period of change. You need it as a manager because it forces you to take long-term perspectives on situations far from perfect or predictable. Being patient is one of the most important, but often underrated skills for managers. Successful management requires the ability to plan long-term, set realistic goals and expectations, and remain calm under pressure. A manager who can display it will be better able to handle difficult situations, guide subordinates, and maintain a positive attitude during challenging times. A great manager understands that success does not happen overnight and that it takes time, effort, and patience to achieve results. Moreover, this involves understanding that certain things take time and cannot be rushed. It also means being able to tolerate setbacks and delays without becoming frustrated. In some cases, it may be necessary to step back and reassess a situation to maintain patience. Managers who can effectively develop it will be better equipped to handle difficult situations and achieve long-term success. Therefore, it’s clear that managers do need the patience to achieve higher effectiveness and greatness in their roles. Patience being a trait of a manager can bring a lot of benefits which we’ll talk about further in this blog.

The Benefits of Having Patience

The benefits of having patience for managers mostly come in the form of abilities. A manager with good ability to be patient will be successful in

Keeping a cool head in difficult situations
Making key decisions
Finding better solutions to problems
Keeping subordinates motivated and aligned with organization goals
Improving communication effectiveness
Creating a positive work environment
Creative thinking
Showing empathy
Self-awareness
Changing behavior among underperforming employees and in turn also
Improve the quality of their performance

Types of Patience That all Managers Should Master

There are different types of patience that all managers should master to be successful. Some of these include

Long-term perspective

A long-term perspective is a type of patience that gives the ability to see a situation from a longer-term view than what is happening currently. By taking a longer-term view, one can avoid getting caught up in the moment. They can instead focus on the bigger picture. This allows for better strategic planning and more effective decision-making when things get tough.

Resilience

Leaders have the opportunity to show composure and resilience underneath pressure. Resilience is a good example of how long-term perspective goes hand in hand with being patient. It shows how one can persevere through difficult times while taking into account the entire situation’s facts.

Patience under pressure

One of the most important aspects of being a great manager is having the patience to handle difficult situations under pressure. Whether it’s waiting for a delayed project deadline or dealing with an irate customer, great managers know how to keep their cool and get the job done. This includes keeping a sustained level of tolerance when dealing with disgruntled employees or angry customers who don’t think their complaints are getting attention soon enough.

Patience in negotiations

Negotiating is one of the most difficult parts of being a manager. It is incredibly important for them to avoid undue criticism during negotiations. Being patient here can help managers not take things personally. They can then stay focused on getting what they want out of the negotiation. A great negotiator knows how to show vulnerability for her counterparts to feel more receptive when making concessions.

Patience with new initiatives

New initiatives are likely to be met with resistance and perhaps anger – but great managers know how to handle this situation. They do it by being patient throughout the process and by communicating clearly. It is also important, to be honest about the changes that need to occur.

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How to be Patient at Work? 6 Effective Tips

Most managers would agree that, in general, they could use more forbearance at work. But how can you go about developing patience as a permanent trait? There are a few tips that can help in this regard.

Have good control of your emotions

Managers need to control emotions when dealing with colleagues and customers. Having good control of emotions is the first step toward developing patience. Having control of emotions will stop managers from getting angry or sad easily or being too excited about victories that are yet to come etc. These are clear signs of being patient as a manager. Not having this emotional intelligence will force managers to show impatience at the most crucial times which can be very bad for their role.

Stay objective

Managers should not get wrapped up in the emotions of the situation or become adversarial. This will only make it harder for them to calmly and objectively assess what is happening and figure out a solution.

Take things slowly

When managers first encounter something new or difficult, they should take a step back and try to understand everything before making any decisions or taking any actions. A manager needs to remind himself that taking things slow is still a decision. It shows patience and perceptive awareness and lets them make the right choices in the long run.

Build trust within yourself

This will ultimately lead managers to demonstrate patience for their subordinates or employees. It is important as these people at times, might not have good intentions towards them. That can be because of misunderstandings arising from their history with those people. With time, they may learn to trust them again and follow their words and advice. Managers should also develop a trusting relationship with themselves to get better at resisting the urge to give up or back down when things look too difficult or unpleasant. It is only by setting oneself off-limits that they can truly grow as managers. Otherwise, they will always be limited by what ‘they’ have already done rather than doing something new, different, and constructive of themselves.

Maintain self-discipline

This is one of the most important skills to develop patience as a manager. It involves managing yourself, at all times and in every situation that you may find yourself, whether good or bad. To effectively develop tolerance as a trait, managers must maintain a positive attitude and exercise appropriate self-discipline. They should show the strength of character necessary to remain calm, composed, and confident in difficult situations. They should expect the best out of themselves yet accept that things may not always go as planned or expected.

Focus on things that matter

To develop strong patience as a manager, one needs to shift their focus from small things to the big picture. It will stop them from drifting away with small successes or failures. They will be able to develop the tolerance necessary for continuously pursuing their final goal.

Conclusion

This blog post is about how to develop patience as a trait while working as a manager. The importance of being patient is not only in the workplace but also in life itself. In the workplace, if managers do not have tolerance, they will quickly grow frustrated with their employees and tire of them if leads to disengagement. Conversely, if managers have strong patience in the workplace, then it results in greater opportunities for success. We believe that if managers can follow the tips listed in the blog above, it will be as easy as it can be for them to develop patience as a permanent trait for themselves.

Deeksha Sharma

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Why is patience necessary for a manager?

Patience is a necessary part of emotional intelligence for managers. Managers cannot act impulsively and based on emotions solely as they have to respond to multiple stakeholders on behalf of the team. Hence, managers need to be patient so that they can smartly face challenges and difficult situations and persist toward long-term goals.

Why is patience important in an organization?

Patience is a great quality to have in the workplace. It helps managers and teams stay consistent even in the face of obstacles and challenges. A patient organization reduces stress in its surroundings and ensures positive interactions through well-thought conversations.

How does patience shape you as a leader?

Patience shapes the core of a leader. This quality helps leaders recognize that they need to be understand people and situations without reacting at the first instance. It builds emotional intelligence and foresightedness.

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7 Ways To Help Overwhelmed Employees On Your Team

Your team’s productivity is built upon the efforts made by your team members. With the valuable assistance of their managers and leaders, employees do their best to set new standards of efficiency in the organization. But, employees getting overwhelmed with the constant flow of work is also typical. Sometimes, the reason may not even lie in the workplace directly. In an increasingly connected world, feeling overwhelmed is more frequent, too. Overwhelmed workers cannot contribute effectively, losing focus and willingness to work. As a result, the team’s performance suffers massively. It poses a significant challenge to managers. This blog will uncover the solution to helping overwhelmed employees in your team. In addition, we will begin by understanding why an employee could feel overwhelmed at work. After this, you can build growth hacks for your teams that shoot up productivity manifold. So, let’s get started!

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7 Ways To Help Overwhelmed Employees On Your Team
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Finding the Overwhelmed Employees on Your Team

There isn’t any uniform picture of the overwhelmed employee. But you can generally identify them with the tired look on their face and a task list that runs longer than their work hours. Typically, overwhelmed workers appear stressed. They might lose the ability to focus and instead adopt a haphazard working style. As a consequence of this mess, struggling employees are often unable to achieve their true potential. In order to help these employees and your team, you need to begin by identifying the overwhelmed employees.

How can you tell that an employee is overwhelmed?

Visible changes in mood and relationships

The first sign of identifying an overwhelmed employee will be their interaction with the team. Typically, employees who are overwhelmed will end up being inconsiderate toward their team members. You might witness increased conflicts, where one colleague snapped at the rest over a seemingly simple matter. Overwhelmed workers will find it hard to navigate delicate relationships in the workplace as their energy is spent on other tasks, leaving none for socialization and interaction. Managers can see if an employee has slowly started to reduce engagement – they show up less for meetings and even less for informal arrangements – it is a strong sign that work might overwhelm them. Burnout and feeling overwhelmed are closely related.

Fall in productivity

The productivity of overwhelmed workers usually falls. It happens because they are constantly stressed about the pending matter at hand. The urge to multitask and get done with things rapidly throws efficiency out of the equation. Overwhelmed employees might often miss deadlines or turn in half-baked assignments as they do not get sufficient time and energy to complete the jobs efficiently.

Consistent distractions

Overwhelmed employees usually have a hard time focusing on the tasks at hand. They might find it challenging to stay on one task for an extended period, or they might not be able to get work done efficiently because they are constantly distracted by the workload. The other impacts, such as stress and breaking relationships, negatively impact productivity too.

On a constant search for escapes

Overwhelmed employees usually find it hard to focus on tasks. They might be constantly distracted by the workload and search for getaways, such as watching TV, browsing the internet, or talking with friends. It distracts them from their work and reduces their productivity. Overwhelmed employees also tend to make more mistakes because they are not paying attention to details. You might find that absenteeism is higher among the employees who are struggling in your team. Overloading tasks can make employees feel unwell and unwilling to show p at work. Moreover, they might end up getting physical health issues too.

Impact on health

The physical health of overwhelmed employees usually suffers. They might experience headaches, poor concentration, and lack of energy. Work-related stress can use many health issues spanning employees’ mental and physical well-being, including lifestyle diseases such as high blood pressure, eating disorders, and mental illnesses like anxiety, among many others. Overwhelmed employees are also more likely to get sick because they are not getting enough rest and nutrition. It can have a big impact on their productivity, which in turn can lead to job losses or reductions in pay grade.

Demotivated and disengaged at work

If the workload is too heavy, employees become demotivated. They might feel stressed out and tired all the time, making it difficult for them to work productively. In addition, they may lose interest in their work and start feeling negative about their job, affecting team morale and performance. As a result, you might see some employees getting isolated and limiting themselves to their work solely. Their absence from brainstorming sessions would be conspicuous. Moreover, you will notice that they no longer raise questions or present innovative ideas for the team. If you notice any of these signs, there is a good probability that your team might be feeling overwhelmed. The feeling of being overloaded at work brings many detrimental impacts on the team. Therefore, managers and leaders must take steps when these signs are observed. Next, let us understand why employees feel overwhelmed at work.

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Why Does Your Team Feel Overwhelmed?

Why one feels overwhelmed does not come with a straight forward answer. While there can be many reasons, we have tried to list a few of the most common and plausible ones that can impact your team members.

Adapting to a change is difficult

When employees start a new job, they usually face a lot of change. It can be difficult for them because they might be unfamiliar with the new work schedule or how their team works. As a result, it is common for them to feel overwhelmed at first. Similarly, if an employee has taken up a new task that is typically not a part of their job, they might feel lost and unable to overcome the challenge. Read more: 5 Tips You Need While Transitioning From Peer to Manager

Training is insufficient or lacking

Adapting to change becomes difficult when there is insufficient support to guide through those changes. For instance, if a new manager is left alone to supervise a team of five, they would have difficulty figuring things out without knowing the present processes and working styles prevailing in the team. Read more: Finding The Missing Pieces: What Makes Leadership Training Successful

Culture is unsupportive

Some companies have unsupportive cultures, which make it difficult for employees to be successful. For example, it can happen if the company values team achievement more than individual achievement. In such a case, employees might feel overwhelmed because they do not know how to work in a team setting, and their achievements are not recognized or appreciated.

Constant changes in the team

Alternatively, an organization that is constantly changing can be very challenging for employees because they may not understand why certain decisions were made or what the future holds for them. Lack of clarity and support from supervisors can make employees overwhelmed. Although autonomy and delegation are encouraging for employees, they need to be balanced and situational. Some employees might need coaching before they can function independently.

Tight deadlines and resource crunch

In today’s fast-paced world, many companies have tight deadlines, and employees are expected to do a lot of work with few resources. It can make employees feel overwhelmed because they may not be able to cope with the workload or find it challenging to get results in a short period. Additionally, employees might find it overwhelming to use these tools if an organization does not provide adequate training and support for its new technology or software.

Bad planning and prioritizing

Some companies have lousy goals that are not based on any long-term vision. This can lead to employees feeling overwhelmed because they do not know the company’s overall goal or how they contribute to it. Additionally, if an organization does not provide clear and concise documentation on their work tasks, employees might feel lost and confused as to what they need to do next. On the other hand, the employees might not be adept at prioritizing and planning and end up in a circle of huge tasks. Smart goal setting is essential for handling several charges at once, which many employees need to master.

How can you motivate overwhelmed employees?

As per a Deloitte study, overwhelmed employees are among managers’ top concerns, where 65% of the executives polled marked it as an urgent or important trend. However, in the second step, 44% conceded that they were not ready to handle overwhelmed employees directly. It sounds like a huge red flag for any organization, as managers are unsure of the ways to tackle a significant emerging issue. When we are talking of overwhelmed employees, it is important to remember that there’s more to people than their tasks. They could be getting overwhelmed due to personal issues or issues in the work context rather than the work itself. This becomes a delicate yet essential conversation for managers to navigate with care. Let’s look at some steps that you can take.

Understand their concerns through one-on-one sessions

Often, an overloaded employee will not voice their concerns out loud. Instead, they will tend to keep these feelings bottled up inside. It can lead to frustration and workplace tension that can be hard to overcome. In order to help employees open up and share their thoughts and frustrations with a supervisor, it’s important to schedule regular one-on-one sessions. By listening carefully and addressing each issue head-on, you can provide the necessary support for employees in overcoming challenges. You need to focus on feedback and ask relevant questions during reviews to get to the issue’s root. Now, here’s the thing: your team may not be open to sharing everything from the get-go. While this is happening, here are a few things that you can do to ensure that your team feels safe to confide in you when they are overwhelmed:

Be vulnerable: As a manager, the first instinct is to be perfect and infallible, But this is as far from the truth as it can be, and your team needs to see this. By seeing a vulnerable side of you, team members would be able to relate and open up about their concerns much more quickly.
Get one-on-one catch-ups right: One of the most common mistakes managers make is focusing solely on work-related issues during one-on-ones. Instead, use a personal approach to building solid relationships with your team. Take interest in their ideas and lives and be a genuine source of support.

Build clarity in your daily engagements

You need to find a piece of information. You have ten huge files in front of you without a common or clear navigation system. Meanwhile, some bits and pieces of information are thrown at you randomly that may or may not be true and relevant. Does it sound annoying? That’s the average day in life for an employee of the 21st century – always connected to the internet and available because of remote working set-ups. Studies show that people check their mobile devices up to 150 times daily. Yet despite employees being always on and constantly connected, almost three-quarters of employees have told Deloitte they cannot find the information they need within their company’s information systems. As a manager, your actions need to solve this through:

Ensuring a clear and systematic flow of information throughout the team
Modeling effective working habits for your team, including work-life balance and taking breaks when needed
Encourage a passionate approach toward work

Recognize their achievements

Recognizing an employee’s achievements is an excellent way to motivate them. Managers can do it in several ways, including verbally thanking the worker for their hard work or awarding them bonuses or other rewards. It also helps to build morale and encourages employees to keep working hard. Giving the employees their due recognition and supportive words of affirmation will help them become more resilient in facing challenges. It will also show that their efforts are noticed and valued by seniors.

Balance autonomy and delegation with guidance

Delegation is key to keeping an overloaded employee motivated. While they should be given enough autonomy to do their job, the tasks they are assigned must be within the scope of their skill set and remain manageable. If employees feel overwhelmed or like they’re being pushed too hard, this will only set them back. It’s also important not to over-delegate tasks unnecessarily, as this can create even more work for the individual. Hence, managers ensure that they delegate and share autonomy reasonably to facilitate employee development and empowerment instead of leading them astray. Set up a culture where being busy is not seen as a badge of honour.

Practice efficient time management

The key to time management for overloaded employees is to be organized and have a plan. It means setting realistic deadlines for tasks, tracking progress regularly, and giving feedback when required. It’s also important not to overload the employee with too many tasks at once – break them down into smaller chunks to cope with them better. Also, ensure enough time is allocated in the day for rest and relaxation, as well as working on personal projects. This will help reduce stress levels and enable employees to focus on their work more effectively. Creating a balance and setting smart goals is the key to overcoming challenges. A few things that you can try to help overwhelmed employees in your team are:

Regular sprints and stand-up calls: Set up short calls to discuss priorities and progress. It encourages employees to share updates, their concerns get addressed at a fixed time, and they can return to work without being stuck over some queries. You can also set up a time limit on meetings in general.
Use agendas: When a meeting is about to happen, put it into practice to share the agenda and key points ahead of time. It helps everyone catch up and leaves time for the primary discussion.
Email-free hours: Your team can set up dedicated email-free hours to work without distraction. You can also extend this to include social media.
Time management activities: Efficient time management differs with working styles. Try your hand at some time management activities to find some interesting ways that could be a hit with your team.

Help with stress management

When employees are overloaded, they are likely to experience increased stress levels. To help them cope with this stress and stay focused on their work, it’s essential to provide them with tools and resources for relief. It could include meditation techniques, counseling services, or even regular breaks. Additionally, supervisors should make time for team-building activities or fun outings each day to help break the routine and reduce boredom. Transforming the distress into positive stress (eustress) is the key for managers. Managers can help their employees overcome challenges while remaining productive by taking these steps.

Provide coaching and training as needed

Overloaded employees can benefit from coaching and training to help them manage their time, stress, and workload more effectively. It might include sessions on time management or organizational skills. Additionally, staff may need assistance developing specific skill sets required for their jobs. By providing support throughout the learning process, managers can enable their employees to develop the necessary knowledge and skills for success in today’s competitive environment. Moreover, developing a coaching leadership style also offers several benefits to managers. Sometimes, it is the solution that becomes a source of stress. If your team does not have adequate or effectively organized training methods, your employees will likely head into trouble. As a manager, you can work with the HR and L&D functions to get things in order:

Make the knowledge base accessible: Ensure that the information is available in a small number of steps, at all times, and in a format that is easy to consume. Moreover, prompt the L&D function to fill knowledge gaps with employee input.
Use tech when needed and use it well: Many companies adopt digital training systems to scale up, but it goes nowhere because the training is often designed to be one-size-fits-all. Ensure that your team uses effective learning and working tools and resolves usability issues through digital upskilling.
Lead by example: You got stuck in being assertive. You got some training and felt some improvement. What’s the next step? Share your experience with your team. If you want your team to solve their issues by acting promptly, be the first one to do so and declare it.

By the way, Risely helps you do it all. With an AI coach to answer your queries anytime, a skill center equipped to handle 50+ challenges, and customized learning journeys that cater to you, Risely is the AI co-pilot every effective manager needs. Sign up for free today to start your 14-day trial because we know you get overwhelmed, too, and that’s completely okay!

Conclusion

Employees who are feeling overwhelmed at work are often struggling with a lot of different things. By understanding the signs and symptoms of an overwhelmed employee, you can help them to get the support they need. In addition to this, we have noted some helpful tips on how to motivate an overloaded employee. By following these tips, you can help them regain their balance and return to work feeling refreshed and ready to take on the challenges ahead!

Deeksha Sharma

Are your one-on-one meetings not bringing you closer to your team? Check why.

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FAQs

How do you know if an employee is overwhelmed?

Signs that an employee is overwhelmed include decreased productivity, increased mistakes or errors, missed deadlines, a negative attitude, decreased engagement or motivation, physical symptoms such as exhaustion or headaches, and requests for help or support.

Why do people become overwhelmed?

People become overwhelmed when they feel that their demands exceed their ability to cope due to factors such as high workload, time pressure, lack of control or support, unclear expectations, or personal or emotional stressors.

What do you say to someone who is overwhelmed?

When speaking to someone who is overwhelmed, it’s essential to offer empathy and support, listen actively to their concerns, help them prioritize their tasks, and suggest strategies for self-care, such as taking breaks, delegating responsibilities, and seeking help when needed.

Is overwhelm the same as burnout?

Overwhelm, and burnout are related concepts but not the same. Overwhelming is a temporary state of feeling unable to cope with demands, while burnout is a chronic state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion resulting from chronic stress.

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Top 6 Leadership Trends 2024 For You

6 Leadership Trends That Will Shape 2024 For You

As the year ends, it’s the perfect time to kickstart a review and plan with the leadership trends 2024. If you are a manager or a leader wondering how the next year will look, you are in the right spot. But before embarking on this journey, let’s remember that management, leadership, and workplaces are dynamic and ever-changing setups. While we can keep track of trends and prepare accordingly, there’s always some surprise that the world can throw at us. The key to success, thus, remains agility and adaptability. With that note, let’s head on to discover the state of leadership in 2024. Leadership trends are like the roots from where your plans originate. For individual managers and team leads, this is a great place to start envisioning professional development. Work on the skills and competencies the world is looking for in the coming years, and ensure that your team is not falling prey to the inefficiencies of the old ways. Yet, for people concerned with learning and development at organizational levels, these trends throw up the directions to set a roadmap. It is where your objectives need to direct the bunch of managers towards. Getting the leadership trends right and acting on them quickly can make all the difference!

Table of Contents

6 Leadership Trends That Will Shape 2024 For You

Leadership Update from 2023: What’s Going On?

Over the years, leadership has undergone a lot of changes. The pandemic called for a more dynamic and robust approach – to accommodate special needs and make space for workers who are not present physically. Yet, the call for a return to office has been served as a diktat at many workplaces over the past few months, shedding light on the gap between people who want to work from home and managers who want to manage in offices. The entry of Gen Z into the workforce has been another significant highlight of recent years. A generation that sets its terms and often breaks conventions that border on discomfort is now actively participating and changing things up. Surprisingly, several late millennials and early Gen Z express disenchantment with the manager’s title. This makes us wonder how they view this role and why it is no longer an exciting prospect. The pandemic and its rapid back and forth spotlighted another critical aspect of our lives: the balance between 9-5 and 5-9. Employee well-being, interpersonal relationships, and skills beyond functional to fulfilling have emerged as focus points for management professionals this year when employee engagement metrics continued to tank while stress rose. Add to that the advent of advanced technology like AI, which has rang alarm bells across the globe. As AI companies continue to run faster than others, no one’s job is secure (including Sam Altman). Management professionals, often deemed safe from a robotic takeover, have been marked with a red pen in the areas of routine cognitive tasks. In the middle of this chaos, L&D has again focused on bettering human ability in the areas that tech cannot touch. What are those secrets that hold you up through ups and downs? Let’s find out.

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Leadership Trends 2024: Ideas Shaping the Future

Humans and Technology are Seated on a Table

How does your typical day start? Checking emails. Setting up meetings or a to-do list on your phone. These unheard-of acts have become ubiquitous for leaders over the last few decades, and similar changes are coming. A group of researchers at McKinsey have pointed towards the rise of combinational tech, which encompasses multiple areas to create solutions that solve for multiple areas. For managers, it could mean tools that take away some of their burdens by combining various skills. It can also mean taking away some jobs. On the other hand, AI and akin are surging. Increasingly, companies are handing over parts of their operations to AI and robots. E.g., e-commerce giant Amazon uses AI to predict demand and recommends product accordingly. Decentralized AI is empowering more such moves. The challenges for leadership develop manifold here. First, the leaders need to ensure that their teams know the harms and benefits of such tech and are equipped to utilize them effectively. Second, leaders need to prepare their workplaces to welcome tech that is becoming key to effectiveness and success. It could mean letting go of some people, prompting others to skill up to remove redundancies, and taking care of the consequent ethical and behavioral challenges. Leadership in 2024 is all about balancing the rise of tech with the human element of work.

Leading, Closely from Afar

Remote work and leadership led by pandemic restrictions ruled the discussions of leadership trends in the last couple of years. But we saw the button flip as more and more companies called back people to offices. Managers unhappy with remote workplaces emerged as the top reason for this callback, pointing to the lack of trust and habits of micromanagement across the globe. For such leaders, the to-do list for 2024 starts with building mutual trust and accountability. Nonetheless, more offices than ever are working in hybrid and remote setups that managers are often unprepared to lead. As a result, there is also an increased continuous emphasis on remote leadership in 2024. Additionally, remote team leaders must be mindful of diversity as the world becomes more interconnected. Great leaders focus on ensuring efficiency in virtual and hybrid setups by working on communication and trust. Technological know-how is also a factor in this equation, calling for a move beyond traditional communication tools toward something newer and easier: think of jam boards for collaboration and communities that help you interact with your users directly. Salil Panikkaveettil of AdNabu has pointed out another key ingredient in this system – emotional competence.

Under the Spotlight: Practical DEI

It’s the moment of DEI, and leaders have a lot to do about it. The last year added to DEI with increasing cognizance and understanding of the issue. While there’s still a long road ahead, numbers suggest some super slow movement. For instance, a McKinsey study found that gender diversity moved up just one percentage point—to 15 percent, from 14—in 2019 globally from 2017. Leaders are responsible for taking this movement forward with their inclusive approaches. Leadership 2024 is not just about slogans but also about setting and working towards practical DEI goals. Now, why does this matter? Because diverse teams are proven smarter. Those in the top quartile for gender diversity were 15% more likely to have returns above the industry mean, and those in the top quartile for ethnic and racial diversity in management were 35% more likely to have financial returns above their industry mean, according to a 2015 McKinsey report on 366 public companies. And you want to lead smart and successful teams just like these. It also calls for making space for leaders from diverse backgrounds on the table and including them in the conversations that have been traditionally kept away. Becoming a DEI champion is a must-have for leaders in 2024.

Leading with a Cause and with Care

The leadership motto for 2024 stands as “purposive leadership style.” A purposive leadership style calls for a larger vision that extends the preconceived notions of profitability. Instead, the world seeks leaders who think beyond the number game. Account for the people and the places you work with, and think of sustainable and positively impacting ventures to ensure that your organization gives back to the system it exists in. A purpose-driven approach to leadership calls for building vision. Vivek Singh, supply chain and sustainability transformation services portfolio leader at Accenture, UK and Ireland, defines it as “one that is specific to the context and purpose it seeks to achieve.” he also points this out as a way to step out of the tendency to micromanage and focus on the bigger picture. When talking about the team, we cannot ignore some alarming stats that have come to light lately. Workplace stress continues to rise, and employee engagement continues to plummet amid broad beliefs that employers no longer care. Leaders need to act against these red flags in 2024 to get things on the right track for their teams by focusing on employee well-being. It includes being present and available when concerns arise and building support systems in the team to help employees through uncertain times. Life coaching, resource groups, growth opportunities, and openness can bring a lot of difference.

Leadership Skills for 2024 That You Can’t Miss

Now that there’s so much emphasis on what the leaders do, we need to consider how they can do it. And this boils down to key management and leadership skills. Throughout the previous sections, the primary emphasis has been on integration. Integration between the human and tech side of things, a balance among remote, hybrid, and in-office teams, and creating diverse and harmonious teams are the goals of leaders of 2024. To get this right, the focus is on the following essential leadership skills of 2024:

Building Trust Across the Board

In a world that connects over Zoom screens more than anything else, building connections and trust without looking at each other’s faces is very important. Trust is essential to ensuring team cohesion, yet 1 of 3 workers have expressed a need for more, especially among managers and team members. Without this value, teams are heading toward more chaos and confusion – paving the way for micromanaging stricter regulatory tactics. Hence, leaders need to up their trust-building game to ensure that their teams are also winning on the second list in this skill.

Being Adaptable and Resilient

In an uncertain world, resilience and adaptability are your keys to winning. As we are navigating major shifts in the economy and the job market amid an attempt to recover from a global pandemic, these two are critical qualities for every leader to make the right decisions for their organization. Yet, research suggests that only 25% of leaders globally lead highly resilient organizations, even though a large majority (97%) recognize the importance – pointing out a large gap to be filled that will differentiate between success and failure in the years to come.

Navigating Negotiations and Tough Conversations

Many experts call the present the era of the great negotiation (or the great renegotiation). Primarily because the employees know what they want, the quiet quitters and Gen Z are not as unreasonable as the managers of yesteryear would like us to believe. For the leaders taking charge now, the challenge is to settle the expectations of this set of workers while maximizing the effectiveness of their business. Negotiation, communication, assertiveness, and persuasion are all skills that will come in handy as these conversations shape us as a major meeting agenda for you and many more leaders.

Emotional intelligence & Empathy

As per the Global Culture Report, 41% of employees felt their leader’s words were empty – missing the emotion that could fuel action, i.e., empathy. Empathy is the ability to set foot in someone else’s shoes. To feel things from their perspective, to do things from their view. Leadership in 2024 is about building upon this critical skill, an essential component of emotional competence. Emotional intelligence, to serve your and other’s emotions well, surfaces on this list, too, as the leadership trends of 2024 point toward an uncertain, changing, and evolving world.

Leadership Development Programs – Yay or Nay?

The conversation does not end with leadership skills for 2024. For professionals who want to create an impact, that’s just the starting point. Similar to leadership, learning and development opportunities for leaders are set to evolve in the future. Lately, there has been widespread recognition that cookie-cutter coaching and classes do not leave an impact behind. In the search for training that sticks, leadership development programs are taking a new shape with the help of human-tech integration. The ideal leadership development solutions for 2024 bring in the human touch of experts and scale the operations through technology. The best part is that being heavy on tech raises affordability and accessibility for many participants. Cutting down on traditional barriers to development opportunities and seeking new avenues that focus on you and your challenges is the key trend for leaders in 2024. Read more: Finding The Missing Pieces: What Makes Leadership Training Successful

Wrapping up

In conclusion, 2024 beckons leaders to embrace change, hone their skills, champion diversity, and lead with purpose. The dynamic nature of the workplace requires leaders to be not just managers but visionaries, fostering environments that empower and inspire their teams. As we delve into the future, the ability to balance technological advancement with human-centric leadership will define leaders’ success in the coming years. So, let us embark on this journey of discovery, ready to navigate the twists and turns that leadership in 2024 will undoubtedly bring.

Deeksha Sharma

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5 Things Every Team With A Culture Of Winning Does

What differentiates a winning team from the rest? Winning teams are not lucky teams. They are a team that has learned how to focus on collective wins and make them the usual. A winning team constantly pushes itself to its limits and does better than before. To create such a team, first, you have to understand what it means to win. This blog post will take you through the different aspects of being a winning team and help you create a culture of winning in your team. So whether you are the manager of a team or a member of one, start today by focusing on team wins and see how you can achieve greatness together!

Why Should You Focus On Winning As A Team?

Creating a winning team is one of the most important things you can do as a business owner. It’s the key to success; without it, you’ll struggle to achieve your goals. Why? Because team wins breed team success. The sky is the limit when everyone is focused on the collective goal. And to make sure that team success stays consistent, it’s important to celebrate each victory, big or small, together as a team. This way, everyone is constantly motivated to keep pushing forward. Winning as a team is a great way to build trust, morale, and teamwork – three essential ingredients for success.

Where does culture come in this equation?

Winning as a team is often about the culture rather than any hard factor. Effective leaders globally have been impacted by ingraining the ideas of winning together into their team’s collective vision and mission – guided daily by the workplace culture. What makes culture a fail-proof secret to team success is that it is hard to replicate outside the context. Think of what Satya Nadella did to bring a turnaround at Microsoft or how Howard Shultz built Starbucks into a global coffee chain – the ideas came from people who gave years to the organizations and were willing to go even harder. As per Bain & Company’s report on Building Winning Cultures, most leaders agree with the sentiment.

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Leaders who believe their culture is a source of competitive advantage

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Leaders who believe their culture is changeable

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Leaders who succeed in building a winning culture

Despite the overwhelming agreement, only a few leaders and teams can build winning cultures, with even fewer being able to sustain them over the years. As changes load up and uncertainties pile in, teams are often in for a toss with their cultural ideas all over the place. What can you do to save yourself from the fate of around 90% of teams? Let’s figure out.

What Do Winning Teams Look Like?

Now that you know why winning teams are necessary, you might wonder what a winning team is. Bain & Company’s study of over 200 organizations revealed that most winning teams share a few features that high-performers embody. But winning teams are not as simple as lists of qualities to focus on. Research highlights another crucial aspect – every winning team is unique – with its soul and spirit that strives for success in every instance.

When we think of this distinct personality, we talk about everything that helps a team stand apart. It can be the motto that guides customer service teams or the philosophy that inspires the product team. Or, it could be the norms and traditions built over the years. Such elements are the key to making employees feel at home, giving them the right environment to perform their best. To further this idea, the organization delves into actions encapsulating this spirit of winning. These behaviors are the same across high-performers in winning teams globally.

High aspirations and a desire to win

High-performance cultures aim high, and when they reach it, they fixate on something higher. There is a constant rush to achieve more and break more conventions. The goal is not just to take the KPIs higher; instead, it’s about bringing to life a vision that creates a sustainable impact on you and your community. A winning team is clear about its objectives and goals. They know what they want and are not afraid to take risks to achieve their targets. This mindset creates a sense of certainty among the team members, which helps them stay focused on their tasks without getting bogged down by external factors. Furthermore, they communicate effectively so that everyone is on the same page. This clarity enables them to execute their plans flawlessly. Also, it reduces the scope of conflict and confusion.

External focus

Another crucial aspect of teams that embody a winning culture is that they are not caught in the internal web of agreements and disagreements. Winning teams focus outside. What’s the competitor doing, and how can we do better – this spirit guides them on. Moreover, they focus on the behavior of the team members. Members of winning teams instill personal accountability and good communication habits in their daily behavior. A team working in isolation cannot be termed a winning team, as a winning team is always aware of its surroundings and what’s happening around them. They are constantly monitoring the competition and staying one step ahead. In addition, they are constantly learning and growing.

A “think like owners” attitude

A differentiating aspect of winning teams is their attitude toward work. Most employees in such teams don’t consider it their organization’s work. Instead, the emphasis is on owning tasks and getting the right thing done while being accountable. Awareness is a crucial characteristic for any team aiming to win. To prepare to face the competition, you need to be aware of the changes happening around you. This includes internal movements within the team. They need to understand their available pool of talent to utilize it in an optimum manner.

Bias to action

Winning teams harbor a bias for acting over merely thinking. As soon as strategies are sorted, winning teams get to work. They aim to act right and fast without being stuck in bureaucracy. A winning team culture celebrates the positives and rejects the negatives. This type of mindset instils discipline in all members of the team. It makes them realize that there are both good and bad times, but at least they’re a part of a successful group that strives for greatness as a collective whole. Winning teams have leaders focused on achieving results. They understand that the key to success is continuity and consistency in their actions. As a result, they prioritize staying focused on their mission, motivating team members effectively and providing clear guidelines for working towards common goals. Furthermore, they take personal responsibility for their team’s performance and hold them accountable when necessary.

Individuals who team

Winning teams bring out the best in each of its members. They push people to be themselves and unleash their true potential by working together. Mutual support, teamwork, and collaboration are critical elements of building a culture of winning. They have a collective vision and goals, which help them work towards common objectives smoothly. Additionally, they are responsible for their own actions and don’t let others take advantage of them. As a result, they build healthy relationships with their teammates, which helps them achieve positive results collectively. Moreover, such teams remain united even in the face of failure. Read more: 5 Ways to Identify and Develop High-performer Employees in Your Team

Passion and energy

A winning team is known for its energy. The passion it brings to the table every day and performs their best. The optimist and enthusiastic spirit of a team planning to win flows throughout the culture like electricity. Winning teams are not bounded by traditional boundaries. They don’t operate on the same principles or ideologies as other teams. This makes them more flexible and adaptive in their approach. It also allows them to experiment with different strategies and techniques, which helps them stay ahead of the competition. Additionally, these teams are open to change and welcome new ideas. These things allow the team to be creative and find scalable solutions to the industry’s challenges. Creating a winning team is not easy. It takes time, effort, and a lot of hard work. But, if you’re up for the challenge, here are a few things that each winning team has: They share a common goal, which helps to unite them as a team. They are composed of individuals with complementary skills and strengths. They are led by a leader who sets the example and provides direction. And lastly, they have a leader who is passionate about winning and makes it a top priority. As long as you have these four things in place, you’re on your way to building a successful team!

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How Can You Create A Culture Of Winning In Your Team?

Building a winning culture is essential for any team, big or small. It can be challenging to create a winning team, but managers can do it with little effort and planning.

Develop A Vision And Aligned Goals

Creating a winning culture starts with setting goals. Teams need to have a shared vision or purpose of working together effectively. Without a common goal, teams will become atomized and lose focus. The process begins with creating a vision for the organization. From this, the goals for teams can be derived. Goal-setting is essential as it serves as the anchor that keeps the team going. Moreover, the goals need to be realistic and achievable so that they motivate the team as well. Additionally, teams should create shared plans of action so that everyone knows what they are expected to do and when the goal is expected to be reached. Read more: What are Leadership Vision Statements? 10+ Examples to Help Build Yours

Create And Communicate Shared Plans

Communication is another crucial ingredient for a winning team. Teams need to communicate effectively to share strategies and stay on track. Good communication involves clear, concise messaging as well as timely delivery. Shared plans help keep everyone accountable and ensure that tasks are completed on time. Winning team cultures are made up of individuals who have complementary skillsets and strengths. These strengths can come from different fields, industries, and even countries. The key is to develop a camaraderie among the members of the team. Managers can do this by creating an environment in which members can discuss their ideas and challenges openly. Additionally, team-building activities should be incorporated into the culture, so everyone feels included and challenged.

Foster Collaboration And Cooperation

Team members need to be skilled at working together if they want to win. This means that leaders should invest time and effort into developing the team’s skills to achieve collective success. For instance, leadership training can help equip team members with the tools they need to effectively lead and coordinate their efforts. Further, managers also need to emphasize collective efforts achieved through collaboration. The teams need to cooperate seamlessly for optimum output. In addition, teams need to consider wins and losses as their own, instead of any particular individual’s. Managers and leaders should share the results among all. Celebrating success is vital in any successful endeavor. Teams need to have mechanisms in place for celebrating individual achievements as well as team successes. These celebrations should be meaningful and provide opportunities for all team members to grow together.

Study Your Surroundings

One of the best ways to ensure that team members work together harmoniously is to audit their surroundings regularly. This means looking for potential conflicts and problems that could be causing distraction or conflict. By being proactive, leaders can head off potential conflicts before they occur and keep everyone on task. Additionally, it’s essential to create an environment where team members feel comfortable voicing any concerns about the work situation. By doing so, leaders can help teams resolve any issues quickly and efficiently.

Focus On High Performance

A culture of winning is based on high performance. Leaders and managers need to create an environment where team members focus on achieving the highest possible level of productivity. To do this, leaders should focus on developing individual skills so that team members can work together effectively. While doing so, managers should ensure that they are concentrating on receiving the maximum output from their employees and providing that their employees practice self-care. Leaders must ensure the mental and physical well-being of employees. Celebrating team successes is a great way to build morale and motivate everyone. So, what are you waiting for? Start building a culture of winning today!

Conclusion

There’s no doubt that a team culture of winning is essential for any business. Focusing on team wins creates a sense of camaraderie and pride among your employees, leading to increased productivity and success. This blog has outlined the steps you need to take to create a winning team culture. Read the blog carefully and implement the strategies suggested to reach your team’s full potential. Thank you for reading!

Deeksha Sharma

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FAQs

What makes a team a winning team?

A winning team focuses on high performance and collaboration among team members. The employees in such a team focus on achieving more and motivate each other to perform better.

What is the importance of winning culture in the workplace?

A winning culture at work ensures that the people feel respected and appreciated for their efforts. As a result, the work environment is better and people are more likely to stay for longer durations.

What are the benefits of creating a winning culture in the workplace?

Creating a winning culture at work helps managers boost the morale of their teams through positive reinforcement. Managers get happier and satisfied employees in such teams.

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Finding The Missing Pieces: What Makes Leadership Training Successful

In an SHRM survey across the US, 84% of employees in the US blamed the good ol’ managers for the underperformance of teams. They said at least half of their managers could do well by brushing up their skills. Moreover, employees felt their performance could be boosted if their managers got a shot up their arms. It’s no longer a confusion where people want impact – it’s the manager’s ability to manage. But the route is more complex than it seems because the training that delivers impact is often harder to locate than an illusion. McKinsey’s article, Getting more from your training programs, sheds light on the other side of the issue. Training is often dull, so much so that only about 25% of survey candidates witnessed an impact. Now, we are talking of more than just some boardroom lectures; we are speaking of a billion-dollar industry that is not helping L&D leaders obtain results. Some alarming figures came out in another survey by 360Learning with L&D managers across the US and Europe. In the US, 27% of learners responded that their management training was boring, while 23% said it was confusing or poorly structured. Similarly, in Germany, 23% agreed that their management training was tedious, while 31% said that it was confusing or poorly structured.

Participated in boring training, US

27 %

Poorly structured or confusing training, US

23 %

Participated in boring training, Germany

23 %

Participated in boring training, Germany

31 %

What Can L&D Professionals Do?

John Ludike, the Head of Digital Talent Management & Leadership Training at Digitalent Consulting, explains:

“Leadership talent management and development is fundamentally important to L&D as it enables organizations to competitively differentiate and sustain itself in the marketplace.”

It goes without more emphasis on it – training is essential to raising effectiveness. At its root, training is critical in ensuring that your managers can justify their roles and envision professional growth for themselves. For you, as an L&D leader, training matters for more than that. Ensuring that your managers are trained is a key objective for you. That’s what makes your role worth it in the eyes of the organization and ensures that L&D operations are given their due share of importance in the conversation. Yet often, training remains on the backseat, making it ineffective. In the same study by 360Learning, it was discovered that a lot of training is not continuous or personalized to the roles. Instead, it’s a nice package of tips offered to everyone who ascends to the managerial throne at a time convenient to the organization. When these new managers are often stuck, there’s nothing to help them. The right touchpoints – the individual, their promotion to a managerial role, and their challenges, are amiss in this equation that takes heavy financial investment on one side. The challenge for L&D thus starts at the very beginning – where should training even be provided, and how much?

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“Effective Training” is Much More Than Just Training

Even after an organization has recognized the need for training, some more issues persist. Primarily, the question is of impactful training. What constitutes effective training is a debatable question. But we do have some clarity on what’s ineffective training. In Michael Beer, Magnus Finnstrom, and Derek Schrader’s seminal essay for the Harvard Business School titled The Great Training Robbery, we find something interesting: Companies that trained thousands of employees to kickstart major transformations in workplace behavior fell behind the only one that chose to go differently. Investment worth billions does not work until and unless the organization facilitates a new pattern of thinking and leading. When the employees faced resistance from the system, they reverted to old ways despite the engaging and comprehensive training. The training initiatives at the companies being studied succeeded only when the leaders adopted and followed the ideas laid out. Further, training on collaboration and communication was more effective in units that enabled psychological safety. The writing on the wall is clear: effective training is complemented by widespread organizational changes to embody the values and attitudes you want to cherish. Unlike economics, the trickle-down effect is a little less debated and more supported by facts here. Thus, leadership training to create the ideal team members and reinforce values becomes all the more critical for L&D professionals and the HR function.

3 Keys to Leadership Training Effectiveness

The conventional training set-up as a series of sessions, now modified into self-paced courses, has been deemed inadequate for years. But here’s the thing: a bad process after being digitized becomes a bad digital process. The mode of delivery is not going to switch things up. With the advent of AI and the rise of online training, the human experience has become a key determinant of successful training. So, what will work?

Denise Fekete, Talent Development, AI tools and Change Management Consultant, offers a perspective on this with focus on three key areas: diverse learning tools, a centralized knowledge base, and social learning.

Diverse learning tools call for multiple approaches. Think of how varied managerial roles can be. What a project manager needs to learn is best delivered through storytelling, while an employee relations manager‘s need might be fulfilled better with case studies. And that’s just one instance; every manager training would ideally incorporate multiple modes to ensure that monotony does not set in and every valuable lesson gets imparted correctly. It also allows L&D teams to use external resources on top of the internal material – enabling better coverage of the topics.
A centralized knowledge base exists to solve problems when the trainees are learning themselves. First, it is an excellent resource for facilitating independent learning in one spot and is available to all without jumping through time-consuming bureaucratic hoops. Second, a centralized knowledge base supports the standardization of information delivered in training across many people.
Lastly, social learning allows managers to learn processes and systems with their teams, model the right leadership behaviors and organizational values, and get real-time feedback and support. Social learning enables the sustainment of the information presented through the learning experience.

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Making and Measuring Impact of Leadership Training

When delivering training, John Ludike highlights end-to-end change enactment and management as one of the most common challenges. His assessment is supported by numerous L&D leaders looking for ways to track and demonstrate the impact of their initiatives effectively.

“The measures of effective management leadership development are simply by providing evidence before and after the design, development, and deployment of solutions that have contributed to what we refer to as the organization’s leadership brand.”Johan Ludike, Head of Digital Talent Management & Leadership Training at Digitalent Consulting

Engage in conversations with stakeholders about the business outcomes of your work. Present your plans in a language that makes sense to the person in front of you because your KPIs, be they engagement, retention, or knowledge transfer, take time to track precisely and communicate further. Instead, the merit lies in sharing where your interventions fit in and showing change. Demonstrating such impact can be challenging with the traditional methods of leadership training. You made your team attend a webinar on communication skills. Excellent, but how much of it was applied at work? Hermann Ebbinghaus, a German psychologist in the late 19th Century, led experimental studies of memory and gave “The Forgetting Curve.” His primary insight was that if new information isn’t applied, we’ll forget about 75% after just six days!

Moreover, only a few employees get opportunities to apply new skills learned in L&D programs to their jobs. These things are essential while evaluating leadership training at your organization. While there are challenges, there are some ways out, too. L&D managers can take note of several things to ensure that training sticks:

Think of Context

Leadership training cannot be one-size-fits-all. Instead, focus on the specific challenges your leaders will deal with. Cut through the noise to build some transferable qualities in your leaders that help them in multiple real-life scenarios, not just in getting the perfect score in the end assessment.

Train, Continuously

In the US, as many as 30% of candidates identified that management training either came too early or too late. This happens when there are no set areas to train managers in. Deliver it too early, and most of it does not find relevance. Be late, and the challenges are already there. L&D teams must find the spot for providing leadership training and building systems to reinforce it.

Integrate Humans and Tech

One of the most common issues with training is that it is dull and unengaging. To solve this, Denise suggests enhancing human interaction throughout the process. Focus on interventions that balance both sides, scale using tech, and empathize through real people.

Focus on Impact

Most importantly as an L&D leader, show your impact on the business side. Leave the chase of perfect KPIs behind because even after completing assessments with perfect scores, many employees skip over the lessons and take away nothing from the training.

Remember that Training is not a Panacea

In the words of Amy Edmondson of HBS and Anita Woolley of Carnegie Mellon— organizations need “fertile soil” in place before the “seeds” of training interventions can grow. Prepare the team culture by getting the leaders on board for the impact you wish to create before kickstarting training.

Key Takeaways

The landscape of leadership training is marked by both challenges and opportunities, as revealed through surveys and insights from industry leaders. The traditional approach to training, often criticized for its ineffectiveness, has prompted a shift toward more dynamic and impactful strategies. The need for continuous and personalized training, coupled with the demand for contextual relevance, calls for a departure from standardized, one-size-fits-all programs. However, the ultimate success of leadership training hinges on its alignment with broader organizational changes and its tangible impact on business outcomes. As learning and development professionals navigate the complexities of leadership training, emphasizing context, continuous learning, human-tech integration, and a focus on demonstrable impact becomes imperative. It is through these concerted efforts that leadership training can truly become a catalyst for organizational growth and development.

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Emotional Intelligence In Communication: 5 Elements Smart Leaders Use

Effective communication is the cornerstone of a thriving workplace. It doesn’t matter if you’re speaking to your team members, clients, or boss – articulating your thoughts and ideas clearly and concisely is crucial for success. But it’s not just about what you say but also how you say it. This is where emotional intelligence comes into play. Emotional intelligence in communication is all about being aware of your feelings and those of others and using that information to communicate better. This blog post will explore the importance of emotional intelligence in workplace communication and how it can help you excel at work. From enhanced listening skills to building positive relationships, we’ll cover five ways emotional intelligence can make a difference in your professional life. So let’s dive in and learn more about how emotional intelligence can benefit you at work.

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Emotional Intelligence In Communication: 5 Elements Smart Leaders Use
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Emotional Intelligence in Communication: Where do the two meet?

Emotional intelligence is commonly understood as the ability to manage your and someone else’s emotions competently. It includes navigating situations where emotions may be on the highs and lows while ensuring no one is hurt. Daniel Goleman, the author of Emotional Intelligence, the seminal work on the issue, defines it as a person’s ability to manage feelings so that they are expressed appropriately and effectively. According to Goleman, emotional intelligence is the most significant single predictor of success in the workplace. You might also find interesting: IQ vs. EQ In The Workplace: 7 Tips to Balance the Two Forces

Five Aspects of Emotional Intelligence You Should Know

Self-awareness: Emotional intelligence begins with taking charge of one’s own emotions. Thus, self-awareness forms the first element of emotional intelligence as it helps you get closer to yourself.
Self-regulation: In the second aspect, emotional intelligence delves into controlling emotions in the area where we can do best – ourselves. Emotionally intelligent people process feelings carefully and avoid impulsive actions.
Motivation: Motivation in the area of emotional intelligence talks about not giving up when setbacks come knocking. It involves being resilient in facing challenges and focusing on your goals.
Empathy: Empathy calls for standing in someone else’s shoes. Understanding things how they see them – to help them process it better and to become a more sensitive guide in times of need.
Social skills: Lastly, great emotional intelligence goes parallel with social skills. It includes building and maintaining positive relationships, effective communication, conflict resolution, and collaboration.

What is the Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Communication?

Effective communication is the core of maintaining positive relationships with colleagues and clients. Effective communication involves more than just exchanging words. It requires understanding and managing emotions, an essential aspect of emotional intelligence in communication. Professionals with high emotional intelligence can build better relationships, connect with others effectively, and work collaboratively in teams. It is among the strongest predictors of workplace performance (58%) as per studies by TalentSmart. Emotional intelligence in communication incorporates verbal and nonverbal cues, including tone of voice and body language, to convey messages accurately. By developing emotional intelligence in communication, you can improve job performance and become a more productive manager. Moreover, it enhances conflict resolution skills, allowing you to resolve issues amicably while preserving professional relationships. People with high emotional intelligence are more adept at handling stress and bouncing back from setbacks faster, contributing to a better work environment. By developing emotional intelligence in communication, you can improve your problem-solving abilities and boost leadership qualities, ultimately leading to enhanced team morale and increased productivity.

Applying Emotional Intelligence in Communication at Work

Building Self-awareness

Self-awareness, in its simplest form, is knowing yourself. It is the ability to recognize and understand one’s own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It involves having insight into your own emotions, motivations, strengths, weaknesses, and the impact you have on others. What does this look like in action? Let’s visit two managers to understand better. Maria is a team manager. During a team project meeting, Maria noticed a shift in the atmosphere. Some team members seemed reluctant to share their ideas, and there was an undercurrent of tension. Instead of plowing ahead with the agenda, Maria paused the meeting and addressed the emotional tone in the room. Maria openly shared that she was feeling the pressure but emphasized the importance of open communication. In a similar project meeting, John faced a similar situation with tension among team members. However, John was not attuned to the emotional dynamics. He continued with the agenda without acknowledging the mood in the room. As the meeting progressed, the tension escalated, and team members became increasingly frustrated. John failed to recognize the impact of the project challenges on the team’s emotions and missed an opportunity to address and alleviate the stress. A self-aware person is attuned to their own mental and emotional state, allowing them to make more informed decisions, manage their reactions, and navigate social interactions effectively, as we saw in the examples above.

Practicing Self-regulation

In the step next to self-awareness, we discover self-regulation. Self-regulation refers to the ability to manage and control one’s own emotions, impulses, and behaviors. It involves staying composed under pressure, resisting the urge for impulsive reactions, and adapting to challenging situations in a calm and collected manner. Developing self-regulation is a critical component of emotional intelligence, as it enables you to maintain composure, make rational choices, and positively influence interpersonal relationships. As we saw in the examples above, one of the managers, Maria, acknowledged that she was also feeling anxious. But while being vulnerable and connecting with her team members, she ensured that her fears and stress were not spread across the whole team. Instead, she directed them toward a solution. On the other hand, we saw the case of John, who could not recognize those emotions. John’s messaging to the team would signal that they must hide their feelings and keep following the routine, setting the scene for further stress and tension.

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Embodying Motivation

As the third critical area of emotionally intelligent communication, we have motivation. Motivation refers to the mindset which enables you to keep moving in the face of challenges. Being motivated means that emotionally provocative situations do not shift your focus away from your goals. Instead, you channel your emotions effectively to complement your motivation and keep moving toward success. Now, this may not be the easiest step for managers. Among the above two managers that we were talking about, John eventually realized the extent of the challenges that they were facing. A lot of missed deadlines would mean a significant delay on the project. His motivation was low as he could not see a way out amid all the stress and confusion. Team members began to feel the strain, and there was a noticeable decline in enthusiasm. John’s lack of proactive motivation and failure to communicate a shared vision contributed to a sense of disengagement among team members. On the other hand, in the case of an emotionally intelligent manager like Maria, we find something different. Maria ensures that negative feelings do not get back at her. Instead, she shared a vision of success, highlighting the team’s capabilities and the value of their contributions. This motivational talk re-energized the team, instilling a sense of purpose and commitment. Maria’s enthusiasm and belief in the team’s abilities were crucial in boosting motivation and ensuring everyone was aligned toward the common goal.

Acting with Empathy

There has been one consistent marker of difference throughout the story of the two managers. What could that be? It’s empathy. When we meet Maria, we see her talking to her team with vulnerability and sharing her side of the story while embracing theirs. She regularly communicates and understands things from the perspectives of her team members. It allows her to solve their problems better by addressing bottlenecks. On the other hand, in John’s case, we often find a wall between the manager and the team, which is broken when the negative emotions overwhelm and overpower the entire team. The lack of understanding in this team limits their ability to communicate and share ideas in stressful situations, thus outlining the wide gap in empathy. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. It involves stepping into someone else’s shoes, comprehending their perspective, and emotionally resonating with their experiences. Empathy goes beyond simple awareness of another person’s emotions; it encompasses a deeper understanding of those emotions and a genuine concern for the well-being of others. Read more: Practicing Empathetic Communication: 5 Secrets of Successful Managers

Mastering Social skills

Empathy is in your mind. And you bring it to life with your actions. This is where your social skills come into play. Social skills refer to the ability to communicate, interact, and collaborate effectively with others in various social situations. People with strong social skills can navigate interpersonal relationships at work, work well in groups, and adapt their communication styles to different contexts. These skills are crucial in personal and professional settings, contributing to positive interactions and successful collaborations, as in the case of manager Maria. Emotional intelligence in communication is a complex but helpful skill for a manager to hone. As we witnessed, it can help managers overcome challenging team situations. Emotional intelligence and communication also combine to form a shield against challenges from the external side of things, like unpredictable changes and delays. Meanwhile, it empowers you to build the dream team that sticks with you through thick and thin. Check out a detailed blog on social intelligence for more insights: Social Intelligence: Building Strong Workplace Relationships as a Leader

Emotional Intelligence Communication Techniques: Lessons from Leaders

Now that we have understood what emotional intelligence in communication looks like let’s explore some emotional intelligence communication techniques with the help of some examples.

Satya Nadella

The CEO of Microsoft is often commended for his empathetic and inclusive leadership style, emphasizing collaboration and fostering a positive work culture.

Emphasizing Collaboration: Nadella’s emphasis on collaboration reflects emotional intelligence by recognizing the value of teamwork and collective effort. By doing so, he acknowledges the importance of diverse perspectives and encourages open communication among team members.
Inclusive Leadership Style: Nadella’s inclusive leadership style demonstrates empathy by considering the needs and perspectives of a diverse workforce. This approach creates a sense of belonging among employees, promoting a positive and inclusive work culture.

Mary Barra

As the CEO of General Motors, Barra is recognized for her leadership during challenging times, emphasizing transparency, communication, and empathy with employees.

Communicating Through Challenges: Barra’s leadership during challenging times reflects emotional intelligence by emphasizing transparency and communication. Being open about difficulties and challenges fosters trust among employees, showing empathy for their concerns and uncertainties.
Emphasis on Empathy: She contributes to a more supportive and resilient organizational culture by acknowledging and addressing their concerns with empathy.

Howard Shultz

The former CEO of Starbucks is known for his focus on creating a company culture that values employees and customers, promoting social responsibility and ethical business practices.

Creating a Positive Company Culture: Schultz’s focus recognizing the importance of a positive and values-driven culture contributes to employee satisfaction, loyalty, and overall business success.
Promoting Social Responsibility: His commitment to social responsibility and ethical business practices reflects empathy for broader societal concerns. This approach aligns with emotional intelligence by acknowledging businesses’ impact on communities and the environment.

All in all, you can demonstrate emotional intelligence through communication in many ways. Often, it is about dealing with a missed deadline or another similarly frustrating situation. On the other hand, emotional intelligence makes your communication effective, too! It’s like a win-win situation because emotionally intelligent people communicate smartly – without giving into impulsive moods and remaining calm and assertive.

Conclusion

Emotional intelligence in communication is vital for success in the workplace. It enhances your ability to communicate effectively, build relationships, and display leadership qualities. With improved social skills and empathy, you can understand others better, build trust and respect, and create a positive work environment. In addition, emotional intelligence helps you respond appropriately to difficult situations and conflicts, leading to better outcomes. You can overcome personal biases and improve your communication skills by developing emotional awareness.

Deeksha Sharma

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FAQs

Is emotional intelligence part of communication?

Emotional intelligence is closely intertwined with communication, as it significantly influences how we understand, express, and respond to emotions during interpersonal interactions.

What is emotional intelligence in interpersonal communication?

Emotional intelligence in interpersonal communication refers to the ability to recognize and manage emotions, both within ourselves and in others, in order to enhance the quality of our communication and relationships.

What are the 5 elements of emotional intelligence?

The five elements of emotional intelligence, as proposed by Daniel Goleman, are:
– Self-awareness
– Self-regulation
– Motivation
– Empathy
– Social skills

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AI and Management: Preparing for the New Way of Work

Nearly a century ago, celebrated economist Keynes remarked, “We are being afflicted with a new disease – technological unemployment.” As we stand on the verge of a new technological revolution in a post-pandemic world, our understanding of work, workplaces, and workers is set to be altered once again. Frequent layoffs have become a thing of the present era without much anticipation of relief as the global economy continues its downturn. But there’s another entity to blame: AI. The threat of artificial intelligence on various jobs is rising; the fear has now taken up a new name – AI exposure. Yet, there is much to be understood in this discourse, which is increasingly shaped by alarming voices rather than clear ideas. Earlier this year, a report by the multinational HR company Challenger, Gray & Christmas revealed that AI was responsible for 4,000 jobs lost in May, accounting for 4.9% of all jobs lost across sectors in the month in the US. The findings triggered rapid reactions and apprehensions about the future of work, with statements from organizations like IBM and the US’s National Eating Disorder Association, which adopted an AI chatbot to replace its helpline services, pointing toward a future of work compatible with AI. Fears of job replacement are not unfounded, but how valid are they in the present? Let’s find out right from the beginning.

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Previous Eras of Change

The 21st century is not the first time technological change has come knocking and changed how we work. It has happened before, twice, primarily if we go by the trends.

The Responses to Industrial Revolution

In the summers of 1830, Barthélemy Thimonnier was a happy man. A French tailor, he had patented a design for sewing machines and set up the first machine-based clothing manufacturing unit to cater to the needs of the French army. With success, trouble followed suit. Thimonnier’s workshop was the center of a riot, and angry workers burned down his factory over the fear of losing their livelihood as machine arms were replacing their hands. Thus began the first foray of man and machine over an industry that was set to be revolutionized in the years to come with the help of much more advanced technologies.

Digital Revolution and the Future

A hundred years passed, and humanity looked at a similar yet broader challenge. In a world that had been made so different by the Industrial Revolution, another wave of technology rushed in. While meeting skepticism initially, the broad consensus now agrees that digital technology alters and creates jobs. An ILO study focusing on the EU gave much more clarity: digital skills are set to become the bedrock of effective work along with non-cognitive skills. A supplementary function of technology is set to redefine many jobs, especially those at high risk of automation. This puts the spotlight on the managers and HR professionals leading organizations through these changes and preparing them to adapt.

Present and Beyond – The New Wave of Change

The present age is marked by technology assisting humans in every nook and corner. There is a marked shift from the sewing machine riots of the earlier centuries – technology is now viewed as a complementary force instead of a challenger. Hence, the popular opinion calls for a mid-way, where workers upskill themselves to become more productive by utilizing technologies. Organizations are called in to support this transition by enabling opportunities for their workers.

Anywhere between 75 and 375 million workers (3% to 14% of the global workforce) will seek career alternatives by 2030 to stay relevant as companies increasingly seek automated solutions. Jobs lost, jobs gained, McKinsey

What’s Happening? And What’s More?

David Autor, MIT economist, noted, “A lot of professional work combines some element of routine information processing with an element of judgment and discretion. That’s where software has always fallen short. But with AI that type of work is much more in the kill path.” Such ideas bring us back to what we started with – the prediction of technological unemployment. Before heading on developing responses to the new wave of technologies that include AI, immersive techs like AR and VR, and much more, the key lies in understanding what impact they will create. Yet, there is a gap here. A number of studies are conducted across the US and EU to explore these areas, which leave out the Global South. These studies, like the one focusing on the EU, have revealed that the vulnerability of a job to AI varies across many factors – including how work is done, where it is done, and who the workers are. It further requires strong assumptions about future demand for goods and services, organization of production processes, rate of adoption of technologies, cultural and institutional factors, and changes in consumer preference. Interestingly, the impact focuses heavily on white collar workers, who have been largely assumed to be safe from such shifts. As Pew Research reports, jobs in high-paying fields that typically need a college education and analytical skills are ranked higher for AI exposure. Still, we can surmise a few key points:

Jobs that do not involve complex social interactions and have routine processes are more susceptible to automation.
Job creation is going to compensate for these changes. As new tech evolves, it will create novel opportunities and jobs to mitigate the negative impact.
AI changes things: While the earlier eras hurt the blue collar workers, white collar employees are facing the brunt now.

Such a picture leads us to job growth that is uneven and concentrated at both ends of the ladder. At the first end, we have minute skills that machines cannot replicate, while social interactions that enable business lie at another.

The 21st Century Manager

Over the years, managers and leaders have become an essential element in the success of any organization through their resourcefulness and strategic insights. As the world heads toward a new way of working, this profession is set to digest wide-ranging changes as well. A glimpse of these changes became evident during the pandemic-induced remote working modes. The managers of the day favor a definition that emphasizes collective growth and agility with a strong focus on efficiency. How well does this profession hold on against AI? Let’s try to figure out.

From Personnel Management to Human Resources

As work has changed – from being organized primarily around manufacturing centers to concentrating on providing services – the importance of managers is felt more vital than ever. Things started picking pace with the Industrial Revolution, later creating the space where the concepts of Scientific Management and Administrative Management played out until the need for a human touch was felt! As the field of personnel management stood at a nascent stage in those eras, some substantial changes and contributions later cemented themselves as the classical and neoclassical schools of management theory. In the present age, however, there is a lack of developments that can prepare managers to tackle new challenges head-on.

AI in Management: Envisioning the Future

Currently, automation is set to have widely varying impacts across countries and sectors. The positive side is that automation and AI for managers cannot replace functions like people management that rely heavily on social interaction. It ensures that jobs in the management field are primarily safe from a wipe-out. But does that mean consistency in the roles itself? Probably not. The inclusion of AI at work does not replace but instead redefines jobs. So, the people in one role might not lose jobs, but they would work differently. For instance, for an HR Generalist, the addition of technology ensures that they are cutting down on manual tasks – payroll management is automated, surveys are digital, and forums are hosted online! As per McKinsey, management features in the list of areas estimated to witness the highest job growth upon automation. Some indicators point to 75% growth in India and around 15% in the US within the industry by 2030.

AI in Management: A Challenger, or a Helping Hand?

Companies like Hilton and American Express that have adopted AI in some aspects of their work are returning for more. The world for managers is taking a new turn for sure. As the WEF also highlighted, by automating the administrative aspects of a manager’s role, there’s much more that they can do with their soft skills. Based on surveys, people are excited to welcome AI and technology into their workplaces. There is a split here as well.

While workers rank managers better in areas like empathy and coaching, they prefer a robot when they need unbiased information, manage data, and manage schedules for day-to-day stuff. Hence, AI in management is taking up some functions and allowing managers to focus extensively on the rest. The manager of the future uses their excellent soft skills to build a great team culture and envisions success through strategic planning instead of muddling their head in sheets and schedules. Moreover, there lies the question of adoption of AI for managers in workplaces. An unwelcoming culture and lack of data show up as the most significant hurdles in the way of AI adoption at work for management professionals. Managers who can work along these lines by understanding the scope and utility of tech, as well as executing it effectively, are needed to build the future of work. So, to sum up, there are twin capabilities to balance and develop as managers – people management and technology management.

The Case for Building Skills in the Era of AI and Management

Now that the world of a manager is not just limited to their teams, their skills also call for a broader approach. As managers in the present era, some defining qualities become the sine qua non, namely, agility and empathy. An agile framework for managers, encapsulated in a growth mindset, would be the key to professional and personal success. While the world undergoes rapid changes, managers must also tackle novel challenges that arise with the broader use of advanced tech across generations; focusing on empathy in these interactions is vital for success.

Managerial Skills – What to Build and Break

A paper from the Journal of Decision Systems, titled “The impacts of artificial intelligence on managerial skills” signals changes in the managerial skill sets of the day based on inputs from over a hundred AI experts. First, there are some areas that AI for managers will augment and support. Think of functions that can help managers save time and raise efficiency – analyzing complex data to support decision-making, screening profiles, dealing with work pressure through solid time management and scheduling, etc. On this extreme lies another set of skills that AI in management can replace to a large extent with the proper backing from organizations. These include functions that call for routine cognitive tasks such as gathering information and making simple decisions. The last and most exciting part includes skills that will be the need of the hour to envision and execute an AI-powered workplace as a manager. First, managers need to start with technical know-how to understand the technologies they are working with. HRs rate the ability to use AI tools as the top preferred digital skill but simultaneously expect a wide gap and training opportunities, too, signaling the need for coaching and guidance ability on the part of managers. Moreover, AI and management together make a risky business. There are potential harms that come along with the benefits. Managers need to be prepared to handle risk and the ethical and behavioral challenges bound to arise from these interventions. Hence, judgment and ethical decision-making abilities become very important. Lastly, the movement of an organization from a conventional to an AI-led approach to work is a significant shift. Managers leading this change need to be open-minded and spread the same ideas. Effective communication to secure buy-in and establish trust, change management to facilitate the move, and collaboration across the various functions would be essential skills to hone for any manager. But not all is about what’s about to happen. Some areas remain constant as the manager’s field of play, namely, leadership and imagination. The complex interactions and skills needed here are beyond the realm of AI and remain critical abilities for successful managers.

How to Grow skills? Searching Solutions that Solve for the Present

This occasion gives an excellent opportunity to remember the first law of digital innovation: Technology changes quickly, but organizations change much more slowly. Given that there is an evident shift in skills, managers need to succeed; the question is – can managers navigate these changes? Here, we need to think of what managers need to do to build their skills. There is the same old list: we have management gurus sharing success mantras, three-day workshops that cover everything, and self-led paths with questionable conclusions. Organizations are experiencing an evident gap in solutions that solve for the present – a fast-paced world where problems need resolutions as they come.

“Many learners find it tedious to watch lengthy video content. Traditional training methods, besides being both time-consuming and costly, frequently fall short of meeting the demands of modern workplaces. Through my extensive conversations with Learning and Development (L&D) professionals throughout the years, I’ve concluded that there is a strong demand for interactive learning tools, specifically customized videos that captivate learners effectively. Furthermore, incorporating features such as self-paced learning and incentives along the learning path can significantly boost completion rates. Effective training for professional success should be tailored to individuals’ specific requirements rather than relying on monotonous slides and seminars.” Vishnu Raned, CEO of VideoKen

The new leadership and manager development solutions must sing the tale of the time. All in all, the approach needs:

A fast-paced method that solves challenges in real-time
Personalization over generic ideas to enable precise interventions
Multiple avenues to involve various perspectives and cultivate innovation
Presentation in easily accessible as well as modern formats

Nonetheless, many organizations are searching for the perfect development solution for their managers. A lot of them believe that their workforce already has the necessary skills, while the workers wait for training and help to navigate new technologies as they come.

Anxieties Over AI in Management and Overcoming Them

The presence of AI in management along with other advanced technology undoubtedly leads to career anxiety among management professionals. Accenture’s H. James Wilson, managing director, says, “The No. 1 source of worker anxiety is around ensuring the relevance of their skills.” With the predictions of significant job changes in the job market and roles, there are apparent concerns about future bug managers. However, managers can overcome these risks by building the skills needed for the future of work. As AI cannot reach specific areas, leadership and imagination remain the entitlements of managers. Until now, professionals have had to compete with other professionals who have their own unique set of strengths and challenges. This competition has been relatively high, as we all know. And to top all this, we now have AI to compete with. With all this, workplace stress has become a regular visitor in our lives. So much so that we don’t even notice when this stress takes the shape of anxiety, and a significant part of our time and energy goes into analyzing all things that could go wrong, our (perceived) shortcomings, lack of skill, etc. And technological advancements indeed make our lives turn around like AI is now. But it’s also true that we eventually come back to the unique qualities and attributes that humans bring, which AI cannot. Yes, AI can change how humans work, and we should use it to enhance our work and guide us to growth and development as leaders. A few ways to get started on a healthy note with AI in management can be:

Be aware and proud of your unique attributes that make you helpful at the workplace.
Education and self-awareness – be truthful about how much you know and what else you need to learn.
Keep yourself updated with new advancements so that you don’t get behind.
Collaborate and connect with colleagues and mentors to share your concerns.
Incorporate AI into your teams in smaller projects instead of large-scale implementations. Understand how it works and impacts your team, and learn and grow from there.

Conclusion

As we look to the future, it’s evident that we’re on the cusp of a new technological revolution, reshaping the landscape of work, workplaces, and the role of workers. The ominous specter of technological unemployment, once foreseen by Keynes, has taken on a new form – AI exposure. This era is marked by the rapid integration of artificial intelligence into various facets of work, raising concerns about the future of employment. Historically, humanity has weathered technological changes, notably the Industrial and Digital Revolutions, which transformed how we work. These shifts had their share of challenges and opportunities, and the advent of AI is no exception. However, AI’s role is more complementary than adversarial. Workers are expected to upskill and work alongside technology, fostering a more nuanced relationship. As AI redefines roles, managers, often seen as safe from automation, are also experiencing shifts in their functions. AI isn’t replacing managers; it’s augmenting their capabilities. To thrive in this evolving landscape, managers need to develop a dual proficiency in people management and technology management. They must possess the skills to harness AI in management to enhance their decision-making and efficiency while remaining committed to fostering collaboration, innovation, and a positive work culture. While the advent of AI in management understandably brings anxieties about job security and relevance, managers can overcome these challenges by embracing the technology and focusing on developing their leadership and imaginative skills. AI for managers may complement their abilities, but it cannot replace the unique qualities that define the role of a manager in the workplace. By doing so, you can confidently navigate the ever-changing world of work and lead your teams to success in an AI-enhanced future.

Deeksha Sharma

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