Understand Our Own World

How to Embrace Transitions with Minimal Damage

In both professional and personal environments it can be very difficult to embrace and include others in a timely manner. For some, it’s incredibly easy to embrace and understand other’s points of views, for many it can very difficult. There are many ways to smooth a transition and get to know teams before damaging relationships and preventing a smooth transition. Here are my views on How to Embrace Transitions with Minimal Damage:

• Don’t have any preconceived ideas and visions of the other party. If you walk in thinking a certain way, you’re going to struggle to have an open mind about the reality. It’s okay to be educated and prepared to question for understanding, but don’t use labels until you have the opportunity to collaborate.
• It’s a lot of fun to point out opportunities of others, but doing it too quickly can be beyond damaging. I recommend seeking feedback about your own opportunities; if the other team invites your perspective (which they usually do); you are free to share at that time.
• Dig for strengths of the other team. I recommend this not only for relationship building, but I promise you each team and individual brings something to the table.
• When others ask you specific personal questions; respond, and then ask them the same question. Other’s inquiries are often open invitations to sharing something they care about themselves.
• Be authentic with your intentions of strengthening your team otherwise people will see right through your true feelings.
• Find a strong mixture of both professional and personal-professional questions to enhance trust within the group.
• Question the other team on what you can do to continue supporting and building your relationship together.
• Make sure you introduce yourself to as many people as possible and learn the names and roles of these individuals.
• Follow-up with those you met with a personal e-mail or phone call expressing your appreciation for your conversation.

Whether your families are merging, teams are working together, or you get a new leader, embracing these transitions are very important. Try to remember that each person has a value; make it your mission to find these values and grow a relationship based on them.

Develop daily,

Michael Dooley

leaderdevelopmentblog.com

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Questions: I didn’t even scratch the surface – what other ways can you share to grow unity?

Leadership Quote- The Capacity to Forgive

Your capacity to forgive will determine your power to continue.

Leadership Quotes- Clear Intentions

Great intentions become tragic action when delivered without careful thought.

Leadership Quote- Choice of the Follower

Leadership Quotes- Long-term Potential

The obsession with instant gratification blinds us from our long-term potential.

Leadership Quotes – Paradise

Create a paradise your employees want to stay not visit.   

8 Engaging Phrases to use when Meeting Someone in Business

Often our first interaction when meeting someone can be their last impression of you for quite some time. I personally used to struggle when meeting peers and leaders because I would ask very basic questions that would end in awkwardness for both of us. It’s important to know that initial conversations with most people can be challenging, but if you can help control the conversation you will make the introduction a positive one. Try some of these 8 Engaging Phrases to use when Meeting Someone in Business:

1. Tell me about your history with (company) and what got you to your current role.
2. What all is working well in your department?
3. What do you hope to accomplish in your career over the next 5 years?
4. What are you and your team focused on over the next few months?
5. What kind of opportunities are you facing currently in your (store, department, region etc.)?
6. What kind of strategies have you used to overcome (these obstacles)?
7. Where have you lived/worked besides (City)?
8. What are your hobbies outside of work?

I can tell you without a doubt that how you say these questions is just as important as the questions themselves. Remaining positive and optimistic is always a great way to lead a conversation. Often employees will jump to topics that are sore spots within the company and can be a risky move.

TIP: Take the 8 phrases above and ask yourself these questions. Play both employees who just met each other. Ask for additional questions and try to keep a conversation going for a minimum of 5 minutes.

Remember to stay positive, stick to professional conversations, and control the flow and pace of the conversation. Having energy and a positive outlook will attract leaders and employees attention to you, and will leave a lasting impression.

Develop daily,

Michael Dooley

leaderdevelopmentblog.com

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Question: what phrases have you used when meeting someone?

How to Own Your Development, Stop Blaming, and Get Promoted

You’re sitting at your desk blaming the World because you were passed up for a promotion. You look around and see other’s celebrating success and all you can think about is blame. You blame your environment, you blame your leader for not developing you, and you blame everyone else but yourself.

For many of us, our career dictates much more than just money alone. My job is my passion, my hobby, and many of my achievements can be attributed to it. All of this being said, with so much invested, our career is a high-emotion entity.

Fortunately for me, the past 5 years I have had some of the greatest leaders and mentors I could ask for. For many other individuals this simply isn’t the case. Often employee’s development becomes stagnant causing a great deal of frustration for many teams. Development is often fun and exciting at first, but when it comes time to execution it puts the fun to the real test for both the leader and employee.

Before the last 5 years, I learned that blaming and frustration wouldn’t get me anywhere in life. I decided that I would own a great portion of my own development and hold myself accountable. Not only has self-development helped me achieve my own goals, it’s taught me many things along the way. Let’s explore your own way on How to Own Your Development, Stop Blaming, and Get Promoted:

Reasons to self-develop

• Prevents the constant need for others to point out your obvious opportunities, rather than improving them yourself
• Allows you to network with others who can significantly impact your career and become valuable resources in your development
• Builds a strong sense of trust with others as you prove you hold yourself accountable
• You know your own opportunities more than anyone else (USUALLY)
• You can develop at your own pace

Strategies for self-development

• Let your leader know what you are focusing on to gain feedback along your journey
• Seek your own development resources (books, seminars, mentors etc.)
• Try to analyze the job position you’re seeking and understand the day-to-day responsibilities, focus on one at a time and dominate the skills required for the role
• Find solutions to problems you would normally seek guidance on from your leader
• Remain consistent and don’t walk away when things become difficult
• Embrace frustrations, challenges and inconveniences as opportunities for you to conquer rather than distractions for you to fail

Self-development will keep you challenged and ahead of the rest of the competition. When you embrace the idea that you control your environment, you will spend less time blaming, and more time succeeding. I still practice self-development, but when relevant, ensure that your direct leader has an active role in your growth. When possible, both self-development, and partnered development will ensure you are maximizing your career potential.

Develop daily,

Michael Dooley

leaderdevelopmentblog.com

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How to Respond to Difficult Situations

The way in which a leader responds to a difficult situation can sway their reputation in one of a few ways. Whether you have an upset customer, a work crisis, or a work conflict, the way you respond to the situation is crucial. Let’s review and prepare for How to Respond to Difficult Situations:

A Leader’s Role in Responding

As difficult as it may be sometimes, you don’t have the option to simply walk away from most situations. A response will be demanded because of the role you play in decision making. Your role in responding is to simply help find a solution, not always dictate the solution. Exploring multiple avenues and involving other resources will help you make the right response. At the end of your day, you need to respond, make a decision, and I always recommend following up with your response.

How a Leader Should Respond

Your words are not near as important as your actions and behavior during a difficult decision. If you are customer or employee facing, and give off a persona that you don’t care- you have lost already. Even if you feel you have no control or quality input on the situation, your demeanor is everything.  

• Show strong empathy by nodding your head and making eye contact
• Slow your speech and acknowledge you care
• Focus on breathing and listening rather than jumping to a quick response
• Look determined, not scared and frantic
• Smile, SMILE!

During the moments of difficult situations there are many emotions and physical feelings you should be comfortable acknowledging. Anxiety, stress, increased heart beats, stomach turning etc. are all normal. The longer you are a leader, especially in high-stress environments you will learn to control the physical side effects of stress. Don’t let the physical feelings defeat you or make you lose confidence, everyone feels them.

It is usually okay to ask someone for more time before making a decision. Simply expressing concern for a quality solution due to a lack of time and resources will help others understand your need for more time. During this time, you need to make the problem a top priority, and you absolutely must follow up on the problem yourself.

If the situation you are facing gets to a point that it becomes volatile and unprofessional, your role is to end the situation immediately. You still don’t get an easy-out, but you do have the power to control your problem. Asking someone to revisit you when they can be professional and respectful is completely fine in extreme cases. Do not use this as an easy escape for simple problems.

Try to use words and express feelings that you wouldn’t mind the World hearing about the next day. There is very little room for error, so responding in anger, frustration or “keeping it real” is not a great idea for a successful response.

Strong communication and decision making in difficult situations will be imperative as you progress in your career. Ask your team and leaders how well you respond to difficult situations. Use their feedback in conjunction with this article to help develop your skills in the next few months.

Develop daily,

Michael Dooley

leaderdevelopmentblog.com

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Questions: from an employee’s view, how important is a leaders response? From a leader’s view, what do you see as the most common error in responding to situations?