Are you Feeling Frustrated with your Team as a Leader?

Are You Feeling Frustrated as a Leader?

Are you Feeling Frustrated with your Team as a Leader? Ask Yourself this…

Here are 5 questions to ask yourself as a leader if you find yourself frustrated with your corporate team.

Being a leader will always be challenging. This is especially true while stress and burnout continue to plague corporations. A leader must undertake the constant mental strain to push their own work forward and to ensure that a team’s projects are being delivered to a specific corporate standard. Unfortunately, feeling extra judgemental about your work can be normal.

Even in the healthiest corporate culture, frustration still exists at the managerial level. Whether it’s frustration with your bureaucratic structure, your team, or pieces of a project that are beyond your control it can be hard to stay even keel.

As a leader, there are some questions that you can ask when you start to feel that frustration feeling creeping in. Begin with some self-reflection before directing your frustration outward and make sure that when you move to resolve it it’s a productive conversation or action that you’re taking.

Here are 5 questions to ask if you’re feeling frustrated as a business owner…

1: Have I been clear with my preferred project outcome?

Communication is the ultimate key to great leadership and healthy corporate culture. If, as a business owner or manager, you’re not adequately expressing your expectations then it’s an almost impossible task for your staff to meet them. Ensure that you’re identifying what success looks like for your team members with regard to projects, roles, and deliverables. Provide support and ensure that your team knows that there are open channels of communication (without judgment).

Before you allow frustration to overwhelm you – ask how you’ve communicated your preferred project outcomes. Take steps to reiterate it and ask your staff if they’re clear on the work that they’re doing. Check-in throughout the project to ensure that the quality is meeting your expectations prior to final delivery.

2: Am I being reasonable for this project?

Take a look at your expectations for the project and ensure that you’re being realistic and reasonable. If your deadlines, resources, or scale aren’t matching reality then it’s time to find a way to ground your expectations.

A stretch assignment may be a useful way to challenge employees but be careful with going too far. Ensure that your employees feel supported and guided through a project that seems less reasonable than others (or has a rush deadline). Don’t allow your frustrations to be born out of your unrealistic or perfectionist tendencies.

3: Have I reflected on the truths about this employee?

If you’re finding yourself particularly frustrated with a single employee, take some time to reflect on the capabilities and positive qualities that they have. Oftentimes mistakes or poor performance may be born out of a tough personal time. If you sense an employee isn’t performing the way that they typically do – take the time to have a direct and kind conversation about what is going on.

Don’t allow frustration to overwhelm your judgment of the employee without taking the time to find out what’s going on. Communicate your expectations of the employee during this time and ensure that they know you are there to support them.

4: Has my standard for employees been consistent?

Unconscious bias can be a source of frustration in the workplace. All managers understand that employees bring various strengths and weaknesses to the table. Being aware of your preferences with regard to employees and their work is important because it can help defuse frustration when it comes to results.

Take conscious action to not compare work but to maintain a consistent standard for your employees across the board. This means that you’re fairly treating employees without having to check yourself on daily and question if you’re being “fair”.

5: Am I providing actionable feedback and being kind?

If you have concerns about the quality of work, ensure that you’re being timely with feedback. Don’t take weeks to review projects before providing constructive criticism (especially if you rushed the employee or deadline to complete it).

If you find yourself frustrated by the quality of a project, be sure to feather your feedback gracefully and depending on the employee communicate in a style that they will hear it clearly. Some people prefer brutal honesty and others can hear minor criticism clearly even when it’s included in a myriad of compliments about the final project. Don’t let issues fester on either end about your feedback style and ensure that you’re providing actionable constructive criticism so that your employees can continue to grow in positive ways. 

We would love to hear your comments. Please contact us today!

Have you taken a look at our new book? Check it out today!

Click here to order on Amazon or to read more.

Gary Brunson
gary@myclearfocus.com

Debra Rider
debra@myclearfocus.com

574.361.2674

Sustainable Growth & Profit Consultant, Coach, Mentor, and Counselor/Therapist for Business Owners and Professionals.

Unlock Your Income Potential with StratPro

Unlock Your Income Potential with StratPro

Unlock Your Income Potential with StratPro

While TAB® peer advisory boards are fueled by the collective wisdom of business owners from various industries, StratPro® supports entire leadership teams within one organization, allowing for a deep dive into their unique business needs. Franchisees leverage their own business expertise to facilitate workshops that teach best practices and unlock strategic solutions that align with overarching business objectives. More importantly, as a StratPro certified facilitator, TAB business owners provide leadership teams with practical tools, a clear roadmap, and actionable steps to make impactful changes.

There has never been a better time to unlock your income protentional with the power of StratPro. Franchisees who take advantage of this additional revenue stream stand to gain an array of benefits including but not limited to: expanded service offerings, differentiation in their market, and enhanced client retention.

Learn more by visiting: www.tabfranchise.com or emailing us at: tabfran@thealternativeboard.com.

Gary Brunson
gary@myclearfocus.com

Debra Rider
debra@myclearfocus.com

574.361.2674

Sustainable Growth & Profit Consultant, Coach, Mentor, and Counselor/Therapist for Business Owners and Professionals.

Employees are Struggling with Burnout – Here’s how to Address this Organizational Issue

Employees are Struggling with Burnout

Employees are Struggling with Burnout – Here’s how to Address this Organizational Issue

Chronic job stressors, environmental factors, and a looming recession can cause burnout across the corporate board. There are some ways that management can address this workplace threat.

Burnout can emerge from any number of factors or mismatches when it comes to human needs and job roles. Burnout factors can include lack of competence, belonging, and psychological safety. While many extraneous factors that contribute to burnout (such as a looming recession) are out of the control of leadership – some factors can be mitigated or addressed in the workplace.

It’s a leader’s job to meet their employees where they are and to maintain a consistent channel of communication. If you sense burnout is threatening your team or a staff member, it’s time to take steps to address it.

Here’s how you may be able to address burnout from a management standpoint.

Consider Job Realignment to Meet Employees’ Needs

Improving an employee’s alignment with their job and its functions can help to ease the stressors in the workplace. This job realignment can be temporary such as working from home or flexing time during a challenging time. A job realignment can be long-term such as removing less effective tasks or projects off of an employee’s plate permanently to lighten their mental load over time.

Ensure that job realignment and rebalancing are well-communicated with employees. It should be as much their choice as it is yours to realign their workload. Employees should be consistently assured that it is not their failing but it is to ensure their continued success over time in the workplace. Don’t underestimate the power of positive words and complimentary rhetoric at this time as your employee may be particularly sensitive as a result of impending burnout.

Provide Attainable Goals and Monitor from a Distance

Employees who are struggling with burnout do not need the stress of fancy performance plans or KPIs. Following a realignment, management should provide simple and attainable goals to allow for “wins”. Lessening the mental load can allow for greater focus on a single project and better overall performance over time.

Once attainable goals have been provided, be sure to monitor your employee from a distance. Those who are struggling with burnout know that they’re capable but need the space to find that again. Micromanaging, constant check-ins, or the classic “How are you doing” may send the employee over the edge in terms of mental health. Ensure that the employee knows that you’re there to support them but that you also have tremendous faith in their skills and abilities.

Keep it Simple, (Stupid)

In line with the previous advice about fancy KPIs, your employees don’t need to feel as though the job realignment is overcomplicated. If an employee is mismatched in their job – rematching their role with who they are at that moment doesn’t need to be complicated. As stated previously, this can be as simple as offering flex time or work-from-home days to allow for better work/life balance during a challenging time for an employee. Don’t make it a big deal. Offer job realignments like this to everyone on your team if needed.

The best managers and leaders understand that if the work is being done, to a high standard, and being delivered on time – it doesn’t really matter where or when the work is being completed.

Build in time to Assess and Reassess

Taking the time to assess and reassess the job rematch it’s important. This gives both you and the employee who may be suffering from burnout time to ensure that the changes that have been made make sense.

This also means that when a temporary solution or situation is in place, it can be removed when the employee is ready. Don’t forget to communicate that changes may be temporary depending on the needs of the employee but that they can remain in place for as long as is needed to prevent burnout or mental health crises.

Are you worried about burnout as a manager?

Many leaders, CEOs, business owners, and managers are feeling an increased worry about burnout. If you’re sensing that your team is becoming disconnected or starting to disassociate with their roles it might be time to step in. A proper and sensitive response to burnout can mean loyalty, increased productivity, decreased turnover or work absences, and more. Burnout benefits nobody so be sure to keep a close eye on your staff to ensure that you’re taking a proactive approach to burnout prevention. *

We would love to hear your comments. Please contact us today!

Have you taken a look at our new book? Check it out today!

Click here to order on Amazon or to read more.

Gary Brunson
gary@myclearfocus.com

Debra Rider
debra@myclearfocus.com

574.361.2674

Sustainable Growth & Profit Consultant, Coach, Mentor, and Counselor/Therapist for Business Owners and Professionals.

History of Halloween

HappyHalloween

A Brief History of How Halloween Came to America

In the mid-1800s, Irish immigrants came to the United States, bringing their Halloween traditions with them. This included dressing up in costumes, asking their neighbors for food and money, and pulling pranks in the evening on Halloween. The celebration of Halloween was extremely limited in colonial New England because of the rigid Protestant belief systems there. Halloween was much more common in Maryland and the southern colonies.

As the beliefs and customs of different European ethnic groups and the American Indians meshed, a distinctly American version of Halloween began to emerge. In the late 1800s, there was a move in America to mold Halloween into a holiday more about community and neighborly get-togethers than about ghosts, pranks, and witchcraft. At the turn of the century, Halloween parties for both children and adults became the most common way to celebrate the day. Parties focused on games, foods of the season, and festive costumes.

Parents were encouraged by newspapers and community leaders to take anything “frightening” or “grotesque” out of Halloween celebrations. Because of these efforts, Halloween lost most of its superstitious and religious overtones by the beginning of the twentieth century.

By the 1920s and 1930s, Halloween had become a secular but community-centered holiday, with parades and town-wide Halloween parties as the featured entertainment. Despite the best efforts of many schools and communities, vandalism began to plague some celebrations in many communities during this time.

By the 1950s, town leaders had successfully limited vandalism and Halloween had evolved into a holiday directed mainly at the young. Due to the high numbers of young children during the fifties baby boom, parties moved from town civic centers into the classroom or home, where they could be more easily accommodated.

Between 1920 and 1950, the centuries-old practice of trick-or-treating was also revived. Trick-or-treating was a relatively inexpensive way for an entire community to share the Halloween celebration. In theory, families could also prevent tricks from being played on them by providing the neighborhood children with small treats.

Thus, a new American tradition was born, and it has continued to grow. Today, Americans spend an estimated $6 billion annually on Halloween, making it the country’s second-largest commercial holiday after Christmas.

Did you know? More people are buying costumes for their pets. Americans spent nearly $500 million on costumes for their pets in 2021—more than double what they spent in 2010.  Also, In 2019, a popular movement to move the date of Halloween led to the creation of National Trick-or-Treat Day on the last Saturday of October. However, Halloween remains on October 31, and how communities celebrate the new National Trick-or-Treat Day, if at all, depends on local organizers.

Source: Excerpted from The History Channel  and CountryLiving.com

Have you taken a look at our new book? Check it out today!

Click here to order on Amazon or to read more.

We would love to hear your comments.

Gary Brunson
gary@myclearfocus.com

Debra Rider
debra@myclearfocus.com

574.361.2674

Sustainable Growth & Profit Consultant, Coach, Mentor, and Counselor/Therapist for Business Owners and Professionals.

TBO Highlight – Maria Stipic

TBO Highlight Maria Stipic

Please say hello to a TAB Franchise Owner!

The Alternative Board is incredibly proud to welcome @Maria Stipic to our renowned team of TAB Business Owners, Board Facilitators, and Coaches. Bringing over 25 years of leadership experience in Sales, Operations, Customer Service, and Business Transformation, Maria is now leveraging her ingenuity in business to improve the lives, leadership, and success of business owners and CEOs in the Mississauga-Oakville area of Ontario, Canada.

Maria is a remarkable example of the type of business leader The Alternative Board is always looking for in our global team of TAB Franchise Owners – passionate people who are as invested in the success of others as they are their own. If you or someone you know are interested in considering a TAB Franchise opportunity, we’d love to talk to you.

For territory checks or to learn if a TAB franchise opportunity is right for you, visit our website at www.tabfranchise.com or email us at tabfran@thealternativeboard.com.

Gary Brunson
gary@myclearfocus.com

Debra Rider
debra@myclearfocus.com

574.361.2674

Sustainable Growth & Profit Consultant, Coach, Mentor, and Counselor/Therapist for Business Owners and Professionals.

Eliminate Bad Habits That Are Holding You Back

Eliminate Bad Habits

Eliminate Habits Holding You Back

You have the power to create positive habits for yourself.  Discover success both personally and professionally by taking control over bad habits and making changes to improve yourself permanently.  Breaking bad habits is hard.

Self-control is essential in breaking bad habits and it has huge implications for success.  High productivity and a strong work ethic proved to be the foundation of self-control that develops good habits. See the seven tips below:

Overuse of technology

Too much screen time prevents productive sleep.  Most of our favorite devices produce short-wavelength blue lights that affect our mood and sleep quality.  When you are exposed to this light for an extended time in the evening, your production of melatonin is affected. All devices should be avoided after 7:00 p.m.

Focus on your conversation 

Conversations are more engaging, effective, and enjoyable if you ignore all distractions.  Quit checking your phone for emails, texts, and updates on every dig.  Turn off notifications and silence your phone in order to focus on those around you and the tasks at hand.

It is okay to say “No” 

Research shows that it is easier to say “yes” than “no”.  There are many competing priorities in business and personal life and you need to decide what you can say no to every single day. You need to honor the projects and people that benefit your life most and say no to those that don’t.

Focusing on toxic people

There are always going to be toxic people who have a way of getting under your skin and staying there. Dealing with such an individual can be difficult and draining, to say the least. In fact, it may challenge what you know about yourself and push you to the limits.  Stop focusing on toxic people, instead, practice being grateful for someone positive in your life.

Multitasking

To be successful; you must give meetings your full attention.  Multitasking during meetings is disrespectful to your team and everyone else in the room.  It shows that you are not interested in what anyone has to say.

Gossip

Gossiping is poison to any team. It may be human nature for people to talk about each other, but that doesn’t mean you have to put up with it. Gossip pushes people apart instead of pulling them together, and everyone knows you can’t trust gossip.

 Comparisons

You can’t be happy when your life is spent comparing yourself to others.  Being contempt gives you the power to focus on your life and work.  By focusing on yourself, you become the master of your own happiness.

Change is difficult, but once you break the mold and focus on practicing self-control, you have the ability to accelerate your career to new levels.

We would love to hear from you. Contact us today!

Have you taken a look at our new book? Check it out today!

Click here to order on Amazon or to read more.

Gary Brunson
gary@myclearfocus.com

Debra Rider
debra@myclearfocus.com

574.361.2674

Sustainable Growth & Profit Consultant, Coach, Mentor, and Counselor/Therapist for Business Owners and Professionals.

Benefits of TAB Ownership

Benefits of TAB Ownership

Benefits of TAB Ownership

The Alternative Board® (TAB) franchise opportunity is a globally proven business model that has helped close to 30,000 small to medium size businesses by offering coaching, advisory boards, and StratPro® strategic leadership planning to help organizations become better aligned and work more efficiently, resulting in positive company growth!

Key benefits of owning a TAB franchise include:

      • Low cost of entry
      • Minimal operating investment
      • Proven business models
      • Proprietary tools
      • Exclusive territory
      • Multiple streams of revenue
      • Comprehensive training and ongoing support
      • Mentorship
      • Work from home

Overall, the TAB franchise opportunity offers individuals a chance to leverage their executive business experience and coaching skills to positively impact their local business community while running a rewarding and profitable business.

For territory checks or to learn if a TAB franchise opportunity is right for you, visit our website at www.tabfranchise.com or email us at tabfran@thealternativeboard.com.

Gary Brunson
gary@myclearfocus.com

Debra Rider
debra@myclearfocus.com

574.361.2674

Sustainable Growth & Profit Consultant, Coach, Mentor, and Counselor/Therapist for Business Owners and Professionals.

How to Build Better Bosses in the Workplace

How to Build Better Bosses in the Workplace

How to Build Better Bosses in the Workplace the Workplace

Leadership development is a key piece of businesses creating success over time. Investing in building better bosses is the foundation for building higher-performing organizations.

Here’s how to do it.

The unprecedented era of COVID-19 ushered in a transformation of the workplace that we’re just starting to grapple with. Hybrid work, employees dealing with mental health, and productivity truths have all come to light over the last 3 years. Being a manager looks different than it did pre-pandemic. If you’re not keeping up with the new workplace trends then your business could risk losing talented leaders to your competition.

Why do Workplaces need to Build Better Bosses”?

Almost anyone who has left a job will tell you that they didn’t leave the company because of the work or company – it’s almost always because of the boss. Nobody has a greater impact on the day-to-day experience of an employee than the manager who oversees processes, procedures, and projects.

Oftentimes leaders find themselves promoted to positions of authority with very little training in what that means for them beyond the workload change.

Bosses are responsible for translating corporate culture and values, goal-setting, accountability on behalf of their employees, mentorship, project management, tool and resource-sharing, and more. Soft skills like self-awareness and communication are incredibly important for leaders to be effective.

Demands are shifting on bosses and those who are ready to learn stand to gain the most. CEOs and corporations are prioritizing leadership skills to ensure that they’re ready to take on the new corporate model.

The Benefits of Building Better Bosses

Modern-day leaders are looking for opportunities to grow, develop, and learn. Employee development is a critical piece of management strategy at any small, mid-sized, or large company. Investment in skill development is something that employees and leaders are demanding from their employers.

Here are the common reasons for building better bosses:

  • Talent Retention – Open positions at companies are reaching record highs as employees have opportunities abound at their fingertips. Promoting a growth and development program can be a major piece of ensuring talent retention over time. If a company is invested in its employees’ future, then the employee in turn may reward the company with loyalty. Continued education is also a great way to ensure that your workplace is actively improving over time versus staying stagnant in terms of skill sets (regardless of whether or not employees leave after receiving that education).
  • Productivity Increases – Development and growth can ultimately be a driving factor of productivity. Those who have the tools and training to improve processes over time mean that the company benefits over time. Companies that are facing a talent shortage may do well to continue to develop skills internally for mutual benefit. Cross-training is also an important piece of maintaining productivity over time – ensuring that your bosses don’t “gatekeep” knowledge will be impactful to ensure continuity through challenging times.
  • Healthier Corporate Culture and Communication – Finally, a healthier corporate culture that’s built around proper communication is what employees are really looking for. Taking the time to build better bosses means improving your overall offering as a corporate culture. It also means improving both internal and external communications skills at your company.

All sizes of businesses are adapting to the new model of work. This means new ways of leading and taking the time to build better bosses around the ways that workplaces are operating today. Employee development is one of the best investments that leadership can make in a business.

Please be sure to share this with your colleagues and send us your comments.

Gary Brunson
gary@myclearfocus.com

Debra Rider
debra@myclearfocus.com

574.361.2674

Sustainable Growth & Profit Consultant, Coach, Mentor, and Counselor/Therapist for Business Owners and Professionals.

Clear Focus LLC and ExitMap® Express™

ExitMap Assessment with Arrow

Hey there business owners!

The first step in any journey is deciding how you’ll get there. And just like exploring the vast landscapes of our beautiful United States, it’s crucial to have a trusty map by your side.

But here’s the thing, my friends: a map isn’t just about showing you the way. It’s about quantifying your options and empowering you to make informed decisions. It’s about understanding the time it’ll take, the roads you should take, and even the possibilities of delightful side trips that might come your way.

That’s where Clear Focus LLC comes into play! They’re like your reliable travel guide, utilizing the incredible ExitMap® Express™ to help owners like you examine all the exciting options that lie ahead on your entrepreneurial journey.

With ExitMap® Express™, you’ll gain a crystal-clear focus on your path. You’ll have the power to determine how long it’ll take to reach your goals, which roads will lead you to success, and even how far you might stray if you decide to explore new opportunities along the way.

But perhaps the most valuable aspect of this incredible tool is its ability to help you plan for contingencies. Life is full of surprises, right With ExitMap® Express™, you’ll be able to anticipate any detours or delays and adjust your course accordingly. Because, hey, flexibility is the key to embracing the unexpected twists and turns that come with any journey!

So, fellow dreamers and doers, if you’re ready to embark on your entrepreneurial voyage with a clear vision and a calculated plan, then let Clear Focus LLC be your trusted navigator.

Remember, the first step is always the most important. And with ExitMap® Express™ in your arsenal, you’ll be on your way to making informed decisions that will shape your success.

Safe travels, my friends! And may your journey be filled with endless possibilities and breathtaking views.

#ClearFocusLLC #ExitMapExpress #EntrepreneurialJourney #MappingSuccess

We would love to hear from you. Contact us today!

Have you taken a look at our new book? Check it out today!

Click here to order on Amazon or to read more.

Gary Brunson
gary@myclearfocus.com

Debra Rider
debra@myclearfocus.com

574.361.2674

Sustainable Growth & Profit Consultant, Coach, Mentor, and Counselor/Therapist for Business Owners and Professionals.

How To Improve Your Active Listening Skills and Why It Matters

How To Improve Your Active Listening Skills and Why It Matters

The first step to great leadership is your ability to communicate your goals and objectives to the people you have brought in to support and grow your business. Now you may think, “I already am a great communicator and I am always talking to my people.” And that may be true. But talking is only have of the successful-communication equation – and probably not even the most important half. A business leader’s ability to listen might truly be considered the secret to success.

Everybody believes that they listen. And to an extent they probably do. But there is an important distinction in how and why one listens. Ask yourself, do you listen to understand or do you listen to respond? If you often find yourself in conversation nodding in anticipation for your turn to chime in, you are a listening-to-respond communicator. And even if you haven’t realized it until now, your team certainly has.

Changing your communication habits and style can be challenging. In all likeliness, the way you approach conversations isn’t exclusive to running your business. Your family and other significant people in your life have probably also noticed your communication style. If you are a good listener, they know it. And if you are just waiting to respond, they know that too.

So how do you become a better listener and not just someone who doesn’t interrupt or dominate every conversation? It is called being an Active Listener and it can dramatically change the nature of the relationships you value in your business and your life.

Why Active Listening Can Be So Challenging

Before embarking on your journey to better active listening skills, take a moment to reflect on the times that you failed to hear what someone said or misunderstood the context of what they were trying to share with you. What do you remember about your emotional state at that moment? Like most business owners, you were likely very busy, maybe more than a little stressed, or perhaps just not very interested in what that person had to say. In all these scenarios, you were unable to engage your active listening skills either by design or by just falling short in that moment.

Every overstretched business owner has been there, feeling like they don’t have one last ounce of patience or capacity left in them to hear out a conversation. But denying your ability to be an active listener, even when stressed or tired, isn’t fair to you or the people who surround and support you. It is also disrespectful and probably not reflective of the business leader who you want to be.

8 Ways to Be a Better Active Listener

Amping up those active listening skills is achievable but takes some focus.

  1. Be Present in the Moment. Eliminate distractions so you can give the speaker your full attention.
  2. Look Them in the Eye. Maintaining eye contact demonstrates that you are interested and engaged.
  3. Don’t Interrupt. Allow the person to explain the topic at their own pace.
  4. Listen to Understand. Don’t listen to respond. People know when you are just waiting for your turn to speak.
  5. Be Patient. Not everyone shares your communication style; let people express their thoughts in their own way and at their own pace.
  6. Be Empathetic. Particularly in charged or emotional situations, acknowledge the speaker’s feelings and express compassion for their interpretation when appropriate.
  7. Ask Clarifying Questions. Keep your queries open-ended and non-judgmental. Ask them to elaborate.
  8. Repeat What You’ve Heard. Paraphrasing helps the speaker know that you were listening, “So if I understand correctly, you are saying that you need more support in the stockroom.”

Business owners, give Active Listening a try. By practicing these techniques, you advance yourself as an empathetic communicator, you build stronger relationships with the team you have built, and you foster a culture of respect throughout your business.

We all have our unique communication styles. At The Alternative Board (TAB) we use DISC assessments to help our TAB Members communicate better with each other and throughout their businesses. And the impact is substantial. If you haven’t heard of DISC or are interested in learning more about the positive effects these assessments can have on your business, please feel free to reach out, comment, or DM me.

We would love to hear from you. Contact us today!

Have you taken a look at our new book? Check it out today!

Click here to order on Amazon or to read more.

Gary Brunson
gary@myclearfocus.com

Debra Rider
debra@myclearfocus.com

574.361.2674

Sustainable Growth & Profit Consultant, Coach, Mentor, and Counselor/Therapist for Business Owners and Professionals.