Category: DISC

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.

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.

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 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

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 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.

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

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.

Prepare for the Unexpected as a Leader (and Overcome it with Grace)

Successful founders should recognize that strategies and plans can only get you so far. Managing events outside of your control in a graceful way is a major piece of operating as a great leader.

As much as managers want to feel fully prepared for all outcomes – the reality is that nobody really knows how tomorrow is going to play out. This fact has never rang more true than during the recent COVID-19 pandemic that sent the globe into a total shutdown. Leaders who want to excel need to understand how to pivot and develop solutions in a graceful manner during unexpected times. Those small business owners who are prepared to deal with adversity in an efficient way stand to gain the most.

Not only is adaptation to adversity a useful skill, but it can also be necessary in some cases. For example, many small businesses are one hiccup away from going under during tumultuous times. Ultimately, as a leader, the fate of the business lies squarely on the shoulders of the founder.

Here’s how to be proactive with issues as a leader and how to anticipate the unexpected in the best ways possible…

Understanding your weaknesses (and strengths)

Being self-aware as a business owner regarding your management weaknesses and strengths can be a great way to ensure that you’re prepared for any unexpected event. While you may have worn many hats over the course of your career – not everyone is cut out to handle all things that are thrown at them. This is especially true in high-pressure situations.

Prepare your team and staff members in different ways to handle the adversity that you may not be able to shoulder yourself. If it’s an HR issue, you should be able to rely on HR or other competent staff members to provide a solution to the problem. Let those who are most capable deal with the issues as they evolve. Ultimately, your job as a leader is to remain at the helm of managing the outcome.

Successful small business owners recognize their own capabilities and are willing to lean on others during unforeseen events to get through it. Maintain a sense of leadership and respect but don’t be afraid to take note of your weaknesses and prepare for situations that you may not be the hero in.

Plan with “Plan B” in mind…

Deadlines, KPIs, and projected targets are all great ways to motivate your staff and move your business ahead. It’s imperative to make sure that you’re building in “buffer” time for when things don’t go quite as planned. If things swerve in the wrong direction and you haven’t adequately set up your programs for some adversity it may result in a serious spiral of finances, staff disruption, and even potential loss of the business.

Build a plan that’s shiny and beautiful in your eyes but keep a “plan B” in your pocket that’s on standby if needed. Whether it’s time buffers, strategy buffers, or social buffers – you need to make sure that you’re ready for things to come at you sideways.

Don’t let this be an excuse to worry all the time but do make sure that you take the necessary steps to feel prepared during unexpected events.

Grow and maintain your network (personal and professional)

Just like any tough time, it’s necessary to lean on those around you. This is true both professionally and personally when it comes to unexpected events in a small business. Most times, founders seek out other like-minded individuals to help them figure things out. Maybe it’s someone who has been through a similar challenge before or someone who is great at developing solutions. Either way, it’s a great strategy to have people in your corner when you need them.

Don’t forget that relationships go two ways. As a leader, you can’t expect others to always be available to you if you don’t mirror that same energy for them. Take the time to nurture these relationships and provide help when others ask for it. Often, these good deeds will be paid back with returns over time in the form of advice, assistance, or future opportunities.

Shift your perspective often

With adversity and challenges also come big opportunities. CEOs and leaders who can tackle unexpected events with optimism stand to gain a lot of potential opportunities. Or, at the very least, some great experience for management under pressure or during a crisis time. Just like anything else in life – not everything works out perfectly in business or in the workplace either.

Don’t let yourself drown in worry – embrace acceptance

Worrying can cause a lot of undue stress, anxiety, and mental or physical health issues. While part of your job is to bear the responsibility of challenging times – it is not the expectation that you struggle all the time as a manager. Learn to embrace acceptance around imperfection early and often in your career as a leader.

Be sure to surround yourself with positivity. Look toward healthy outlets to vent (like therapists) when you need it. And if times get too tough for you to handle – step away or step down. It’s easier to part ways with a business on your own terms than to struggle indefinitely and place your mental or physical health on the line long-term.

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.

Solve your Workplace Challenges by Surrounding Yourself with Better Systems

Systemic factors are embedded throughout our organizational cultures and processes. Leaders can make progress simply by recognizing bias.

Here’s where to start.

Too often, leaders are focused on the individual to influence change in the workplace. Scientific studies have shown that the “majority of issues in the workplace are systemic”. Improvements with a lasting impact will come from systems and not solely from individuals. Organizations often invest in superficial remedies that don’t work at the root cause of bias and resolve systemic issues. Bias in the workplace can be dangerous over time and it’s a leader’s job to actively work to combat it in their organization.

What are systemic factors in the workplace?

Systemic factors can range but are most often found in organizational cultures and processes within the workplace. For example, a company states that its culture is designed to be inclusive in its strategic plan but ultimately fails time and time again in practice. This can be seen in failure to protect employees facing discrimination, failure to provide adequate opportunities for growth, and failure to listen to diverse voices. These failures can lead to mental health exhaustion and a lack of belonging for employees over time.

What is bias in the workplace and how does it become entrenched?

Humans tend to have a cognitive bias that leads them to ignore situational and contextual factors. We often blame the individual for their failures instead of the system that they’re a part of. For example, coworkers may believe that their team member hasn’t completed their work solely due to laziness. However, the incomplete work is actually a result of being overstretched and not properly being supported by management on tasks that are out of their comfort zone.

These failures can go beyond productivity and actually reflect societal bias in the workplace. For example, male managers may be quicker to judge mothers than they are fathers on the quality of their work during the early years of having a child. This is due to societal factors beyond the workplace that influence that judgment. Managers and leaders would do well to address any resentment or negative feelings that they have towards employees if it seems to relate to a cultural bias. Why are you feeling this way? Is it individual-driven or system-driven?

Not only can overlooking bias in the workplace lead to performance impact it can also result in costly errors in the long term. Here are a few mindset approaches that leadership can take to overcome systemic barriers over time in their corporate culture.

Building a Systemic Thinking Approach that is Beneficial

Decision-makers should focus less on fixing the individuals and instead turn their efforts to fixing the system that surrounds the individuals. For example, if a workplace has alienated its employees with disabilities due to inherent ableist bias then this can be resolved by providing better solutions. The workplace may choose to offer more flexible work options for those with disabilities or a “safe space” to decompress in silence during times of anxiety or stress.

By preventing the perpetuation of ableist systems in the workplace, corporate culture and its employees all become better as a result of the new system that has been developed. The benefits of offering a more inclusive workplace result in boosted team morale increased productivity, and a sense of joy seeing an employer take steps to be more inclusive by breaking down systemic barriers.

Diversify Leadership Abilities and Biases

Often those who are immersed in bias (or who may subconsciously benefit from it) are unable to see how the systems affect others in negative ways. It’s important for leaders in business to consciously diversify their leadership teams and abilities. Inclusivity, systemic barriers, and bias in the workplace should always be something that true leaders are striving to learn more about.

Take adequate care to provide space in the room for the viewpoints and opinions of others. They may be able to provide insight into the daily struggles that they are facing under an existing workplace system. This includes neurodivergent people, people with disabilities, people who were raised in non-Western cultural environments, people with varying socioeconomic privileges, and more. All of these groups can provide invaluable insight into how systemic barriers impede their daily operations in the workplace.

Don’t forget that diversity and inclusion must go beyond being a “token” representation of change. Simply propping up a committee of voices who have no authority is not helpful and can actually be more demeaning than perpetually ignoring the issue. As a leader with inherent privilege in these systems, be sure to listen twice and speak once in all situations.

Breaking down systemic biases takes work…

Give yourself and your workplace some grace as you work toward building better systems for all. Earning employee trust over time is key to compassionate action and clear decisions. Leadership teams should approach all conversations around inclusion and diversity with a cohesive strategy that’s focused on understanding at all levels.

Don’t forget that breaking down systemic barriers is hard work. They’ve been ingrained in us and our work for longer than most of us have been part of any workplace. Only when we all work toward change will corporate cultures truly start to move toward a healthier and systemically sustainable method of work.

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.