The Big Ask

The Big Ask

Simply asking more of people helps them to rise up to any occasion. What if you could achieve more for your business just by asking more of your team?

People are often flattered when asked to do something different or new. Asking the big and small questions, you will see your team and business enjoy success and thrive overall.

Ask for More

Think about how you can ask more of your staff. Shying away from asking them to take on challenges and big situations, you limit their growth and potential. By asking them to achieve, you empower them to do just that and they feel more significant too.

Ways to Ask Big

You will get further when you ask your team to assist with the big stuff.

  • Ask them to do what they enjoy most.
  • Ask them to use their skills and strengths.
  • Ask them to do things that go along with their vision, morals, and values.
  • Ask them to suggest ways they can assist.
  • Ask them to stretch their wings and take the plunge to try new things.
  • Ask them to think outside the box.

You have not because you ask not. Therefore, it’s time to start asking big.

10 Ways to Have Confidence and Ask Big

  1. Seek out those who want to contribute.
  2. Be forthright and simply ask rather than skirt the issue.
  3. Give of yourself to others.
  4. Connect with people before you ask something of them.
  5. Let them have a chance to think your request over and resist the urge to fill space with words. Give them a chance to answer you.
  6. Take a poll and ask who would be interested in working on projects.
  7. Take steps to ask for smaller things before you ask big.
  8. Give people an out so that the “ask” is not actually an insisting situation.
  9. Accept people that say yes to your ask, even if they may not be the best fit. It could be an opportunity for growth.
  10. Ask for suggestions when you ask someone to try something new.

Feel free to ask big of your team. Most likely, they will rise to the occasion if given the chance. Then watch the growth within your business and the dynamic solutions that are the result of asking big.

We would love to hear your comments. Please send them to us right now while they are fresh in your mind.

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 Professional.

The Cloud is Changing Human Capital Management

The Cloud is Changing Human Capital ManagementBusinesses often struggle with workforce operations no matter their size. Incorporating more cloud-based and mobile technologies will help to fine-tune their organization and ease the challenges they face. Companies have the option to customize the technology so that it fits with their culture and HR department.

The Benefits of the Cloud

Rather than the typical reporting of attendance and scheduling, the cloud will allow companies to focus on predictive modeling. This means that businesses will utilize the correct number of employees that are the best fit for their roles and ultimately at a lower cost.

In the future, the advanced workplace management solutions will allow for changes to individuals and teams that will provide greater customer satisfaction. The performance levels of employees will be utilized to their fullest potential.

Stay Current

In order for organizations to be successful with the cloud being part of the human capital management, they need to be current on the latest technology. It seems that technology evolves so quickly, but a company that works to stay up to date will succeed with this workplace shift.

Cloud-based technology allows employees to pursue new skills and what interests them most by growing their skills and ultimately bringing value to their business and customers.

Workplace Changes

The more we see a shift from hosting and management of application away from a company’s IT department, the more customers seem to upgrade their systems. These changes within the workplace benefit us all.

Also, allowing employees the flexibility to work from anywhere is another great shift because of mobile technology. Companies are able to make better staffing choices, save money and avoid some of the red-tape that goes along with the hiring process.

Truly, the cloud and mobile technology have changed human capital management. The shift has happened and continues to evolve. Businesses will see successes follow as they work to learn how this can apply in their workplace dynamics. Every company has their own culture but staying current with the trends will ensure that they stay cutting edge against their competition.

Need Help? Give us a call today!

Your comments are greatly appreciated. Please let us know how we are doing!

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 Professional.

How to Hold On to Millennial Employees

Millennials get a bad rap these days as job hoppers. However, most want to find a great company to grow with. In order to secure dynamic millennials as new hires, you’ll need to adjust how you interview and portray your company in the most attractive light for them.How to Hold On to Millennial Employees

Employee retention is essential, and you’ll find that life is downright painful without it. Companies with high staff turnover rates spend significant time and money on hiring. Spinning your wheels in the hiring process is exhausting and hurts employee morale.

There are ways to hold on to these millennials, reduce your turnover, and build a great team. Be sure your company takes the following steps and initiatives.

Take Your Time and Hire Right

The goal is to find a solid employee with a passion for your company and a drive to succeed. You will want to pass on the candidates that seem flighty with exaggerated dreams of fame and fortune. They won’t stick around long.

Also, hiring managers should embrace millennials that already have some job experience with other companies. They know what they like and don’t like at this point and may be more likely to settle in and stay longer.

Millennials Want a Two-way Street

Work-life balance is important to millennials. They have a willingness to work hard but expect quite a bit from their employers in return. Millennials demand outstanding working conditions, nice salaries, and desire growth opportunities.

There are several ways to provide them with what they want and create a pleasant two-way street. Try to offer them the following:

  • Flexible work hours
  • Great training programs
  • Ask for their opinions and preferences
  • Set clear guidelines and expectations
  • Applaud their achievements and efforts
  • Give them quick feedback
  • Be open to frequent communication 

Change Is Good

In your efforts to retain your millennial workforce, you will find that some changes need to be made within your company. Don’t shy away from this. Your style and culture may need to shift in order to create an environment where millennials will thrive and have the desire to stay and grow in their positions.

In recent years, millennials have brought new perspectives to the workforce. We have seen them embrace equality and diversity in the workplace, for example. They are open-minded and passionate. If you want to retain this talented group, then you’ll adjust accordingly and won’t be sorry you made the effort.

We would love to hear your comments! Contact us today.

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 Professional.

3 Traits Warren Buffett Looks For When Hiring

http://newsletterville.com/img2017/issue 251-3 traits.jpgThere is no specific recipe for hiring the right person. However, there are traits that you can look for to secure the most talented candidates for your company.

Warren Buffett is a renowned investor and considered extremely wise in business with an advanced skill set that enabled him to build some of the most profitable companies in the world.

Behind every great leader is a team of dynamic individuals. This is true of Buffett. What were the traits that he looked for as he hired his managers and advisors? Frequently, he speaks at universities and explains he looks for integrity, intelligence, and energy when hiring.

Intelligence

Obviously, candidates need to be intelligent. However, you can get the grades in class but not know how to apply the information you’ve learned and retained.

Intelligence is the basic requirement to consider when you hire. No one will work with or hire someone dumb and unequipped for the role. After you have the intelligence factor, then go to the next trait as you seek to hire.

Energy

Energy is essential for any new hire. This doesn’t mean that you want the most energetic and coffee-crazed person working for you. Rather, you want an energetic candidate to take initiative in your company.

Lazy people don’t get far in life but those with drive and passion do. Employees that take initiative and are proactive to get things accomplished will likely have that entrepreneurial spirit that you long for.

Integrity

The right candidate to hire should be intelligent and energetic. There is one missing and yet very important trait to be considered…Integrity.

Integrity is something that your employees must have. They must be trustworthy, generous, and willing to do more than their fair share. You can’t pick your eye color or what you look like but you can decide whether you will live as a person with integrity.

Warren Buffett’s formula for a new hire is extremely useful and easy to follow. You don’t want an intelligent person without integrity because that could cause problems for your organization. Further, you wouldn’t want a lazy person with intelligence because it wouldn’t do you any good if they don’t take initiative.

Look for candidates that have intelligence, energy or initiative, and integrity. You will find that individuals with these traits will be an outstanding addition to your company.

Warren Buffett is living proof that hiring with these things in mind is beneficial to companies and teams seeking to grow.

Need help? Contact us today!

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 Professional.

Implementing Big-Business Leadership

Regardless of the size of your business, strong and effective leadership is the key to success. In order to pull this off, you need to set a clear vision, engage your team, and get everyone focused on the common goals you wish to achieve.

The principles are the same for a large or small business, but the rollout can differ. Smaller companies don’t have the same training resources that larger firms do. However, there are several ways a small business can implement effective leadership that stays the course to reach the overall goals with a winning strategy.

Try the following:

Clear Goals

Be sure to be clear on winning the final goal and destination as a team. Leaders must paint an accurate picture of the vision and what it takes to pull it off. People will flounder without purpose, strategy, and clarity.

In small businesses, there are often fewer resources and manpower. Therefore, it can be more of a challenge to stay the course with a particular vision. The goal should be to stick to your plan and focus on the clear win. Don’t let your team get scattered and off course. Strong leadership will ensure this does not happen.

Effective Communication

Once you’ve conveyed the goal, be sure to consistently communicate the steps it will take to achieve it. Good old fashion face-to-face communication is still the best way to communicate in the business world. Smaller businesses really shine here because they are able to squeeze in more face time. Larger businesses have more miscommunication and longer wait times to get answers due to lack of simple in-person conversations.

Small businesses should still use email and other methods of communication, but a strong leader will try and help foster in-person communication on a regular basis too.

Delegate Freely

Strong leaders must be willing to delegate and get comfortable doing so too. If you are a small business that holds onto everything, then you’ll be overwhelmed and business will suffer. Large company managers realize they manage the people more than the work.

As a small business leader, figure out the workload that you could pass on to others and keep what you need to handle. Educate your team, send them to conferences, and give them materials to read to shape them to take on more responsibility.

Stay Focused

Small business leaders must keep their eye on the prize. What gets focused on actually gets done. Your team should see your focus and know what the top priorities are in order to stay focused on the vision at hand.

Professional leadership for small business will show evidence of a team on track, professional performance, and a team that works cohesively together. No matter the size of your company, outstanding leadership, coupled with clear vision, is essential.

Need help before your interview? Call us today!

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 Professional.

Getting Clarity of Purpose for Your Business

What does a big win look like for your company today? Do you think that your team could answer the question in a similar way as you?Getting Clarity of Purpose for Your Business

Some may mention the core values or income goals while others wouldn’t be able to recall the company mission statement. What would it take to get everyone on the same page? How can we get better clarity with our purpose for business?

We Want to Win

Our deepest and most core instinct are to win in life and business. However, we all define that a little differently. Some people say they hope to make it until 5:00 while others want to achieve the goals set before them, with their competitive edge shining through, for the win. Regardless of what the “win” looks like, we all want to achieve our goal.

How can we transition that mindset to our business? We need to show our team absolute clarity regarding what a win looks like for the company. If we don’t give them a vision, then their results will seem random and their efforts not streamlined toward the goal.

Specificity

We’ve established that we need to convey the mission and target. The next step is to provide specificity. This means that you need a crystal-clear picture of what the goal looks like.

Be specific with your team. The competitive runner has the clear goal to cross the finish line. Your business should have a strategy and specific milestones in place to achieve as a team.

Clarity is Critical

Strong leadership, regardless of your business size, is imperative. This type of leadership is revealed when you provide clarity on the company’s goals.

Further, you must exemplify to every team member what winning looks like to the company. Ensuring that everyone is on the same page is essential and will help as you go for the win.

Companies that shoot in the dark and appear scattered are those that fail to have clarity of purpose. As an organization, be sure that you work to win as a team. Part of that is defining your vision and then taking steps toward the goal on a regular basis.

To win in business is to have a purpose. Strengthen your team with outstanding leadership that is conveyed by a clear focus, destination, and the defined steps to get to the ultimate win.

Your comments are greatly appreciated. Please let us know how we are doing!

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 Professional.

Successful Leaders Understand and Use DISC

When you are a leader in a company, the biggest job you have is communicating well with your staff and facilitating a good environment in which the staff can communicate to one another.

Successful Leaders Understand and Use DISC

In order to boost communication levels, you must understand your own personality as well as the others you work with. Personality traits play a key role in how we express ourselves and understand the way others express themselves to us. It is only natural to think everyone has the same thought processes that you have and understand things the same way that you do. On the contrary, each of us have a different way of communicating and understanding what is being said to us by those around us. With the use of a DISC profile assessment, you can understand your behavioral style and how to best interact with others that have a different behavioral style.

Why Take a DISC Profile Assessment

DISC stands for four different characteristic traits: dominance, influence, steadiness, and compliance. DISC is the “HOW” we do things…. Not WHY. How we walk, talk, react, communicate, etc… Not everyone who is similar in these assessments are identical. Your personality has been shaped by a number of factors, whether it be experiences, environment, and belief systems to name a few. No two people will express themselves the same.

Understanding yourself more in depth will help you to be more self-aware. When you take the time to know yourself better, you will inevitably be able to know others better.

How Does DISC Play an Important Role in Good Leadership

Self-awareness plays a key role in being a good manager. DISC assessments help you to take a deeper look at your own personality and communication style. Not only that, in these assessments, you will be given the skills necessary to know how to tailor your communication styles with others that exhibit different personality traits. When you understand how your style of communication is coming across to your employees, you will be able to adjust your actions based off of who you are relating to.

Successful Leaders Understand and Use DISC

With these types of resources available, it is important for leaders to use them to their advantage. To be successful in your business, you have to master the art of relating to other people, no matter how much your personality conflicts with theirs. As a good leader, you need to understand how to encourage your staff to work better while keeping misunderstandings to a minimum. Through utilizing a DISC profile assessment, it takes the guesswork out of how to best communicate and relate to others in your business.

No matter what form of business you run, successful leadership starts with understanding your staff. Until you know them and how to relate to them, you will not communicate as well as you need to. By administering DISC assessments, you will give yourself and your business the foundation needed to build a strong corporation.

Contact us today to try our DISC assessment for free! You will quickly realize their power & significance.

Your comments are greatly appreciated. Please let us know how we are doing!

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 Professional.

 

Written for us by our associate Gary Sorrell, Sorrell Associates, LLC. All rights reserved worldwide.

Improve Your Recruiting Processes

Acquiring top talent is difficult and yet so crucial to your business’ success.

Improve Your Recruiting Processes

Technology has advanced the recruitment process and coupled with an element of human interaction, better candidates can be secured.

Today, there is an abundance of technological recruiting and assessment options. However, companies are not able to measure the long-term impact of these hiring advances as well as you’d think. They struggle to pinpoint the real impact of quality hires and how long they stay.

Hiring managers expect more out of their candidates, especially after they’ve been given assessments and the tools necessary to reveal whether they are the right person for the position. They want to enhance the process in order to attract and then secure better employees.

Acquisitions are important, time-consuming, and potentially costly during the recruitment process.

Ever wondered how this process could improve? It’s a common question amongst hiring managers and HR departments. The more the system is fine-tuned the better for all involved.

Recently there was a survey of 200 hiring managers that revealed some interesting results.

  1. The hiring managers that responded said they wanted to see the recruitment process improved by their HR department.
  2. They reported the desire for a more data-driven process when given the task to hire top candidates.

Recruitment Process

Larger organizations often consist of hiring managers that are frustrated by the challenges associated with recruitment. The survey revealed that they feel like HR should improve the process by utilizing different recruitment tactics.

Data-Driven Process

Hiring managers want to pursue top talent and believe the process should be data-driven. They want candidates to complete assessments and take the information gathered for consideration during the hiring process. Talent acquisition based on facts and data will ensure a better candidate and most likely a longer term employee.

Hiring managers rely on HR to set an acquisition system in place. When they don’t consider best practices and stick to the old way of doing things, they hurt their team and the ability to secure the most talented candidates for open positions. Further, data is a useful tool that will enable a more well-rounded decision to be made when selecting a candidate.

Consider these things and bring them up for discussion as a team in order to create a more seamless recruitment process for your company. Working together as a team will ensure you acquire better candidates while improving employee morale and your bottom line over time.

Need help before your interview? Call us today!

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 Professional.

 

Written for us by our associate Gary Sorrell, Sorrell Associates, LLC. All rights reserved worldwide.

How Managers Should Engage New Hires

The first 90 days for employees are crucial to their future success within the company.How Managers Should Engage New Hires

While they are nervous and a little green, management needs to swoop in to ensure their first impression is a positive one.

Managers should attempt to alleviate fears and make the new employee feel comfortable in their new position. If they pull this off, then the employee will stick around for the long haul which will help improve your bottom line and employee morale.

Engagement Is Essential

Brand new employees tend to be more engaged because they are trying to put their best foot forward and learn the ropes. They are (at this point) still excited about their new position and the company.

Statistics show that 82% of new hires are more engaged in the first year while other employee’s engagement is closer to 75%.

Managers have the ability to enhance their new hire’s experience as they learn their role. In fact, their effort has a direct correlation on the level of results and success the new hire will bring the company.

Management is able to help facilitate better retention of employees. Here are four strategies that will help increase your new hire retention.

Get Social

We live in a social world where people want to feel connected. New jobs are more enjoyable and less stressful if managers will include new hires in staff lunches and activities.

Be sure to introduce them to the entire team. “Sometimes you want to go, where everybody knows their name.” Get social and you’ll retain more team members.

Career Development

Chat with your new hire about their career goals. Help them envision their future with your company while validating and encouraging their desire to grow.

These conversations are critical and enable the employee to envision their growth potential. Further, managers should clearly outline when these goals will be revisited and discussed in order to track success.

Don’t Neglect Training

New hires will appreciate a well-designed training plan. Often, they are thrown into their position, with little training, and flounder about aimlessly. Talk about frustrating and a surefire way to lose them. If you train them, they will stay and make fewer mistakes in the long run.

Survey New Employees

Ask your new hire to complete a confidential survey within the first 12 months of employment. Find out how you are doing as a manager and company, as a whole, by simply going right to the source for the information.

Managers that engage their new hires are able to retain them and ensure their success for the company. Employees with proper training and encouragement will stay longer and be more equipped to achieve the results you want for your business.

Need help getting your new hires to continue to be top performers? Contact us today!

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 Professional.

 

Written for us by our associate Gary Sorrell, Sorrell Associates, LLC. All rights reserved worldwide.