People matter the most and as such they should be the primary focus of every leader at every level in every organization. Attracting quality personnel to your team(s) is essential in order to be efficient, effective and competitive. Focus your search and positioning on quality over quantity, every single time. While it is very important to have adequate resources (funding, …
When hiring, trust your instincts
Trust your instincts at all times. They are here to protects, alert and warns us of what is happening around us and how we could and should react to potential opportunities or threats. These instincts also come in very handy when building a team and hiring new staff. During this process focus a bit more on personal traits, character and …
Clear responsibilities and structure
Individual responsibilities for each employee must be clearly communicated and understood by both sides, employee and supervisor. These responsibilities mush also be shared with the entire team as well as with other teams they regularly interact with. People need to know who does what and how they contribute to the entire team and the entire organizational mission, strategy and vision. …
Be resourceful and negotiate
Most of us are faced with lack of resources in some capacity in order to accomplish everything we believe we could and think we should be able to do. This lack of resources can be manifested in lack of personnel, particular skill set; lack of funding, lack of technology; equipment; tools; support services…and the list goes on. Sadly, that is …
Helping people selflessly
How can I help you? When was the last time you have asked that question of people from another department, division or functional area? How often do you offer help selflessly without any expectation of receiving anything in return? These are some of many questions we should each ask ourselves as we go to work every day and try to …
Motivating employees
For teams to be effective and efficient people must be motivated to contribute and do their best. Motivating can take various forms and shapes, but it always comes down to the following fundamental concepts: Comfort – people need to feel comfortable at work Variety – people want variety in their work and responsibilities Contribution & significance – their work must …
Benefits of mentoring
Benefits of having a formal mentoring program (which can be implemented informally as well) are overwhelming. They range from knowledge management, transfer and retention; ideas exchange to development of employees and future leaders. Having said that, the most important ingredient for mentoring to be successful is willingness of both parties to participate. You can’t and shouldn’t force it, but rather …
Women leaders
Gender is not a prerequisite for leadership. Leaders should be evaluated based on their character, ethics, quality, attitude, words and actions, not based on their gender. I have had the pleasure of working for women and I have nothing but great things to say about those experiences. Women can lead as well as men (even better in some instances) so …
Search committee representation
When selecting representation for a search committee one must keep the position they are hiring for in mind. Focus not only on the operations or functions the new hire will fill, but also include people from other areas of your organization which will closely work with the incumbent. All employee groups who will work for or closely with them should …
When possible, promote from within
When possible, promote from within as this keeps employees motivated and it shows there’s room for growth and opportunities. Organizations should also focus on mentoring employees by helping them discover their strengths. Additionally, promoting from within will greatly aid in creation of the culture of collaboration, effort, commitment and the overall success. Having said that it is important to note …