Viral Engagement on a Global Scale

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StrategyDriven Talent Management Article | Employee EngagementAcross the globe, 85% of employees are either not engaged or are disengaged at work, according to Gallop’s State of the Global Workplace report, which estimates approximately $7 trillion in lost productivity.

Companies around the world are not performing as well as they could. They are leaving money on the table. But the problem is not with financial capital — it’s human capital, where too many companies are missing a key component of the growth equation.

In my experience, looking at an additional, little-understood “horizontal” approach can deliver huge returns. Research supports what I have experienced personally. It starts with the understanding that any employee can impact the engagement of every employee in a group.

A foundational study by James Fowler and Nicholas Christakis out of the University of California and Harvard, respectively, demonstrated that cooperation spreads from person to person. Significantly, and to the surprise of many, they found that positive emotions actually spread further — from person to person to person to person — up to three degrees of separation, even among people who are not acquainted.

But it’s the breakthrough work of another researcher who proved that positive emotions spread from person to person in a work environment. Specifically, Yale researcher Sigal Barsade authored the study that linked the spread of positive emotion with improved cooperation, decreased conflict, and increased task performance in the workplace.

When you understand that viral engagement is possible — and that it happens when you shift your focus from top-down to side-to side — you have the power to fill in the missing piece and unleash a whole new paradigm in your organization.

Companies would be well-served to consider these 10 opportunities to create the conditions for viral engagement, with the understanding that engagement is contagious and can start from anyone, anywhere in an organization:

Selection: Do you hire good team players and hold the expectation that every addition to your team can have an immediate impact on the engagement of current employees?

Education: Does your company invest in the soft skills that will enable your employees to be more effective in engaging others?

Communication: Do you reinforce verbal and written communication as equally important in engaging others?

Compensation: Could you pay a small team bonus for improving engagement scores?

Recognition: How could you recognize individuals and teams when new practices are adopted that are generated “bottoms up?”

Promotion: Do team members know that engagement success is part of the path to promotion?

Retention: When people do leave, do you ask about engagement in exit interviews?

Performance management: Is engagement a part of performance management discussions?

Values: Could engagement language be added to define your organization’s values?

Assessment: Do you assess for engagement skill sets?

The good news is, that those at the top of organizations are finally aligned around this most critical issue. In fact, in the annual Conference Board survey reported for the first time last year that culture and engagement was the top priority in every region in the world as ranked by over 1100 participating CEOs.

With increasing focus from the top-down, there is reason for optimism. But there is also a need to listen much more intently to those on the frontlines to better understand what it will take for them to fully engage. An investment in the horizontal approach takes time and energy, but the returns are “off the charts.”

About the Author

StrategyDriven Talent Management Article | Employee Engagement | Rick Miller | Being ChiefRick Miller is an unconventional turnaround specialist, sought-after speaker, servant leader, and expert in driving sustainable growth. For over 30 years, he served as a successful senior executive in roles including President and/or CEO in Fortune 10, Fortune 30, nonprofit, and startup companies, including AT&T Global Services and Lucent Technologies. Throughout his career, he has been recruited from the outside to turn around poor performance in difficult times. His new book, Be Chief: It’s A Choice, Not A Title, helps leaders at all levels achieve their true potential. To learn more, visit BeingChief.com.

How to Get a Job That comes with the Best Benefits

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If you want a job that comes with all the best benefits, then there are a few ways to ensure that this happens.

Take a Closer Look

Job hunters who know the tricks of the trade know how to identify any job benefits that will contribute to their bottom line. The categories include child care, dental insurance, medical care and more. The most important benefit that you should be looking out for is a retirement plan. Not every employer offers this, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye out. Try and find a plan where your employer will match whatever you put in. When you do this, you can come out at the end with a generous amount and you can also feel confident knowing that you are putting away for your future as well. If you can’t find an employer who can offer that then look into solo 401k rules.

StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article | Employee Benefits
 
What do you Need?

You may see a job that comes with all the benefits you could ever need, but if you are not careful then you may end up making the wrong choice for your lifestyle. It helps to sit down and work out what you exactly need from your job. For example, do you need paid vacation leave if you never go on vacation? Probably not, but childcare support may be something that will really help you out if you are a new parent. By looking out for what YOU need rather than what sounds good, you can be sure to make the best decision regarding your job.

Negotiate

If you are in a good position when it comes to applying for a job, then why not ask your employer about any potential benefits that might come your way? Enquire about anything that could make your working life easier and ask for specific benefits as well. This could include having your own office or even the ability to work from home certain days of the year. If your employer wants you badly enough then you can easily negotiate some bonuses and this is even the case if there are none on the table to begin with.

StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article | Employee Benefits
 
Compare

If you see two positions up for grabs then you may want to compare them. A lot of people make the mistake of going for the job that gives the most money because they think that this will benefit them the most. This is not the case at all, and sometimes a lower paying job with more benefits can actually be way more beneficial to your lifestyle. For example, if another job comes with dental, healthcare, childcare, great sick pay and a good pension then this would far outweigh a job that has a salary that is just a bit higher. By looking into things like this, you can then be sure to get the best result out of your career change.

So there are many ways to make sure that you get the best benefits, and by following the above tips, you can be sure to make the best decisions for your career.

The Strategy Driven Guide to Financial Investments

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StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article | Financial InvestmentsEven if you intend to work right up until the day you die, you cannot go forward without some form of financial planning. From rising living costs to increased healthcare requirements, going into the future without planning on how you are going to afford it is a mistake. Especially when you consider the fact that a few simple changes can cause a massive impact on the quality of your life down the road. These changes won’t hurt your way of life, either, and instead, help keep you financially secure and allow you to enjoy every single day with less stress and even more fun. All you need to do to accomplish this feat is to follow this strategy driven guide to your financial investments.

Stabilize Your Own Budget

Creating a personal budget is the first step everyone needs to take. You cannot invest money, after all, when you don’t have anything left over at the end of the month. To stabilize your budget so that you can have money to invest, you will need to:

Go Through Your Spending Habits

By understanding where your money goes, you can work out what your actual monthly budget is. Your rent and other fixed costs are unavoidable, so cut them out from what you receive in income and work on minimizing your costs so you can comfortably live with your exact monthly budget and not your monthly income.

Minimize Your Life

The best way to reduce costs is to minimize your life. From de-cluttering to being more mindful with your shopping habits, there are so many ways to reduce your lifestyle. This doesn’t mean you need to give up what you love, but only that you give up what you don’t care about.

Save Up for Emergencies

There are so many unexpected costs that can come your way and put you and your family from comfortable to in debt before you know it. From car repairs to boiler replacements, to even hospital bills. These costs do happen, and having an emergency fund that will cover them without you needing to take out a loan will be a huge relief.

Invest in Your Future

To invest in your future, you will need to do so much more with your money than keeping some of it in an emergency savings fund. You will want to:

1. Invest in Real Estate

Owning your own home gives you a lot of options in the future, especially if you get onto the property ladder in your early twenties. When it comes time to retire, you can then sell it and downsize, or you can rent out your property and enjoy a monthly income.

2. Invest into Your Retirement

If you don’t currently have a strong retirement plan in place, go to the bank or look online today to set one up. Sure, you might think you are safe with your 401(k) plan, but the fact of the matter is you need to do so much more to secure your future. That is why having a LIRP is such a good idea because it allows you to save for your retirement, gives your family the peace of mind that life insurance provides, and of course improves your retirement’s outlook.

With just a little bit of foresight and strategic planning, you can turn your modest income into a huge savings account in the future. Follow this guide as soon as you can, and you will have a future waiting for you to enjoy.

Worried About Your Flaws? Turn Your Imperfections Into Unique Strengths

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StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article | Rob JollesAh, the joy of youth. Carefree and without worry – until we pursue our first real job. Then the anxiety about our age rears its ugly head for the first time. “Will clients have trouble responding to me because of my age? Will co-workers think my age makes me less qualified for the position I hold? If only I were a little older…” Although it seems hard to fathom, these sentiments were quite real when we were beginning our work lives.

Then, some years passed. One day, we woke up no longer concerned about how young we are, but how old we are. For many who are struggling professionally, age can become an obsession. As you walk into an important interview, you may find yourself thinking, “I just know they are going to want someone younger than me!” The irony is, if the person you’re meeting with wasn’t concerned about your age or any self-perceived flaw before, they are now. These imperfections are what I refer to as “a limp.” However, consider this:

“We all walk with a limp.”

There are a handful of biblical references to this phrase, but I’d like to provide my take on these six simple words. We all have our weaknesses, or some form of a limp. It’s what makes us human. Oddly enough, I have difficulty trusting anyone who appears not to have a limp. Maybe it’s because I believe that having a limp, and our ability to adjust to it, is what makes us extraordinary. Anyone without a limp is either an imposter or possesses no compassion for those who do have limps.

Your limp can be any physical or physiological imperfection you’d like to list. Sadly, we often let these limps hold us back. Notice I said, “We.” We are the ones who walk in the room troubled by what we view as a limp. We are the ones who convince ourselves that these limps are a problem for others, so we are the ones that make others concerned about them. But it just doesn’t have to be this way!

The Story of Jake

Let me tell you a story: We had a beautiful black Labrador retriever who was one of the greatest dogs I’ve ever owned. My boy Jake was a beauty. One day, we found Jake sitting by the door unable to move his back legs. He had mysteriously become paralyzed. The vet diagnosed a back injury, and he operated on Jake and did the best he could. After six months of rehab, my boy Jake could walk again. Oh, he didn’t quite walk the way his other friends did, but he had his own way of slowly getting up and swinging one leg behind the other. He even learned to run. Sure, he didn’t run like his other friends did, but he had figured out how to get up to speed, running with his front legs while he hopped with his back legs.

Sometimes when we had friends over, they would notice Jake and ask in a concerned tone, “Is your dog okay?” We’d smile and say, “He sure is.” You see, Jake walked with a limp, but he really didn’t care. The other dogs in the neighborhood didn’t care, and neither did we. Jake went on to live another ten years with his wonderful limp.

What’s Not Important to You… Becomes Less Important to Others

We all walk with a limp. It’s time to stop worrying about what the other person on the other side of the desk thinks about yours. One thing I can absolutely guarantee you: If it’s not important to you – and you reach peace with having a limp – it will dramatically decrease the impact your limp has on others. Too young, too old, too short, too tall, underqualified, overqualified, introverted, extroverted, physically or mentally challenged; it just doesn’t matter.

The people you are communicating with walk with their own limps. At the end of the day, they aren’t thinking about your limp, but they are concerned about your ability to live with it. Success requires humility, which is born from vulnerability. Walk tall, my friends, and make that limp part of the unique strengths you proudly offer the world.

About the Author

StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article | Rob JollesRob Jolles is a sought-after speaker who teaches, entertains, and inspires audiences worldwide. His live programs in and around the world have enabled him to amass a client list of Fortune 500 companies including Toyota, Disney, GE, a dozen universities, and over 50 financial institutions. He is the best-selling author of six books, including his latest release, Why People Don’t Believe You… Building Credibility from the Inside Out. To learn more, visit Jolles.com.

Originally published by http://www.youngupstarts.com/2018/11/22/worried-about-your-flaws-turn-your-imperfections-into-unique-strengths/

The Art of Persuasion: 7 Negotiation Techniques That Won’t Leave You Hanging

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StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales ArticleNegotiation is an art form. It requires interpersonal skills, a masterful control of language, a deep understanding of human emotion, and excellent listening skills. This is perhaps why a small company’s success often hinges on the quality of its salespeople.

Find common ground

The very best salespeople don’t just push for what is best for them and their affiliates. They identify precisely what the other party wants to get out of the negotiations, then finds a way for both parties to leave the negotiations happy.

The only way to do this is by asking questions. Get as much information as possible about the other party and be upfront and sincere about what you hope to get out of the negotiations as well. Coming from a place of openness and honesty will prompt openness and honesty in the other party and the common ground will be found much quicker.

Build eye-catching visuals in presentations

Putting together boring sales presentations is the first way to turn potential customers and clients off. Put together engaging and eye-catching presentations with the presentation software that top companies use to enhance your sales pitches.

Know when to walk away

You can’t win every battle. Sometimes you just have to walk away, dust yourself off, and get ready for the next one. Knowing when to walk away is a skill. You should enter every negotiation with some red lines that you are not willing to compromise on. If these can’t be met, politely end the negotiations and walk away.

Set the first offer

The person that makes the first move sets the anchor around which all further negotiations will be set. It allows you to take control of the negotiations and forces the other party to react to your offer.

Appeal to human emotion

Humans are emotional creatures. We often display patterns of behaviour for no other reason other than the fact that our parents did. We buy the same products our parents did, cook things the same way, and have similar routines.

This can be applied to your sales strategy. If you have an existing business relationship with the company, stress this fact. If your team are very excited to start dealing with the company, show the other party this. A little bit of ego stroking can go a long way. They are humans after all.

Make sales a company-wide initiative

Selling isn’t just carried out by the sales department. Including other departments in negotiations can help close the deal. Maybe your marketing department could run a joint campaign and raise awareness of the other party’s brand? If you have inbound marketing strategies in place that use personalized content, maybe you could generate some content to drive traffic to the other party’s website?

Create a sense of urgency

Closing the deal is one of the hardest parts of the sales process. Even if clients and customers like the product or service, getting them to commit can be challenging.

One of the best ways to overcome this and get them to sign on the dotted line is by creating a sense of urgency in the negotiations. Reiterate that you can only offer this exclusive price if they sign today, otherwise tomorrow the price goes back up to its normal rate. This may be the nudge they need to seal the deal.