by stevengconnelly@aol.com | Sep 28, 2018 | Leadership
There are many ways to be a great leader, some say you have to have the right mind set, others say leadership is a skill, no matter how we look at leadership you must be a self starter, not one who needs to be told what to do and when to do it. Leadership is learned and then taught. I’ve become a bit taken back by the lack of leadership in the work place today. Not to say there’s a shortage of managers, it’s a new phenomenon today, people telling people what to do, imagine if you only had a few months on a job and your boss told you were starting a new project on Monday….Are you up for it? Imagine you were in that position, would you be able to lead with no experience in the trade? How would your employees look at you if your not able to show them. Truth is that issue has been the new challenge in today’s work place, skilled workers have become scarce especially when it has to do with working with your hands. Today our children have not been taught a skill, instead they have been become more and more dependent on technology, although there’s nothing wrong with technology, we still need good old fashion skills. Some companies do have training in their field however experienced workers are retiring without sharing their knowledge with the younger generation. No matter what your current employment is become an expert, ask question, watch those around you who have been there the longest. You can tap into a resource if you put in the...
by stevengconnelly@aol.com | Apr 14, 2018 | Leadership
It is quite clear today having a conversation with another person can be a challenge, have you ever been in the middle of a sentence and the other person’s phone is making some sort of a noise? Could be a call, text email, notification of a post on social media of some other annoying noise coming from that devise. We’ve moved away from a one on one conversation and into a new way of connecting with people. No question we all feel frustrated when we are in the middle of a word and the other person looks at their phone. I’ve done that also, human mistake. Yet as annoying as it is we somehow tolerate this behavior every day. Like there’s something so important that’s going to happen in the next five minutes. We forget the impact this has in our ability to actually hear what the other person is trying to say to us. Often times they become upset and never completely explain what’s on their mind. What’s worse we tend to never ask questions of respond back right away, that phone is ready to tell us a secret right? Even if we don’t look at our phone down deep we’re wondering who is trying to get a hold of us. We all have a common need which is to be heard with the understanding of what our issue is. Even if they don’t always agree with you, that fact they listened is what we all seek. Over the years I’ve been blessed to have been exposed to some great people who understand the importance of listening. Doesn’t...
by stevengconnelly@aol.com | Dec 16, 2017 | Leadership
The gift of an experience is one which a memory of an event is recorded in the subconscious and linked to a feeling. This may have been a good memory or bad, needless to say we’ve all had times in life when something happened and we never forgot how we felt the day an event was presented. Gifts come in many shapes an forms, the gift of you, expertise, time, are all as good as wrapping up a box. In other words non material things. Some folks like the unknown of opening a wrapped present, yet others are as happy with your help! Material presents could be, a new pair of jeans, computer, iPad, iPhone, shoes, tools, furniture, wallet, gloves, hat,etc…etc…Gifts such as these will last for as long as the product life which could be a few months to many years. Each time you put on that pair of gloves you remember when you received them-aunt Mary put a lot of thought into buying those gloves! Same is true for that new piece of furniture you use every day. However when those gloves wear out or that piece of furniture does not go with your new surroundings it’s removed or replaced, often times so is the memory. Gifts of an experience are much different. They can be, going to a concert, movie, horseback riding, ice skating lessons, or going to the museum, are just a few. Remember when you were younger and your teacher was telling you to write your name over and over again? Remember how silly it seemed? Yet we all can go back in time...
by stevengconnelly@aol.com | Nov 24, 2017 | Leadership
You can ask any successful business one of the keys to a strong and prosperous organization, the answer might surprise you. A product or service the public seeks, location of the business, or the ability to create new customers as needed. All important elements for a solid foundation for any business. However one area which tends to get overlooked in corporate America…Leadership not limited in how a single person leads but as a group. Leadership is a team effort. Not an individual effort. Although this element is often overlooked, it is one which should be a part of every day operations. It’s not limited to those in management, every department can participate in leadership. It should be part of the culture of any business plan. Once employees discover the empowerment of leading in their work, a successful outcome is likely in daily responsibilities. We should keep in mind leaders have also mastered the art of influence. Understanding how to integrate influence in employees is a powerful way to help workers develop their ability to become self directed. But first we must understand who we are and how those around us see us, what is your standard? When people look at you what is your trade mark? Is it clear enough for those around you to understand? Now it’s time to work with your team, help them understand and develop their own brand. Be patient, listen. Ask questions, help them to expand on their identity. Only assign tasks in alignment with what they clearly communicate to you. This will help move them and the business forward. You can only lead...
by stevengconnelly@aol.com | Sep 2, 2017 | Leadership
If you own a business you can’t help but agree keeping employees on track is a challenge. Although there are those who need little leadership however most need guidance when it comes down to proper customer service. Ever notice when there’s a conflict it’s the same group of people? Complaining, not agreeing with other employees, or think there idea is the only way to get it done. Yet if we look at those in question you’d see a trend. In general terms there’s two type of people we deal with in business, those who are always thinking about ”what’s in it for them” and those who seek to serve others. If we think about it in terms of percentages, say you employ 100 people then 95% of complaints would be by 5% of the work force. Being in business and dealing with people for many years now I can tell you those numbers are very close in most business today. Those who tend to always focus on…If I do that for them what do I get in return…You might want to evaluate their personality before you hire. People who look at what they get before what they can do can be a challenge to deal with as time goes on. If a situation does not work out to their advantage they will be the first at the complaint department. On the other hand a person who looks at a customer and seeks to resolve their issue, in the long run will be a better employee and serve to grow and expand your business. When hiring an employee we look...
by stevengconnelly@aol.com | Aug 5, 2017 | Leadership
When ever public speaking is brought into a conversation, we think about professionals, business, lectures, seminars, politicians, as well as anyone who is addressing a room full of people, but for most public speaking can be intimidating or even stressful. However did you realize whenever your engaged in conversation (even if just a simple hey what’s up) you are utilizing a natural skill we all have! In short public speaking is your ability to communicate with an audience. Provide information which pertains to a persons interests in a manor easily understood. It doesn’t matter if your speaking to a handful of people or a room full of people, the goal is to engage and connect with your audience. The subject matter must be explained in a manor which engages and peaks interest within your audience. Have you ever been to a seminar only to be disappointed the speaker was dry, boring, and emotionless? Did you remember the message which was being sent? Good public speaking is not related the type of business, product, or service being sold, it is a matter of whether or not a good connection is made to the audience and how effective the message is received on the other end. Public speaking is not limited to those people seeking to speak in large groups of people. You and I utilize this skill in our everyday lives, the quality of your life is directly related to the language which we use in everyday life! Getting a yes from another person is influence, when your ideal is communicated in a way that changes their thinking, the door...
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