Business Strategies Archives

There is just not enough time in the day…

If we had magical powers and could extend the day to 26 hours, would we have enough time to get everything done? We tend to argue that we would fill up those two extra hours with new to-dos and there still wouldn’t be “enough time in the day”. But, we are open to opinions.

Instead of wishing for an extended day or waiting for our magical powers to appear, maybe we could explore ways to be more intentional with the hours we have. Here are a few things we have been thinking about at Pathmakers…

Is it time to explore with your team things that you can “start, stop and continue”? How could you be more efficient? What tasks could you eliminate? What is a good use of your time?
Can you intentionally ask your team for new and innovative ways to do what you do?
Can you find 2-3 things that you currently do that you could coach another person to do? Maybe you could provide them with an opportunity for growth and development.
Could you stop multi-tasking (yes, you read that right)? Being present not only helps you establish connection with and commitment to others, it also assures that you are hearing what is being said and understanding the decisions that are being made in a conversation/meeting.
Could you practice having direct conversations and encourage others to do the same? This will eliminate time spent in meetings after meetings, questioning or making assumptions about what others said, and worrying about situations.
Could you try more face-to-face conversations instead of back-and-forth email for extended periods of time?
Would short, regular (daily, weekly, monthly) meetings with your direct reports create increased communication and efficiency?
Are there things you should be saying “no” to instead of continuing to say “yes”?
Would it be beneficial for you to set aside a specific time each day to work on your goals and set priorities to help manage your time and talent better?

When you hear yourself saying “I just don’t have enough time in my day,” we encourage you to take a step back, challenge yourself, and read the questions above. Start with identifying one way in which you can create more time in your day…without finding any “magical” hours.

“Good teams become great when the members trust each other enough to surrender the me for the we.”

–Phil Jackson

As leaders, we know just how important it is to develop teams by providing leadership, development, motivation, inspiration, challenge and vision. During times of change and uncertainty, it’s more important than ever to build that sense of team and create energy and interaction on the team. We need to lead by example, showing vulnerability and supporting team members, honoring their feelings and fostering a sense of togetherness.

Now is a great time for you to take the opportunity to explore where your team is and determine what additional support they may need from you as their leader. Here are some things for you to consider:

What are the behaviors that help you identify if your team is a “me” or a “we’?
What are the strengths of your team? How have you grown together?
Are there areas in which you’ve slid backwards? If so, how can you rebuild those areas?
Is there a high level of trust on the team? What are the behaviors that demonstrate that?
Do team members feel connected with each other? (Don’t assume connection because of interactions you may have seen, really ask the question to get a true understanding.)
Do team members seem to be thinking cross-functionally or do you see evidence of them being siloed?
Are the decisions they are making reinforce the shared vision of the organization?

In creating team, t’s important to meet your team where they are and provide a plan with actionable items to develop and build their evolution so they can progress and stay focused on what matters.

Whether you are in the early stages of development, rebuilding, or your team is thriving, Pathmakers can help you cultivate a team centered around trust and invested relationships; one that lives and breathes your culture and values and drives sustainable results.

This webinar presented by the Greater Green Bay Chamber of Commerce is with our President/CEO, Thom Cody, and Executive Leadership Coach, Beth Mendoza. The webinar discusses an overview of the Change Process, how to chart the path to a New Normal workplace after the Covid19 pandemic, and getting your leaders back in sync after dealing with challenge and adversity.

By Beth Mendoza

I don’t know about you, but this year I am going to be healthier. This year I am going to work out… eat more fruits and vegetables… run a marathon… hit my ideal weight. This year.

Sound familiar? Right now, many of you are creating New Year’s resolutions. Maybe you are contemplating a workplace resolution for 2020. Did you know that one of the biggest challenges for businesses (in 2020) continues to be creating a living and sustainable company culture?

Creating a healthier lifestyle and creating a living, sustainable workplace culture are actually very comparable. If you want to live a healthier lifestyle, you have to make time to work out daily, not just the first two weeks in January. The same can be said about creating a living, sustainable culture. It takes years to create the culture you want; you must create sustainability and live your culture daily. One manager training session will not do it. And, just like with your health, it only takes a few bad choices to slide downward. It may take only a few decisions to transform your culture in the wrong direction.

Some essentials to living healthy include fueling, exercising, connection (with family and/or friends) and positive thinking. Likewise, essentials to a healthy culture are comparable and include Fueling Knowledge through Communication, Exercising Decisiveness, Creating Connection with Others and Setting a Positive Course.

Fuel Knowledge through Communication: It is essential to communicate often with employees and be transparent in your communication. Share information with employees in an authentic way, tying your message to the values that drive your culture.

Exercise Decisiveness – It is important to make timely decisions, at the right level, that align with your organizational values. This alignment helps create repetition of the culture you are building for your employees and customers alike.

Create Connection with Others – You need to not only understand yourself, but also those around you and the system you are a part of. You have great opportunity to both influence the system and be influenced by it. By choosing to form connection with your coworkers and create community, you can influence the livelihood and sustainability of the culture.

Set a Positive Course – The CEO and Executive Leadership Team create the culture and have the ability to create a positive one. So, it is important for you to show up, be present, and live your values each and every day. You manifest what you focus on as a leader; it is important to be positive and stay focused on what your organization values.

As you ring in 2020, consider hitting refresh and finding one thing you can focus on to breathe life and sustainability into your organizational culture. This can help to ensure your healthy culture lives on year after year. And, as a bonus it may help you and all of your employees create a healthier lifestyle!

As leaders, we all want happy employees. We supply insurance, paid time off, retirement plans…and those are only the “standard” today. Some companies go so far as to provide weekly catered lunches, onsite workout classes, free beer Fridays (?), and various other benefits in hopes that employees will be content with their jobs and stay forever.

Some leaders even think they have to give certain things up, including their vision, to simply make their employees happy. They don’t. Here are just a few ways to keep your employees happy without breaking the bank:

Start with trusting employees to do the job they were hired to do. When you do this, they become part of the vision. Your goal should be to discover a shared vision with them – talking with them about what WE are trying to achieve gives them a sense of purpose and helps to create a positive culture within the walls of your organization.
Examine role clarity and create clear expectations for each and every employee. They don’t want to come to work every day in a fog not knowing what to expect, so why not clear the clouds for them?
Define accountability for all of you and each of your commitments to honor these agreements. Check in often to see where you are all at on the accountability scale.

By starting with these initiatives, your employees might not mind that you don’t offer “Free Beer Fridays” in the office!

Wondering how you can impact your bottom line, all the while creating a positive, sustainable culture with a strong sense of team? Pathmakers Executive Leadership Coach, Kelly, tackles the top three things you need to consider in our latest video…

Shared Vision
Trust
Succession Planning/Bench Strength

What is Strengths-Based executive leadership? Recognizing your own gifts and strengths can be one of the hardest things we do as leaders. Watch our latest video to see how we can help you and your leadership team become better leaders in your organization!

As an executive leader, have you ever thought, I really wish my mid-level management leaders could make better, faster decisions, have tough conversations, courageously lead others, and be a more cohesive team?

Well, they can.

But more often than not, it’s you who must look in the mirror, change your own behavior and model the behavior you want to see before this can happen. Leadership trickles downward, whether it’s good or bad. So, why not be great?

Do you take the time to celebrate your individual and organizational accomplishments?

The end of the year or beginning of a New Year is a great time to look ahead and set goals, make resolutions, and set higher expectations of our organizations and ourselves. It can also be a time when many of us look back and wish we had gotten more accomplished or done things better.

Have you looked back over the past year to celebrate the achievements and victories you may have had? No matter how big or small, they are there, so why not honor them?

How To Magically Add More Time To Your Day

Creating Team

“Good teams become great when the members trust each other enough to surrender the me for the we.”

–Phil Jackson

Charting the Path to the New Normal

Hit Refresh on Your Culture in the New Year

How To Create Happy Employees

Top Three Areas That Impact Your Bottom Line

Strengths-Based Executive Leadership

Great Leadership Begins With the C-Suite

Celebrating Individual and Organizational Accomplishments