While most businesses and corporations have not yet reached “back to normal”,  many of us are working to move forward as if things were normal. While striving for normalcy should put us at ease and provide a level of comfort during our continually uncertain times, for many, this has instead caused more stress. As we actively seek to implement continual changes to keep up with the changing environment and/or regulations around them the need for great communication increases. 

When striving to keep a “people first” mentality within your company, be sure to remember that springing change on your talent and resources can easily insight more fear, stir objection, and cause new stressors to arise. We’ve gathered a compilation of best practices for communicating change, whether planned or unplanned, during a crisis. 

 

Communicating the Objective of the Change

When a change arises, lean in to empathy. Empathy will first drive you to make...

The new year is finally here, and we can now start taking action on all the goals we’ve planned for the upcoming 12 months. If you’re like most leaders, you experienced unforeseen challenges in 2020, and want to do better this year.

 

So how do you become a better leader in 2021?

 

Keep reading for easy tips.

 

1. Invest in yourself.

Becoming a better leader starts with investing in yourself. This includes a healthy commitment to self-care and personal development, but in the office, it also means putting stock in valuable coaching and training. 

 

Spend some time researching topics that will help develop you as a leader, such as learning how to motivate a team, developing your leadership style, and even recent issues that include successful remote work. 

 

2. Invest in your team.

You are nothing without your team, so invest in them too! 

 

Give your employees the skills they need to constantly grow within your industry...

 

As we reach the end of 2020, leaders and employees are feeling as if they are limping across the finish line. While year-end fatigue is completely normal, it does reflect a simple issue many workers have faced this year: staying motivated while working remotely.

 

How can you as a leader and employee yourself stay motivated when physical distance separates you from your team? While there are plenty of tactics to keep the morale up, we have a few easy ways that can help both you and your staff find motivation while working apart.

 

1. Have a schedule & establish boundaries.

When you work in an office, it’s easy to work that 9-5 schedule. But working from home suddenly creates an overlap of your personal and professional life -- which can easily make tasks bleed together.

 

It’s helpful to create a work schedule that is strict enough to get things done efficiently, while still being flexible to allow for things that wouldn’t normally pop up...

Goal setting is something many leaders think they know how to do, but they are missing key components. It is one thing to set a goal...it is another thing to achieve the goal.

 

Goat setting and goal achieving are two different things, and we want you to be both a planner and an achiever using the tips below. 

 

But before we dive in, let's remove any skepticism you may have towards goal setting. Goal setting is important for many reasons, but here are three:

 

• Goal-setting boosts clarity. When you set a goal, you will know what needs your focus most, and clarity is key to being a great leader. Having a goal is like a bullseye. All the things around you won't distract you from your target -- allowing you to be less of a reactive leader and more of a proactive leader who knows exactly what's important.
• Goal-setting boosts motivation. When you set goals, it's because you want to picture a better future for yourself and your business. A brighter...

Balance.

It's what so many people strive to reach in their lives, but very few master. One's own personal life and relationships are often sacrificed for career success, and that pattern has to stop.

We as leaders have to set the example of a proper work/life balance and prioritize our team doing the same. If we lead a life of hustle and burnout, our organization will follow and it won't be sustainable. Success requires a work/life balance.

Now more than ever, leaders are feeling fatigued, getting less quality time with loved ones, and struggling to detach from work. They are doing everything they can to keep their business strong, but their personal lives are suffering as a result.

If you aren't sure if you are someone who struggles in this area, ask yourself the following questions:

• have your responsibilities at work increased?
• are you working longer hours?
• do you have a healthy separation between work and home life?
• do you have children who are needing more...

Being a leader comes with many challenges, and managing a team during a pandemic brings on even more. It can be difficult to guide remote employees, find success during unstable economic times, and also meet your personal and professional goals. Despite the difficulties, it is possible to successfully manage the many pressures that come along with being a leader right now. 

 

Keep reading to identify common obstacles and to learn how to power through.

 

1. Loneliness

A common struggle we hear from our executive leaders is that it feels lonely at the top. Now especially, loneliness has hit hard for those working remotely with limited interaction with their teams. Not only can it be physically lonely since you aren’t coming face-to-face with colleagues and team members, but you can feel emotionally lonesome as well.

 

To overcome loneliness, set up regular check-ins with your employees to keep the lines of communication open. Chances are, if you’re...

More than ever, companies are shifting their business models to include more remote employees. Whether it’s the pandemic, a cost effective method, or to increase job satisfaction, a remote workforce is here for the long haul.

It’s one thing to be a remote worker, it’s another to manage them! So how do you effectively lead from a distance, while still supporting growth and success? Keep reading to see how.

1. Communicate daily and often.

One of the top challenges of working remotely is a feeling of isolation, especially if the switch out of the office is recent. To encourage connection and morale, managers should have regular check-ins with each employee every day. So what does that look like?

It can be as simple as a quick phone call, a regular video meeting or even a chat on your company’s app to let your staff know you are there for them.

Depending on the size of the company, pick a communication method that is sustainable. For example, if you have hundreds...

In this day and age, everyone needs to get creative when it comes to hiring the best talent. Not only are more workplaces going remote, but the interview process is also going virtual as well. A desire to attract the best employees for your workforce hasn’t fallen by the wayside just because the methods are changing. 

So how do you attract top talent through your interview techniques? Keep reading to see how.

Talk Openly

A main goal of the interview process should always be to get to know your candidate, and that starts with an actual, open conversation. Interviewing isn’t just about seeing if someone is the right fit for your organization but if your organization is a good fit for them. The only way to determine both of those things is to be open and honest.

The last thing you want is for a candidate to be excited about the job only to find out later it wasn’t the right fit. Then, you are back at square one in the hiring process. An honest and open...

4 Simple Ways to Invest In Your Employees

It’s been said that employees are a company’s most valuable asset and the last thing any business wants is to lose one. Taking time and resources to invest in an employee not only demonstrates a commitment to growing your employees, but it serves as an investment in your company, too.

Enhancing your workplace culture and reducing turnover are just a few benefits of investing in your employees. So how do you do that? Keep reading to see a few simple ways.

1. Make Work/Life Balance a Priority

Top-level management is known for putting in long hours, but that shouldn’t be the expectation for all employees (or you, for that matter). Having a balanced work and life culture will go far when it comes to investing in employees.

Ensure that employees’ time-off requests are honored within reason, encourage annual vacation time and avoid frequent requests for overtime if possible. 

When you honor your employees as a whole...

3 Surprising Mentorship Tips to Influence Future Leaders

Think back on a positive mentorship experience you have had.

What stands out to you?

If you’ve worked with a great mentor, you know that mentors can be a huge asset to one’s success when you find the right fit! This post will share with you mentorship tips as well as advice for finding a great mentor!

But first...what is a mentor?

Mentors are trusted advisors who readily offer their knowledge and support to someone seeking them out. Mentors are usually experts or senior-level executives in their given field. 

If you are a mentor, it’s likely because you have experiences that are useful to those just starting out in their careers who could use your knowledge. 

Though there isn’t exactly a manual to follow when becoming a mentor, there are essential actions of building an effective mentor and mentee relationship. 

Keep reading to discover three actionable mentorship tips:

1. Clearly Define...