Development Archives - Page 9 of 19

Get serious about feedback and positive reinforcement.

One of the many lessons I have learned about encouraging performance is this: if you are serious about getting better results, you must deliver feedback on performance quickly, honestly, and consistently. Nobody likes to live in the gray area. People will not grow when they live in gray. As a leader, our job is to observe, analyze, and deliver fast feedback. Spending time with the troops in the trenches and observing and listening to them will prepare you for your feedback delivery. Always be prepared and ready to give positive reinforcement. Give it quickly -- that way it maintains its punch. Don't worry about giving too much positive reinforcement. I've never heard someone tell their leader, "Hey Boss, you reinforce me too [...]

By Bob Fashano|2021-11-23T19:09:59+00:00November 17th, 2021|Coaching, Development, Leadership|0 Comments

Seek first to understand.

The header of today's blog is one by Stephen Covey's, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. In other words, before jumping to solutions, always strive to make sure are you are focusing on the right issue. By mastering the art of effective questioning, we can become problem solvers, coaches, and leaders. As a quick reminder, here are a few rules to follow: Avoid questions that will result in a yes or no response Avoid questions with hidden solutions Avoid multiple choice questions Ask open-ended questions: What is your desired outcome? What you have you already tried? Why is this important to you? What would this mean to you? What are you willing to commit to? As a leader, there exists [...]

By Bob Fashano|2021-11-23T19:05:33+00:00November 10th, 2021|Development|0 Comments

The dreaded task of delegation.

In every organization the leader is faced with the challenge of delegating. It could be a task, managing a project, executing a large initiative, but it's not always the leader who is involved. In fact, in my cases the leader most likely is not the best person for the job. When considering whether a team member is the right fit for a possible task, here are a few things to ask yourself: Do they have the time? Is this something they’ve expressed interest in? Do they have the skills needed to complete the task effectively? How much coaching, if any, is required? Do they typically meet deadlines? Will they work well with others? It is critically important that you clarify [...]

By Bob Fashano|2021-11-23T15:29:39+00:00November 3rd, 2021|Development|0 Comments

Establishing trust.

Every leader wants an environment where all team members feel they are an integral part, and that they are contributing to the good of the organization. When this happens, we get results. To build an environment like this, we must start with TRUST. This is not new, we know this. The question is, it may seem natural and easy, but how do we do it? I have found we must demonstrate and show people we BELIEVE and CARE about them. Here are four steps you can take that may help in establishing the needed TRUST. BELIEVE THAT YOUR PEOPLE WANT TO CONTRIBUTE Here is what I know to be true—most if not all (maybe 99%) of the people come to [...]

By Bob Fashano|2021-08-04T02:01:24+00:00August 4th, 2021|Coaching, Development, Leadership|0 Comments

Lead by example.

Albert Schweitzer said, “Example isn’t the main thing”. What he was really saying was that all the words we speak as a leader mean nothing if your life doesn’t back it up. Being credible is a critical quality a leader should possess. Hypocrisy is the biggest killer of credibility. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell said “You can issue all the memos and give all the motivational speeches you want, but if the people in your organization don’t see you putting fourth your very best every single day, they won’t either.” The old adage “A picture is worth a thousand words," applies in leadership. Most people are visual learners. Most people need to see an example or model before they [...]

By Bob Fashano|2021-07-20T21:47:53+00:00July 20th, 2021|Development, Leadership|0 Comments