Category: Life Coaching

Business success strategies abound and new recommendations are continuously promoted by thought leaders in the industry.  Twenty- six years ago Stephen Covey presented his iconic business and personal success model illustrating The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People.  Being proactive is Covey’s first habit…why?  Because this strategy is about taking responsibility for the choices that ultimately lead to success or failure, which sets the stage for the subsequent habits.

There is no way around it, emotions – both positive and negative – are part of the human experience and they do not disappear when we walk through the workplace door. In fact, sometimes the workplace stirs up emotions because of the drama and lack of peace and then people are expected to stifle their feelings. People may attempt to hide their emotions, especially those deemed as negative, and may even succeed for a while. Emotions, however, can reveal themselves in unproductive ways when expression is discouraged.

An emotionally intelligent culture welcomes emotions, all emotions, in such businesses people understand how to use their emotions effectively. Rather than disruptive emotional reactions, such as yelling, verbal attacks, inappropriate laughter, or hysterical crying, people integrate their thoughts with their emotions and manage to express themselves productively, which enhances their relationships and culture.

Emotionally intelligent people also know how to respond to others’ emotions appropriately – so when an irate customer is on the line, for instance, they respond with care, compassion, and concern rather than reciprocating the hostility. It is not always easy to demonstrate emotional intelligence but the dividends in doing so are enormous, not only for the bottom line but for the well-being of all involved.

Six Indicators of an Emotionally Intelligent Culture:

1. No Drama. People feel comfortable and confident talking about what they feel and do so productively.
2. People are authentic, transparent, supportive, and collaborative.
3. People are able to put themselves in others situations and work together to overcome challenges.
4. People respond rather than react, they take time to integrate their thoughts with their emotions and do not lash out – even when others lash out at them.
5. People thrive in emotionally intelligent cultures and happiness is byproduct.
6. People want to work in drama-free, trusting, empathetic, responsive, happy environments.

Take some time to assess your culture, here are some questions to consider:

• How do these indicators show up in my business?
• What are our emotional intelligence strengths/weaknesses?
• What can I do to increase emotional intelligence?
• How do I contribute to our culture?

If you would like assistance in strengthening the EI in our business culture, contact us for EI training and coaching.

Metaphor: A word or phrase that means one thing and is used to describe something else to emphasize their similar qualities.
What type of metaphors do you use to describe your business and how you operate within the context of your business? How do your employees describe your business? What about your clients/customers?

You may be unaware of these metaphors – once they become ingrained our language we tend not to give them much thought. If this is the case, take some time to listen to yourself and others, it will give you great insight on how your company is perceived. Take note of both the similarities and differences in the metaphors you hear:

1. What patterns do you notice?
2. Are the metaphors complimentary or derogatory?
3. Do the metaphors represent the organizational culture of your business? Do they align with your vision?
4. How do client metaphors align/not align with employee metaphors? With your metaphors?

Here are some examples of business related metaphors:

• This is a rat race
• We are like a family
• We are a team
• Time is money
• We are fighting a war
• This is a battle field
• We are a sinking ship
• It is how you play the game
• We are a well-oiled machine
• We are up a creek without a paddle
• Our company is like a supertanker
• Working here is a nightmare
• It’s like a three-ring circus around here
• I feel like I’m in a maze
• This is a roller-coaster ride
• We are lost at sea
• We are winners
• It looks like a tornado hit
• It feels like home
• I feel trapped

Recognizing the common metaphors in your business will help you:

1. Assess the company culture
2. Gage the perceptions of others
3. Gain knowledge of what is working and what is not
4. Decide what changes to make

Here is an excellent resource highlighting the “family” metaphor in business.
Everybody Matters: The Extraordinary Power of Caring for Your People Like Family  by Bob Chapman and Raj Sisodia (Portfolio).

At Genesis we have an ever expanding library to provide our staff with access to the best business related books in order to help advance the work that we do. Our library also supports Genesis’ core values of ongoing education and growth & development.

If you have, or would like to have, a resource library at work and/or at home here are Forbes 15 Best Business Books of 2015 to get you started:

Click here to check out the list: http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidburkus/2015/12/15/15-best-business-books-of-2015/

Keeping employees engaged around the holidays can be a challenge but once the New Year arrives most people reengage and are ready to set new goals and work hard to achieve them. The impact engaged employees have on the workplace is tremendous –

• Reduced absenteeism
• Increased retention
• Higher productivity
• Happier team
• Healthier company culture
• Improved internal and external relationships
• Increased profits
• More satisfied clients/customers
• The benefits go on and on and on…

In Forbes (2015) 8 Key Tactics For Developing Employees, contributor Steve Olenski offers several cost effective strategies to enhance employee engagement and increase your bottom line:

1. Create an Individual Development Plan: What are their goals and interests and how can you help them work in this space?
2. Provide Performance Metrics: When employees know what they need to do, and have a plan to get there, there is a sense of accomplishment and desire to keep attaining goals.
3. Provide Opportunities Outside of Job Function: Cross-train employees
4. Give Constructive Feedback: People want to know where they stand, how they can improve, and be recognized for what they do well.
5. Remove Barriers: Emotional, mental, and physical barriers can impede performance…remove them and watch your employees thrive.
6. Link to a Professional Network: This provides your employees with additional support from like-minded people, not only will it help your employees develop, it will help your business prosper.
7. Outlay Resources: Provide employees with tools and resources – trainings, classes, and coaching are just a few examples of how investing in your employees will keep them focused on meeting goals, develop their interests, and keep them engaged.
8. Set the Example: Model what you want to see in your employees…if you want them to learn and develop, you do the same.