Executive Spotlight: How To Share Difficult News With Employees

Executive Spotlight: How To Share Difficult News With Employees

As a leader, you face unique challenges in the workplace. A common scenario you might have to navigate as an executive or manager is sharing difficult news with employees. How can you effectively communicate the difficult news while staying positive and helping your employees look to the future?

We recently asked our leading executives for their tips on how to share difficult news with employees.

Here are their responses…

Ana Smith, Talent Architect & Global Learning Strategist

Sharing difficult news with employees is never easy, but it’s important to do it in a way that is honest, compassionate, and transparent. Here are some ideas on how to do it:

  1. Prepare yourself. Please be prepared! Before you share the news, take some time to think about what you’re going to say and how you’re going to say it. Be clear and concise and avoid using jargon or technical language that your employees might not understand.
  2. Be honest, be clear. Don’t sugarcoat the news or try to make it seem like something it’s not. Be honest about the situation and what it means for your employees. It is key to create a “frequently asked questions” list to ensure that there is consistency and clarity.
  3. Be compassionate and empathetic. Remember that your employees are people with families and bills to pay. Be sensitive to their feelings and offer your support during this difficult time. Try and put yourself in their shoes and the complexity of the situation they’re going through.
  4. Be transparent. Share as much information as you can about the situation, even if it’s not all good news. The more information your employees have, the better they’ll be able to cope with the situation. When you can’t answer a question because its confidential nature requires it, call it like it is: “This is confidential and, therefore, I’m not able to disclose at this time.”
  5. Be open to questions. After you’ve shared the news, be prepared to answer your employees’ questions. Be honest and direct, and don’t try to avoid their questions.
  6. Be available for support. After you’ve shared the news, let your employees know that you’re available to support them. This could mean offering them time off, providing them with resources, or simply being there to listen.
  7. Take care of yourself. It is also important to take care of yourself in order to be in the best shape to take care of others.

Sharing difficult news with employees is never easy, but it’s important to do it in a way that is honest, compassionate, and transparent. By following these tips, you can help your employees cope with the news and move forward in a positive way.

Ana Smith helps people & organizations achieve their full talent potential by developing and co-creating people strategies and customized solutions, and turning them into impactful outcomes and collaborative relationships, using coaching as the “red thread.”

Michael Willis, Sports Business Operations Executive

Serious leader shares difficult news with employees at work

As a leader, I would plan a course of action fitting the news’s nature. Knowing that I need to have a difficult conversation with my team, I would collect as much information as possible to be a resource.

1. Arrange an urgent meeting.

As the news is known to management, getting out a statement or starting an immediate conversation is a way to deal with the situation head-on.

2. The meeting will be face to face.

To convey difficult news, the team needs to see my face and feel my empathy visually. The team might also need the support of each other.

3. Tell the truth.

Be as transparent as possible. In delivering bad news, give as much information as you can.

Please keep in mind that sometimes bad news comes from the top. And, at certain times, management will withhold information to a need-to-know basis.

4. Allow time for reactions.

Once the news has been delivered, take any questions that might be raised. This is my time to show empathy and understanding to the team. Offer any professional services that might be available.

5. A look to the future.

Briefly discuss a new path forward considering the impact of the bad news. This is a time to heal and move toward the future.

Michael Willis has 18+ years of experience working with accounting & sports organizations and has managed P&Ls of $10M – $125M+ with budgets of $3M-$50M+. He worked for the NFL for 22 1/2 years, mainly with the game officials working on the financial/accounting side of the business.

Lisa Perry, Global Marketing Executive

Leader shares difficult news with employees during a work meeting

Sharing difficult news with employees can be challenging, but it’s important to do so thoughtfully and sensitively to ensure that employees feel supported during this time. When it’s time to deliver the difficult news to employees, follow these steps to ensure you’re prepared and confident:

  1. Prepare for the conversation: Before communicating the news, take some time to prepare yourself. This might involve practicing what you want to say, thinking through potential questions or concerns employees might have, and ensuring you have all the necessary information.
  2. Choose the right time and place: Make sure you choose an appropriate time and place to share the news. Ideally, you’ll want to choose a quiet and private location where employees can feel comfortable expressing their feelings and asking questions.
  3. Be transparent and honest: It’s important to be transparent and honest when sharing difficult news with employees. Explain the situation as clearly and objectively as possible, and avoid withholding any important details that might affect their understanding of the situation.
  4. Show empathy: Show empathy and compassion towards employees who are affected by the news. Acknowledge their feelings and concerns, and let them know that you are there to support them.
  5. Provide resources: Provide employees with the resources and support they may need during this time. This could include access to counseling services or other support resources.
  6. Follow up: Following up with employees after sharing difficult news is important. It shows that you care and are committed to supporting them through this challenging time.

Overall, sharing difficult news with employees requires sensitivity and empathy. By taking the time to prepare yourself, choosing the right time and place, being transparent and honest, showing empathy, providing resources, and following up, you can help employees feel supported and cared for during this time.

Lisa Perry helps companies build leadership brands, driving loyal customers & delivering profitability. She does this through a process that builds brands consumers love. Her goal is to help companies develop, monetize, and grow their brands.

How do you share difficult news with employees? Join the conversation inside Work It Daily’s Executive Program.

Executive Spotlight: How To Use Online Content To Generate Sales

Executive Spotlight: How To Use Online Content To Generate Sales

Creating and sharing online content is one of the best ways to generate sales for your business, big or small. Content is king in this digital world, and those who create online content will get their brand in front of more potential customers, establish credibility, and generate more sales.

We recently asked our leading executives how they use online content to generate sales.

Here are their responses…

Percy Leon, Digital Media Content Executive

As a YouTube content creator, there are several ways to use your online content to generate sales.

You can monetize your content as a YouTube content creator, focus on providing value to your audience, and build a loyal community.

You can use this as influential marketing. According to Influential Marketing Hub, the influencer marketing industry is set to reach a value of $16.4 billion in 2022, representing an 18.8% increase from the $13.8 billion valuation in 2021.

Brands are increasingly turning to smaller creators, such as nano and micro-influencers with strong subscriber engagement and trust, as it can be more effective and cost-efficient than paying larger influencers.

Also, high-quality, informative, and engaging content can attract and retain viewers and lead to revenue streams through:

  1. Sponsorships
  2. Advertising
  3. Affiliate marketing
  4. Merchandise sales
  5. Coaching
Percy Leon is a digital media content producer specializing in educational technology and entertainment. He is interested in web3, metaverse, and the use of virtual reality for storytelling.

Lynn Holland, VP Sales & Business Development

Professional manages online content on a blog to generate sales

In March 2020, I was selling enterprise technology when a final demo to secure my last endorsements and purchase approval for a large sale was canceled. Corporate travel was banned, fear converged, and modern buyers emerged with new expectations for finding, evaluating, and making tech buying decisions.

They now resisted mercilessly being spammed and chased with a phone, email, hollow marketing materials, and time-consuming sales journeys, and were no longer accessible with in-person meetings and tradeshows to prospect and further sales.

Instead, they expected vendors to generously publish surprisingly insightful content on social networks where they natively hang out to:

  • Source information
  • Get recommendations and validation from trusted peers
  • Anonymously self-educate, evaluate, compare, and gain confidence in the credibility of vendors/solutions

THEN

Visit a strategically designed vendor website to binge on a full library of UNGATED content.

THEN

Submit a web form or make a call, WELL into their buyer journey to VOLUNTARILY self-identify where they found you, became a high-intent buyer, and were led to:

  • Recognize they had a problem
  • See you as a potential solution to their problem
  • Prepare internally to engage you in a buying initiative

So how can you use content to build high-intent buyers who WANT what you have to offer?

  • Build deep insights that serve your audience with value – non-obvious solutions to obvious problems or obvious solutions to non-obvious problems that you provide to save money, make money, or reduce risk in days or weeks vs. months or years
  • Perpetually embed them into a variety of content pieces and publish them on social networks where your ICP hangs out
  • Make networking a priority and serve them by sharing your insights and value without asking for anything
  • Offer a quality free resource with your insights and value in your content and website/landing page with no strings attached
  • Make sure your site is clear, concise, full of ungated content, and guides high-intent followers into a low-friction process to demo, try, or buy your offering

Lynn Holland is a business development executive with 18+ years of experience taking operational, IoT & retail technologies, products, & consumer engagement to market with a focus in petroleum & convenience retail.

Ana Smith, Talent Architect & Global Learning Strategist

Small business owners create online content to generate sales

From my perspective, online content is such a powerful tool that can be used to generate sales. By creating and sharing high-quality content, you can attract attention, build relationships, and drive traffic to your website or online store.

Based on my experience, these are some ideas on how to use online content to generate sales:

  1. Creating valuable content that solves problems. The best way to generate sales with online content is to create content that solves problems for your target audience. This could be in the form of blog posts, articles, videos, or infographics. When you create content that is helpful and informative, people will be more likely to trust you and buy from you.
  2. Sharing your content on social media. Social media is a great way to share your content with a large audience. Make sure to share your content on the social media platforms that your target audience is active on. You can also use social media to run contests and giveaways, which can help to generate excitement and buzz around your brand.
  3. Promoting your content through email marketing. Email marketing is a great way to stay in touch with your customers and promote your latest content. You can send out email newsletters, or you can send targeted emails to people who have shown an interest in your products or services.
  4. Using paid advertising to promote your content. Paid advertising can be a great way to reach a larger audience with your content. You can use paid advertising on social media, search engines, or other websites.
  5. Tracking your results and making adjustments as needed. It’s important to track the results of your online content marketing efforts so that you can see what’s working and what’s not. You can use Google Analytics to track website traffic, and you can use social media analytics tools to track social media engagement. Once you know what’s working, you can make adjustments to your strategy to improve your results.
Ana Smith helps people & organizations achieve their full talent potential by developing and co-creating people strategies and customized solutions, and turning them into impactful outcomes and collaborative relationships, using coaching as the “red thread.”

Kathryn Marshburn, Music Program Manager

Musician creates online content to generate sales

The data is undeniable that large amounts of quality social media posting and increased posting frequency is the key to successful sales. Some of those strategies are free and some are not. Here are three top thoughts to increase online sales with content:

1. Awareness campaigns

Most online sales strategies can be distributed for free through social media, where you can create content for awareness campaigns without having to pay for it. Having music artists post on their Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook accounts would be a great place to start advertising your music product with consistency and frequency for new music drops as well as merchandise.

My advice is a very practical approach.

Nobody here today, in 2023, is confused that people’s attention sits on social media…at scale. It just does and will continue to do so in the future. Sometimes, businesses confuse a business strategy on social media with a human perspective and opinion of social media.

The consumer you are trying to reach is not super concerned with your personal take on how you feel about what 13-year-old is trending on TikTok. Consumers don’t care how much you like or dislike Facebook. Your consumers are surfing around on socials, living their life, seeing things, and spending their money. Most successful online sales stories do have a connection to social media and embracing the concept is important for music teams so that the messaging aligns with specific awareness posts for future music initiatives as a baseline.

2. Placing social media ads

Let’s strategize against what the consumer is actually seeing and the reality of the sales process. Sales today does connect to social media in every way and ads that come across your feed allow you to reach more eyes. Yes, placing ads, within a reasonable budget, will be effective in increasing sales. Research should prevail before ads are placed to make sure the target audience is receiving the ads and the correct buyer is being targeted. The reality is that the consumer is online, therefore leveraging ads in front of those customers is essential.

For music artists, aiming for Gen Z and millennials has proven successful as research supports that a large percentage of time spent by this demo is searching for new music artists. Where are they searching? Blogs, articles, banners, and festivals. Placing ads in these specific verticals will be effective in driving music sales.

3. Increasing the frequency of your social media posts

The data is undeniable: more frequent posting is guaranteed to increase sales. Recommended volume for posting should circulate around 12 creative posts per day, per platform. Posting on LinkedIn, YouTube Shorts, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. Those companies that do not enjoy the grind of posting at a large volume may not survive. Hire a social media team if you must…but posting now is the baseline for successful sales. People that are outflanking in posting cadence are winning exponentially. People that are out-posting others are picking up market share by the simple fact that there is just too much attention on these 5-7 platforms.

Find your cadence and post quality, and aim for 8-12 posts per day.

Kathryn Marshburn has spent 12+ years in the music and gaming industries guiding teams on identifying targeted goals with an agile approach resulting in driving revenue and reducing risk.

How do you use online content to generate sales? Join the conversation inside Work It Daily’s Executive Program.

Why CEOs Need To Give Employees Purpose Through Their Passion

Why CEOs Need To Give Employees Purpose Through Their Passion

During a seven-year run as a president, I learned a lot along the way and got my MBA and Ph.D. by listening to learn and hear versus telling and explaining. Why?

Our HR team had an individual who led the learning and development team and she came to see me one day and asked if I had a minute. And when I did, she said she had good and bad news for me and which did I want to hear first? I said the good news, so she said, “Mike, you have been here a few short months and your leadership team respects your business sense and loves your passion for people and being here.”

I said, “Great, that is good to hear,” yet I was bracing for the bad news.

So she continued. The bad news was, “You are getting compliant leaders on your team but not committed ones because your standards are too high.”

Those last five words stung. “How can standards be too high?” I asked.

She said, “You have not taken time to understand how to MASTER your ability to lead with purpose, have you? People will only trust you as far as you have built trust with them and you don’t spend quality time getting to know and understand your people but when you do you will create followership like you have never experienced. Give people purpose with your passion and then watch what happens.”

I took all this in and began to understand that just because I was clear, was everyone else? This is when I started to focus deeply on using purposeful passion as a leader.

What Is “Purposeful Passion” And How Do Leaders Use It?

CEO/leader talks about purpose during a team meeting

It involves the idea that when individuals pursue work that aligns with their personal values and passions, they are likely to be more engaged, productive, and fulfilled in their roles. Studies show that people’s number one goal at the end of the day is to know they did meaningful work. Yes, the boss matters, as does the pay, but when you dig deep, PURPOSE is key. As a leader, you have to invest time to really understand people at a deeper level and it takes work and commitment and a level of humility but it’s well worth it.

3 Ways To Utilize Purposeful Passion As A Leader

CEO/leader talks to an employee at work

As you get more skilled at incorporating purposeful passion into your leadership style, you’ll see lots of opportunities to leverage it. But, if you’re just getting started, here are a few ways to incorporate it into your existing leadership best practices:

1. Find examples of what you want: Share examples of individuals who have pursued work that aligns with their purposeful passion and the positive outcomes they achieved as a result. This could include individuals who started their own businesses, pursued social impact projects, or made career changes to align their work with their personal values.

2. Encourage exploration: Encourage individuals within the organization to explore their own purposeful passions and find ways to align their work with those passions. This could involve offering opportunities for personal and professional development or creating a more flexible work environment that allows individuals to pursue projects that align with their passions.

3. Lead by example: Finally, lead by example. Show your own commitment to purposeful passion by pursuing work that aligns with your values and encouraging others to do the same.

Mastering leadership requires discipline and patience and it isn’t for everyone. To build a business beyond you, I would argue requires it. Let me know if you want to discuss this further or debate the thinking above by connecting with me on LinkedIn or by email at [email protected]. As a Vistage Chair, I love connecting with high-integrity, growth-oriented business owners/CEOs who also care deeply about the environment and humanity.

Executive Spotlight: How To Identify Your Company’s Target Audience

Executive Spotlight: How To Identify Your Company’s Target Audience

One of the most important things a company can do to ensure its success is to accurately identify its target audience. Your target audience is the group of people most likely to buy your company’s products or services. Identifying your target audience is the most efficient way to gain more customers and improve your bottom line as a business.

We recently asked our executives for their advice on how to identify a company’s target audience.

Here are their responses…

Lynn Holland, VP Sales & Business Development

When you think about picking a target audience—aka ideal customer profile (ICP)—so your company can build a strategy to reach and pursue them, it’s easy to assemble a wish list of whom seems like a fit for your product or service to chase using a usual checklist:

  • The market to pursue (i.e., small/growth, mid-market, or enterprise companies)
  • The segment (i.e., manufacturing, distribution, technology)
  • The verticals (i.e., automotive, consumer packaged goods, chemical)
  • The specific buyer you want to attract (i.e., plant managers, supply chain managers, procurement managers)

But remember that picking a proper and effective ICP or, if you are starting out, an “initial” customer profile to kickstart growth for your company, guides whom to pursue and whom not to pursue. Here are three exercises for a more scientific approach:

  1. Assemble ONE ICP with thoughtful questions about why this market needs your product most urgently vs. a wish list of potential buyers.
  2. Don’t mistake your total addressable market (TAM), everyone and anyone that could use your product, for an ICP. Rather, start with an intentional ICP.
  3. Analyze the markets you are thinking of pursuing then pick the ICP that is the most probable to be successful using qualitative and quantitative questions:
    • Qualitative – Who has the more urgent and important problem that you are solving? This target will be more likely to say yes.
    • Quantitative – What percentage of revenue is from which customer profiles? A lower churn rate? A higher win rate? Or maybe even what customer profile do you enjoy more?
Lynn Holland is a business development executive with 18+ years of experience taking operational, IoT & retail technologies, products, & consumer engagement to market with a focus in petroleum & convenience retail.

Kathryn Marshburn, Music Program Manager

Audience/crowd at a music event / concert

Determining the perfect target audience for a music artist involves several steps. Here are some guidelines to help you identify the ideal audience for a music artist:

1. Understand the artist’s genre: The first step is to understand the artist’s genre. Different genres of music appeal to different age groups and demographics. Once you are able to identify fanbases that like your artist, you can target social communities within those groups.

2. Study the artist’s existing fan base: Research the artist’s existing fan base to get an idea of who is already interested in their music. Analyze demographics such as age, gender, location, and interests. This information will help you determine who the artist’s music appeals to.

3. Identify the artist’s unique brand: Every artist has a unique brand essence that sets them apart from other artists. Determine what makes the artist’s music unique and what value they offer to their fans.

4. Analyze the competition: Analyze the competition to see who else is making similar music in the same genre. This will help you understand who the artist is competing with and what audience they are targeting and attract new fans from other artists’ followings. Touring direct support for competitors can also help in grabbing new fans as opening positions for large artists that are in your genre will guarantee new fan engagement. Most artists are very aware of their value and may charge a fee to open on tour, as they know their fans will gravitate toward the opening acts.

5. Identify gaps: Conduct market research to get a better understanding of the audience’s preferences, habits, and attitudes toward music. This will help you identify gaps in the market and potential opportunities for the artist.

6. Use social media analytics: Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitter provide valuable insights into the audience’s interests and behaviors. Use these analytics tools to identify the artist’s ideal audience and tailor marketing efforts accordingly. Have the artist post on all platforms with aggressive social media posting calendars including regular live streams, giveaways, ads, and collaborations with other artists. TikTok should be the focus of daily work including duets, live acoustic events, trending sounds, cover posts, and originals announced.

Kathryn Marshburn has spent 12+ years in the music and gaming industries guiding teams on identifying targeted goals with an agile approach resulting in driving revenue and reducing risk.

Michael Willis, Sports Business Operations Executive

Target audience concept

In the sports business (working at a team), there are four factors to identify and grow your target audience.

1. Demographic – Age, gender, location.

  • Age – I need metrics on the age groups that consume the games.
  • Gender – Knowing who’s watching individually, men vs. women.
  • Location – What part of the state has the most fans?

2. In-Person vs. Streaming Services

  • In-Person – These people come to the stadium and enjoy the games in person.
  • Streaming Services – These are the people who watch games on their devices or TV.

3. Competitors – Who are the closest competitors in my market?

  • Sharing Space – Can we rent the space for other entertainment events when our sports venue is unused?

4. Economic Impact – What impact is the team making in the community? Are there any potential international influences available?

Michael Willis has 18+ years of experience working with accounting & sports organizations and has managed P&Ls of $10M – $125M+ with budgets of $3M-$50M+. He worked for the NFL for 22 1/2 years, mainly with the game officials working on the financial/accounting side of the business.

Lisa Perry, Global Marketing Executive

Marketing team identifies the company's target audience

Defining your target audience is one of the most difficult, important, and overlooked aspects of your strategy. Here are six steps to help you better identify your target audience.

1. Know Who Your Audience Isn’t: Identifying who doesn’t deserve your time and attention is essential. If you target men 35-45, you are NOT targeting men under 35 and over 45. This ensures you don’t allocate dollars to audiences that will not yield a return.

2. Analyze Competitors: It’s essential to understand what you are up against and what tactics to use to compete. Some things to look at:

  • What are their market segmentation strategies and target?
  • What reach do they have?
  • What is their pricing structure?
  • What is their media spending?

3. Conduct Research: Start with public resources, as much information can be found for free. The next option is original research which can be expensive, but it’s original data that can be hugely beneficial.

4. Analyze Existing Customers: Look at your existing customers to gain insights through social media analytics, customer surveys, interviews, feedback (reviews, forums, communities), website analytics, and interview the sales team.

5. Define Your Target Market: Now that you’ve conducted analysis, see what patterns arise and boil this down into a simple statement: Our target market is (gender) aged (age range), who live in (place or type of place), and like to (activity). Keep in mind that this is a guide.

6. Continuously Revise: As you gather more data and interact with customers, reevaluate your target audience periodically and refine accordingly. It’s important that your ideal customer stays current as the market shifts and evolves.

When you invest time to define your target audience and know them well, they’ll buy your product because they will see the value in what you’re offering. For a step-by-step guide on how to develop a brand strategy, check out my book.

Lisa Perry helps companies build leadership brands, driving loyal customers & delivering profitability. She does this through a process that builds brands consumers love. Her goal is to help companies develop, monetize, and grow their brands.

How do you identify your company’s target audience? Join the conversation inside Work It Daily’s Executive Program.

Mastering The Art Of Stakeholder Management

Mastering The Art Of Stakeholder Management

Stakeholders are people who have an interest or influence in your project, such as clients, sponsors, managers, team members, end users, etc. They can be a valuable source of feedback, support, and resources for your project, but they can also be a source of conflict, frustration, and risk if they are not managed well.

Difficult stakeholders are those who have unrealistic expectations, conflicting opinions, unclear or changing requirements, poor communication skills, or negative attitudes toward your project. If mishandled, they can cause delays, scope creep, budget overruns, quality issues, or project failure.

Managing Difficult Stakeholders: Tips For Success

So how can you deal with difficult stakeholders effectively and maintain a positive relationship with them? Here are some tips to help you:

Identify your stakeholders and their needs. The first step in dealing with difficult stakeholders is to identify who they are and their level of power and interest in your project. This will help you determine how much attention and communication each stakeholder needs and how best to engage them in your project. For example, stakeholders who have high power and high interest in your project are the ones you need to manage closely. They are usually the ones who can make or break your project, so you need to keep them satisfied and informed. On the opposite end, stakeholders who have low power and low interest in your project are the ones you need to monitor. They may not have much influence or involvement in your project, but you must keep them updated and aware of any changes.

Communicate regularly and proactively. Communication is key to managing stakeholder expectations and building trust and rapport with them. Communicate with your stakeholders regularly and proactively throughout the project lifecycle, using the appropriate channels and methods for each stakeholder group. Provide clear and consistent information about the project status, progress, risks, issues, changes, and achievements. Seek feedback from your stakeholders and listen to their opinions and suggestions.

Manage conflicts and disagreements. In any project that involves multiple stakeholders with diverse perspectives and interests, it’s inevitable to face conflicts and disagreements. However, it’s important not to shy away from or disregard them. Instead, it’s essential to approach them constructively and tactfully. Try to understand the root cause of the conflict and the underlying needs and emotions of each party. Use active listening skills and empathize with their point of view. Find a win-win solution that satisfies both parties or at least minimizes the negative impact on the project.

Negotiate and compromise. Sometimes you may need to negotiate and compromise with your stakeholders to reach a mutually acceptable outcome. Prepare for the negotiation by identifying your goals, alternatives, and best/worst-case scenarios. Research the other party’s position, interests, and motivations. Use effective negotiation techniques such as asking open-ended questions, making concessions, finding common ground, and emphasizing benefits rather than features. Be respectful and courteous throughout the process and avoid personal attacks or emotional reactions.

Manage changes and expectations. Changes are inevitable in any project due to various internal or external factors. However, changes can also cause confusion, frustration, or resistance among your stakeholders if they are not managed well. Ensure you have a clearly defined change management process defining how your project will identify, evaluate, approve, implement, communicate, and monitor changes. Involve your stakeholders in the change process and explain the rationale and impact of each change on the project scope, schedule, budget, quality, or deliverables. Manage stakeholder expectations by setting realistic and achievable goals and milestones for your project and communicating any deviations or issues as soon as possible.

Appreciate and acknowledge. Finally, appreciate and acknowledge your stakeholders’ contribution to and support of your project. Recognize their efforts and achievements publicly or privately, depending on their preference. Express gratitude for the feedback, suggestions, or resources they provide for your project. Lastly, celebrate the project’s success with them and share the credit for the outcomes.

Building Bridges With Difficult Stakeholders

You can overcome the challenges of working with difficult stakeholders and turn them into allies. The key is communicating clearly, managing expectations, resolving conflicts, and building trust. These skills will help you create positive and productive stakeholder relationships that benefit everyone involved. By doing so, you can ensure that your project is successful and meets the needs and goals of all parties.

If you found this article helpful, you may want to read about project management’s benefits, challenges, best practices, and tools for success.

Are You Running Or Leading Your Company? (Intent Doesn’t Count)

Are You Running Or Leading Your Company? (Intent Doesn’t Count)

I was excited to catch up for some coffee with a CEO friend of mine at their request. We had met a month or so ago when they were really “stuck” at taking steps to prepare for the future while also preserving the company during the current uncertainty.

We talked about the importance of strategy, an action plan, resources, skills, and incentives to accomplish what she wanted to do. She actually seemed lifted up out of a fog when we finished. In fact, as we departed our last meeting, she said, “Thanks for hearing me out and helping me clarify what steps to take, and how to make choices with ROI in mind. I cannot wait to meet with my leadership team in a couple of days to discuss. They will be thrilled that we are finally taking action.” It was almost like she knew she was holding them back.

As we sat down with our coffee she immediately jumped in with how she had wanted to meet with her team and start to figure out their strategy and so on but can you believe this banking situation? How she and the team had been discussing it and the same with her key clients and so on. She went on to explain how she had been consumed by and before she went much further, I SMILED. Her face turned red and she said, “What is so funny?”

“I thought you banked with J.P. Morgan Chase bank?”

She said, “Yeah, I do. We switched to them a couple of years ago so we are in great banking shape and they are going to be fine, and wow, thank god I do because can you imagine…”

I put my hand up.

I asked her, “What is holding you back from attacking the game plan we discussed a month ago?”

As she dropped her head, she said, “I know, I know. I just have never had to do it before and wonder if I am up to the task or not.”

Look… Intention isn’t good enough as a CEO and/or business owner. Action trumps it.

I also realized that as an executive coach and facilitator, maybe I was playing a role in this and because she is a friend, I had a blind spot so I stepped back myself and thought further about how to help her move forward in a more confident way.

Here are my thoughts that I shared with her and will share with any/all CEOs of SMBs that are wondering what is the best way to proceed.

First and foremost, just because you are the CEO doesn’t mean you have to be in the driver’s seat behind the steering wheel for everything. It is worth considering having a professional facilitator who knows your space or works with companies of your size and scale.

I would be asking myself the following questions to decide how to proceed:

  • Do I lead it or have it facilitated or are there other CEOs I could connect with in my market?
  • How will I measure ROI?

Facilitator Considerations

Executives use a facilitator to help their team

Facilitators bring an outside perspective: A facilitator can offer a fresh perspective on your organization and its priorities. They are not bound by the same biases or assumptions as your team and can help you identify blind spots or areas for improvement.

Facilitators can help manage group dynamics: When a group is trying to prioritize initiatives, there can be a lot of competing opinions and emotions. A skilled facilitator can help manage these dynamics, ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard and that the discussion stays on track.

Facilitators can bring structure to the process: Prioritization discussions can quickly become overwhelming and unproductive if there is no clear structure in place. A facilitator can help design and facilitate a process that is efficient, effective, and aligned with your organization’s goals.

Facilitators can help drive consensus: It’s important that your leadership team is aligned around your organization’s priorities. A facilitator can help drive consensus and ensure that everyone is on the same page.

Of course, bringing in a facilitator comes with a cost, and may not be necessary for every organization. However, if you feel that your leadership team could benefit from an outside perspective, or if you’re struggling to make progress on prioritization discussions, it may be worth considering.

Peer Advisory Groups – There are several of them in every market place so exploring the right fit for you takes some time but is well worth it. I wish that when I was a CEO someone gave me that advice! When you join a CEO peer advisory group you will be working with a group of people who are demonstrably committed to learning—people who dedicate significant time, effort, and money to being regularly challenged by their peers, speakers, and chairs—all in the service of becoming better leaders and better people. It doesn’t get much better than that. It is the only safe, confidential space for business owners and CEOs to validate their decisions, recognize gaps in their thinking, or gain new exciting ideas they didn’t think of on their own.

Measuring ROI

Patrick Lencioni\u2019s Six Geniuses

When a CEO is deciding to prioritize certain projects over others, it is important to measure the return on investment (ROI) of each project to ensure that the projects being pursued will have a positive impact on the organization. In my experience, I would ensure my finance lead or CFO (depending on org size) had this responsibility. The two of us would talk it over and they would help me decide how best to measure the ROI. Below are some things to consider.

Define the goal: The CEO should define the desired outcome of each project, such as increased revenue or improved efficiency.

Estimate costs: The CEO should estimate the costs associated with each project, including both direct and indirect costs, such as labor, materials, and equipment.

Forecast benefits: The CEO should forecast the potential benefits of each project, such as increased revenue, improved customer satisfaction, or reduced costs.

Calculate ROI: The CEO should calculate the ROI of each project by dividing the projected benefits by the estimated costs. This will provide a percentage that indicates the potential return on investment.

Prioritize projects: The CEO should prioritize the projects with the highest ROI to ensure that resources are allocated to projects that are most likely to generate a positive return.

Monitor progress: The CEO should monitor the progress of each project and adjust priorities as needed based on actual results.

When you are ready (note the prep work below), I would bring your team together and ask them the three most powerful words outside of I LOVE YOU…

I need help.

Set clear goals and expectations: Before you can prioritize tasks, you need to have a clear understanding of what your goals are. Take some time to articulate what you want your team to achieve and communicate those goals clearly to your team.

Define what is important: Know the big from the small and you will have to learn to be aggressively patient. (Move fast on some things, slow on others.) Once you have your goals, it’s important to determine what tasks or projects are critical to achieving them. Make a list of these items and share them with your team.

Collaborate with your team: It’s important to involve your team in the prioritization process. Hold a meeting or brainstorming session where everyone can contribute ideas on what should be prioritized. Encourage open and honest communication to ensure that all perspectives are heard.

Assign ownership: Once you’ve prioritized your tasks, assign ownership to specific team members. This will help ensure that everyone knows what they’re responsible for and that the work is distributed evenly. This is one of the most important steps in all of this because it establishes buy-in.

As a side note, I would also suggest looking at Patrick Lencioni’s new Working Genius tool (see image above) because it does an amazing job helping you and your leadership team identify your gifts as individuals and as a team. You will quickly see where maybe certain team members’ gifts are not being leveraged. Great story in Chief Executive magazine.

When you have total alignment it requires preparation and planning but, done well, you deliver optimum results! Strategy (without you get confusion), set the action plan (false starts without), have the right resources (frustration without), make sure you have the skills/competencies (or you create anxiety, and finally have incentives aligned (you will get only gradual change).

Executive Spotlight: What Defines Good Professional Presence?

Executive Spotlight: What Defines Good Professional Presence?

Everyone has a professional presence. The question is, do you have a good one? As a professional, your reputation is as important as your skills and experience. Your professional presence is your reputation, what people think when you walk into a room. Developing good professional presence is essential for success. No matter what industry you’re in, good professional presence can open the door to new opportunities and pave the way for raises and promotions.

We recently asked our successful executives what defines good professional presence.

Here are their responses…

Michael Willis, Sports Business Operations Executive

The three main ingredients in any executive presence are:

  1. Confidence
  2. Clarity
  3. Credibility

Confidence – The most shining part of executive presence is gravitas—how you act. It means that you show up as inspiring, trustworthy, and capable.

From the start, you must show that you have substance and authority in your talents, knowledge, and skills.

Leaders with gravitas show grace under fire. They are great at handling adversity with a cool head, letting others know that any crisis can be taken.

Clarity – People with poise have a way of talking that transparently engages people.

Executives who have complete command over the goals that need to be reached can communicate and break down elements of the tasks into step-by-step instructions.

Leaders who can communicate effectively develop a personal brand for delivering information.

Credibility – Is the quality of being trusted and believable. In working in the sports business, credibility is paramount.

If fans lose confidence that the games are unfair and non-equitable, the NFL loses the core part of the business—the game.

Michael Willis has 18+ years of experience working with accounting & sports organizations and has managed P&Ls of $10M – $125M+ with budgets of $3M-$50M+. He worked for the NFL for 22 1/2 years, mainly with the game officials working on the financial/accounting side of the business.

Maria Grandone, Director In Higher Education

Professional woman/executive/leader with good professional presence sits at her desk

Good professional presence requires good personal skills that can help you succeed in your career as well as your personal life.

  • Be present – living a life of purpose one must be intentional, passionate, and connected and show that you care.
  • Be open to learning – lifelong learners are eager to learn to advance their skills, try new things, and even learn from their mistakes. Failing forward develops your character—failing 100 times and getting up 200 times is key.
  • Positive attitude – helps facilitate a good work environment and can inspire others to feel the same. This can-do attitude helps others positively contribute to innovation and find solution-oriented opportunities.

I believe you give 100+ percent. Show up, engage, collaborate, and connect with the team. In higher education, it is critical to model the way and inspire a vision that allows for success.

Maria Grandone is dedicated to student access and success, particularly of underrepresented students in higher education. She loves to wake up early to meditate, go for an early morning run, and meet people from all walks of life.

Kathleen Duffy, Founder, CEO, And President Of Duffy Group

Professional/leader with good professional presence talks during a work meeting

A professional presence is your image, your mission, your passion, your values, and your vision. It’s not a logo, a resume, or a profile on LinkedIn or other social media channels. It’s the story of how you solve problems and improve morale or service vs. your credentials—degree or job title.

Developing a strong professional presence can help showcase who you are—your skills, expertise, and passion. It provides a platform for you to establish credibility, helps you inspire and succeed, and establishes you as a thought leader in your field.

There are a few key tenets to keep in mind:

  • Be authentic, representing exactly who you are.
  • Be compelling, so people will want to take notice.
  • Be consistent across all channels of communication.
  • Be transparent—no secrets.
  • And be visible. After all, what good is a strong professional presence if nobody can find you?

Kathleen Duffy is the founder, CEO, and president of Duffy Group. The company’s vision is to elevate recruitment research as an alternative to contingent and retained search. Since its founding, Duffy Group has been a remote workplace and a culture of work/life harmony.

Sharon Grace, Executive Recruiter

Professional/leader listens to a coworker during a work meeting

As a seasoned executive recruiter, I have advised many hiring executives and candidates on their image. Professional presence includes feeling and looking your best, embracing a positive mindset, communicating effectively, and being likable. It would help if you gave people reasons to want to meet with you and build a relationship. I suggest six tips when improving one’s professional presence.

  1. Take care of yourself. The benefits of practicing good health and wellness are endless. Being mindful of good health keeps our stress levels low and our energy, focus, and positivity high. When you feel good, you look good.
  2. Be present, engaged, and actively listening. Showing up and being intentional is not always easy. Having the right mindset will help you perform better. Be an active listener with a curious attitude to learning.
  3. Be prepared. An action plan with the desired outcome is a time investment well spent.
  4. Communicate thoughtfully, clearly, and effectively. Clear is kind, and being direct, upfront, and honest is essential. Practice being engaged with those you speak with, and do not meet for the sake of meeting; make it a valuable experience.
  5. Speak in the way you want to be heard. Think before speaking and be in the right mindset. Know your audience.
  6. Look good and take an interest in your appearance. Dressing appropriately is always in style, and never forget to know who your audience is.

Sharon Grace is a veteran search executive who helps hiring leaders hire great people because of her proven track record as a strategic partner and advisor to recruit, identify and assess talent.

Kathryn Marshburn, Music Program Manager

Professionals/executives/businesspeople with good professional presence shake hands

Professional presence in the music industry is different than other industries. As a female executive in the music industry, earning respect is essential and requires putting in the time with teams that are highly sought after and in demand.

Professional presence starts with social media checks and ends with teams liking you.

Many times, just showing up is crucial because the teams, artists, and bands that connect with you personally provide roadmaps to other connections. That said, a few basics that are important include:

  1. Always have exceptional phone manners when receiving invites and say less and listen more.
  2. Show up in appropriate fashion for the moment. (Studios, events, and carpet opportunities require completely different looks.)
  3. Humble, humble, humble would be the word for the night. Be grateful that you are in attendance and thank the host.
  4. Be professional. Do not take pictures or videos when not invited. Keep all time spent as a professional in an invited space.
  5. Do not overindulge in any substance.

If I love a project or something I want to do, I don’t do it for money. I do it because I love it. If the budget isn’t there, I’ll make it work for me and throughout my career. I think that’s been a consistent theme. I hear all day long that peers will turn down jobs because the money is not right. Some people will throw away opportunities because of the pay. That’s just not how I do business as so many opportunities happen from just being in the room.

To be invited into successful circles, your presence is important no matter what industry you are in, and making sure that you are providing an attractive, positive image is always on trend.

Kathryn Marshburn has spent 12+ years in the music and gaming industries guiding teams on identifying targeted goals with an agile approach resulting in driving revenue and reducing risk.

Ana Smith, Talent Architect & Global Learning Strategist

Young professionals talk during a work meeting

​According to multiple surveys, over 60% of organizations that hire coaches say executive presence is one of the two top purposes for their coaching. Companies see this skill’s value and want their leaders to lead with a strong presence!

So, if it is so critical, what is it? It is defined in different ways for sure, depending on who you ask, yet the definition that I typically go to combines:

  • Character
  • Personality
  • Credibility

And these probably include a wide variety of possible combinations which generate a successful “executive presence.” The result is a leader who can command the attention of a room and immediately draw you into their vision and who is set apart from others, allowing you to establish a reputation of respect and knowledge.

Companies and leaders may already know that executive presence is important, but it isn’t a skill that comes naturally for a lot of people.

It takes some time to develop and refine.

So, the most important question is, how can you develop it yourself?

  1. Be self-aware and spend time with other executives you admire. By studying yourself and others, you can train yourself through hard work and discipline.
  2. Inspire your direct reports through clarity and intentional communication, taking the initiative and being a role model for them by keeping a journal, etc. Writing down your goals, plans, and priorities can also help you better understand your emotions and encourage regular self-reflection!
  3. Build relationships, which helps you to connect with others and build trust. By building strong relationships with colleagues, clients (internal and external), and other key stakeholders, you can establish yourself as a leader who is approachable and respected.
  4. Create AND share a clear, compelling vision. One of the most inspiring forms of executive presence is to inspire and share a compelling vision for others to see and follow.
  5. Build trust across different stakeholder groups (i.e., direct reports, peers, next level up, etc.) by keeping your work, and taking the necessary time to build and earn trust.

Building executive presence is probably one of the most complicated things to do in leadership development, therefore don’t forget to get a coach, a mentor, and several peers who will be willing to support your development as you will support theirs!

Ana Smith helps people & organizations achieve their full talent potential by developing and co-creating people strategies and customized solutions, and turning them into impactful outcomes and collaborative relationships, using coaching as the “red thread.”

Marshall Martin, Director Of Operations

Businesspeople with good professional presence shake hands and talk during a work meeting

Developing a good professional presence is crucial for success in any industry. It is not just about having the right skills and knowledge, but also about presenting oneself in a positive and effective manner. Good professional presence is defined by a combination of qualities, such as:

  • Passion is the driving force behind a person or organization’s work and is essential in creating a positive impact. It exudes optimism and a can-do attitude.
  • Integrity is fundamental in demonstrating honesty, ethical behavior, and trustworthiness. It is essential for building trust and credibility with colleagues and clients alike.
  • Generosity involves giving back to others and contributing to the community. Whether through sharing knowledge or supporting others with our time, talents, and treasure, generosity fosters strong and healthy relationships.
  • Gratitude is recognizing and expressing appreciation for others’ contributions. It contributes to creating a positive work culture.
  • Authenticity is being true to oneself and one’s values, maintaining a sense of transparency and honesty in all interactions.

Overall, good professional presence requires intentional effort and self-awareness. By embodying these qualities, individuals can establish themselves as respected and trusted leaders, achieving success and making a positive impact on those around them.

Marshall Martin is a former executive with start-up/entrepreneurial and large multi-national organizations with 20+ years of experience in the delivery of sales, finance, and operations management. His mission is to be a servant leader that connects, creates, and builds innovative ideas and solutions.

Percy Leon, Digital Media Content Executive

Man with good professional presence at work

​In today’s competitive business world, having a good professional presence is essential for success. Here are some key characteristics that I feel contribute to a strong professional presence:

  • Confidence: A good professional presence is characterized by confidence. This means having the self-assurance to speak up, take risks, and make decisions. When you exude confidence, others will be more likely to trust and respect you.
  • Communication skills: Communication is an essential part of building a strong professional presence. This includes not only speaking clearly and articulately but also being a good listener and able to communicate effectively in writing.
  • Professionalism: Professionalism is another key characteristic of a good professional presence. This means being reliable, respectful, and trustworthy in your interactions with others. It also means dressing appropriately for the situation and being punctual.
  • Emotional intelligence: Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage your own emotions and those of others. This is essential for building strong relationships with colleagues and clients.
  • Competence: Finally, a good professional presence is characterized by competence. This means having the skills and knowledge necessary to do your job well and being willing to learn and adapt as needed.

A good professional presence is a combination of confidence, communication skills, professionalism, emotional intelligence, and competence.

By focusing on developing these characteristics, you can build a strong professional presence that will help you in your career.

Percy Leon is a digital media content producer specializing in educational technology and entertainment. He is interested in web3, metaverse, and the use of virtual reality for storytelling.


Lisa Perry, Global Marketing Executive

Executive/woman with good professional presence at work

I didn’t know much about professional presence until about 2 ½ years ago when I met J.T. O’Donnell. I took her in-depth course on executive presence and learned that it’s about what people see when they come in contact with us. It’s our ability to project gravitas, confidence, competence, poise under pressure, decisiveness, speaking skills, assertiveness, and the ability to read an audience or situation, among other key characteristics. It enables us to build trust, establish credibility, and accelerate outcomes and results. What defines good executive presence is a personal journey and requires work. And that’s what I’ve been doing over the last several years. I did a deep dive into four areas:

  1. Understand My Strengths, Weaknesses, Talents, & Biases
  2. Explore How Peers, Colleagues, Subordinates, & Leaders Perceive Me
  3. Develop An Action Plan To Enhance Executive Presence
  4. Create A Measurement Plan

This process was very enlightening, helping me understand where I was undervaluing myself based on feedback from those who have worked with me. As a result, over the last year, I’ve been able to turn around my executive presence based on the action plan I put together, helping me become a more effective leader, build stronger relationships with others, and achieve greater success at work.

Lisa Perry helps companies build leadership brands, driving loyal customers & delivering profitability. She does this through a process that builds brands consumers love. Her goal is to help companies develop, monetize, and grow their brands.

John Hoffman, Creative Producer

Professionals/employees with good professional presence attend a work meeting

An excellent professional presence is essential for anyone, especially those starting a career path.

It begins with credibility, being present, paying attention, and inspiring confidence in your colleagues.

To build credibility, focus on four simple aspects:

  1. Competence – the ability to do something successfully.
  2. Communication – transfer information succinctly.
  3. Integrity – do what you say, say what you do.
  4. Preparedness – be ready.

Always be willing to learn and improve by asking questions, stepping out of your comfort zone, and being open to feedback. Stay positive, avoid negative language, and have fun. Taking yourself too seriously can be detrimental to your professional presence, so remember to keep it simple and enjoy the journey.

In closing, pay attention to the positive and ask yourself if your actions are helping or harming the task. Then, do these things and develop a professional presence to set you up for success.

John Hoffman has 15+ years of leadership experience creating and producing video content, branded entertainment, PR stunts, and experiential and live events. At his core, he’s a storyteller who has mastered the creative map and can scale logistical mountains.

What do you think defines good professional presence? Join the conversation inside Work It Daily’s Executive Program.


The 4 Pillars Of A Culture Of Safety In Healthcare

The 4 Pillars Of A Culture Of Safety In Healthcare

Mary McClinton was a patient admitted to the hospital for a routine medical procedure. She had full trust in the health care providers and was looking forward to going back home after the procedure and spending valuable time with her family and grandkids. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

She died during the procedure due to a medication error. She was injected with Chlorhexidine, a chemical antiseptic used for skin cleaning instead of another local IV injection. Both liquids were colorless, but the receptacles of the medications were unlabelled leading to a mixup and fatal medication error.

Sadly, medical errors still happen in healthcare and healthcare organizations are working towards zero harm, but we still have a long way to go. Patients come to the hospital worried about their medical condition and its impact on their livelihood and their families. They place their full trust in the medical providers. The last thing they expect is they will suffer harm or death due to medical errors.

That’s why it is vital for organizations to develop a culture of safety.

Let’s Start With The Definition Of What Is A Culture Of Safety

Man working in the healthcare industry

Many of you must have heard different definitions, but the one I like is very short and simple: the culture of safety is how the healthcare organization and the people working in it behave when no one is watching them.

So, what exactly does this mean?

It means patient and workforce safety is engrained as a core value from the top level person in the organization to the frontline staff AND they will not take any shortcuts to compromise patient safety for the sake of productivity

That said, let’s look at how an organization can build a culture of safety.

Organizations Must Build 4 Strong Pillars To Support The Culture Of Safety

Healthcare professionals work together to solve a safety problem

​​Pillar #1: Psychological Safety. This is when frontline staff are empowered and are not scared to speak up. They are not punished or humiliated but are appreciated for bringing out safety concerns. Psychological safety leads to better brainstorming of ideas, more possibilities, better assessment and testing of ideas, and rapid cycle learning process. Staff will be more valued and respected. This leads to staff engagement. Teamwork thrives in the organization that has psychological safety.

Pillar #2: Active Leadership. This is when leadership in the organization uses strategies and has skills that foster staff engagement, staff development, and staff well-being. The leadership words resonate with their actions. Some of the essential leadership skills are communication skills, creating an intentional culture, providing employees with a voice, developing a reward system, supporting career development, and fostering employee well being.

Pillar #3: Transparency. This is where open communication thrives in the organization. Safety information is shared with all the stakeholders which leads to the building of trust. Transparency is used in this organization as a vehicle for learning.

Pillar #4: Fairness. This is where individuals are evaluated for their actions with the same lens irrespective of their position and titles. Everyone is treated equally and fairly in the system.

When an organization has developed all of the four pillars outlined above, then it has laid the foundational work to support the culture of safety.

If you’d like to talk with me more about how to build a culture of safety at your healthcare organization, I can be reached by email at [email protected], or on LinkedIn.

10 Mistakes New Managers Make At Work

10 Mistakes New Managers Make At Work

Landing a management job is a big deal. You’re moving up in your career and getting recognized for all of your hard work and accomplishments. But it takes more to be a good manager than just experience and an impressive resume.

We’ve all had managers at different points in our careers, and let’s be honest: a few, if not the majority of them, were not good managers. And that’s okay. Not everyone is cut out for a management position. But if you recently landed a job as a manager at your company, you probably want to be the best manager you can be.

Here are 10 mistakes new managers make at work that you should try to avoid:

1. Acting Too Quickly

New manager leads a meeting

New managers frequently believe that they need to change everything. They place the stamp of their own ideas on every policy, procedure, and rule. And if there are no policies and rules, they’re eager to create new ones.

They act on poor performance appraisal data. They immediately favor co-worker friends for key assignments, schedules, and so on. They want to create their “own team” as quickly as possible.

2. Acting Too Slowly

New manager talks in a meeting

Other new managers act too slowly—buying into the “we’ve always done it that way” mindset. This can be particularly true of new managers with no management experience or very little experience with the company (e.g., a new manager hired from outside the organization).

Managers report that they intended to “wait a year or so” to learn how things work in the organization so “my employees can get to know me.”

3. Failing To Assess Properly

New manager compares notes with a colleague

This mistake holds the solution to the paradox of the first two mistakes—the “just right” solution. A new manager must assess the situation of the organization, the expectations given by senior management, and the strengths and weaknesses of the department and each employee (hopefully, more focused on strengths).

Typically, a new manager is charged with solving some specific problems. Ignoring them is fatal. Not meeting with each subordinate to get to know them personally, get to know their strengths, and get their input is equally fatal.

4. Acting On Old Performance Appraisal Data

New manager discusses an issue with two employees during a meeting

Performance appraisal data is fundamentally flawed by rater bias. The appraisal data reflects more on the performance of the previous manager than it does on the employees being rated. Spending hours reviewing old performance ratings on subordinates is a waste of time.

If the previous manager was promoted because of his or her successful management of your new team, ask that manager some simple questions about each member of your new team. For example, ask: “Would you always pick (or rehire) this person for your team?”

If you’re replacing a manager who was not successful, see the mistake below.

5. Focusing On Weaknesses, Not Strengths

New manager leads a business meeting

Solving key problems may be a top priority (e.g., poor customer service). But solving problems is less likely to be successful if the focus is on weaknesses instead of strengths.

If you can’t objectively measure the strengths of the team using an assessment like CliftonStrengths Assessment then interview members about their strengths. Ask each one of them how they see themselves best contributing.

6. Failing To Communicate

New manager communicates with an employee during a meeting

Yes, it’s a classic movie line, but it could be number one on this list. Too often, new managers lock into a learning mode to read policies and procedures. They want to “understand things” before saying anything to their new team.

The solution is simple: communicate now and communicate often. Give your team the opportunity to learn about you as you learn about them. Let them learn your communication style as you learn their styles.

7. Failing To Ask Questions

New manager on laptop thinks about her mistakes

“If I ask questions, it shows I don’t know what to do.” That’s scary, but it’s not unusual.

Too many new managers fail because of both inaction and action driven by the failure to ask. Some of the most successful managers I’ve known were the most curious—asking questions of their bosses, other managers, and members of their team. They had a two-year-old’s curiosity and loved the “why?”

8. Treating Everyone The Same

New manager calls a team meeting

The biggest mistake all managers make, not just new managers, is trying to motivate all team members the same way—or assuming they’re motivated by what you think “motivates everyone.”

Motivation has some common elements known to anyone who really studies performance and it has some myths that managers routinely follow by mistake. The solution is to understand your team members’ strengths. That way, you’ll know more about how to best motivate each person on your team.

9. Having A ‘My Way Or The Highway’ Attitude

New manager complains on the phone

New managers often believe they must be the know-it-all decision maker for the team, failing to realize the job is coaching people to be top performers and NOT being the “I can do it myself” manager.

In today’s multiple-skilled workforce, a manager is likely to be the least knowledgeable regarding specific job/technical knowledge. The solutions are communicating, asking, and listening!

10. Being Afraid To Fire

New manager fires an employee during a meeting

New managers are often challenged by Red Scott’s “hire smart, or manage tough” dilemma with a situation created by themselves or the previous manager. Managers must know when and how to firmly make decisions (legally) that someone does not want to meet performance objectives.

A common refrain: “I know I should have terminated him/her a long time ago.”

A favorite management quote: “Management is now where the medical profession was when it was decided that working in a drug store was not sufficient training to become a doctor.” —Lawrence Appley

The ultimate solution to these 10 mistakes new managers make is adequate training! We wish you the best of luck in your management position and hope you receive the training you need in order to be the best manager you can be.

Need more help with your career?

Become a member to learn how to UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.


Executive Spotlight: How To Recover From A Failure At Work

Executive Spotlight: How To Recover From A Failure At Work

Although we shoot for perfection and success at work, we all experience failure at some point in our careers. Failure can be difficult to handle in a professional setting. Executives and other leaders in the workplace—our mentors, the ones we look up to at work—have all failed. Not only that, but they’ve recovered from failure and found success in the process.

We recently asked our successful executives how they recover from a failure at work.

Here are their responses…

Lisa Perry, Global Marketing Executive

When I worked at The Disney Channel, one of my jobs was to proof ads. I was the last sign-off before the ad went to press. It was an exciting time as we launched a new campaign in support of a new series. It was quickly dampened when I learned that the ad, which had gone live that morning, had a glaring error I’d missed.

The most forward-thinking companies embrace risk-taking and the possibility of failure. What’s wonderful about failure is the learning you receive from it. You learn substantially more from failures than successes. Failures should push you to bounce back and work harder to achieve your goals, making you stronger. Here are three things you should model as a leader within your organization:

1. Lead by Example: Management should share past examples of company failures, suggest new solutions that might work, and receive ideas from others without judgment.

2. Provide a Solution: While failing is okay, managers need to encourage employees to provide solutions to problems and propose an action plan for the next steps. Managers can then review and provide guidance on how best to proceed.

3. Don’t Repeat Failures: The key here is to learn from your mistakes, document the learning, establish a process that ensures these failures won’t happen again, and share these learnings throughout the organization.

The best advice I received is that failure is a success if we learn from it.

Lisa Perry helps companies build leadership brands, driving loyal customers & delivering profitability. She does this through a process that builds brands consumers love. Her goal is to help companies develop, monetize, and grow their brands.

Lynn Holland, VP Sales & Business Development

Woman stressed about a failure/mistake on the job

As a lover of the outdoors and living within driving distance of Oregon’s Mt. Hood, I was drawn to skiing. I volunteered as a cross-country instructor for an alpine club, then taught for a ski resort, secretly motivated by free lift tickets so I could get better at skiing downhill. Initially, I was afraid of failure and intimidated so when venturing onto harder runs it was natural to lean into the mountain. Yet I quickly learned that when I leaned out, though counterintuitive, I fell less, and I became a better skier.

As an executive, I see leaning out as risking to attempt something new and being aggressive to grow, learn, and accomplish greater things, knowing that along the way I will probably break some stuff. In my mind, as long as I learn from it and bring future success out of it, it has value.

After I launched my first company, leaning out manifested a failure as I negotiated a supply chain partnership to source products globally vs. just domestically. It represented a huge opportunity for my business, but in doing so, I failed to dig deeply into the relationship, the financial chain of custody, and the quality assurance process with each of the individual factories. As a result, my orders experienced missed lead times and material defects that were costly and embarrassing, and I later learned there was another party between my contractual partner and the factories who failed to perform.

This taught me to take full ownership of every aspect of my business and prompted me to implement a four-point policy that helped me select, negotiate, and manage all future partnerships successfully.

Here are some of my learnings about failing in business, recovering from it, and using it to propel our careers:

  • The most accomplished and celebrated leaders and entrepreneurs in history failed many times before they were a success.
  • Always fail while risking to accomplish something great.
  • Always take full ownership of failure to preserve credibility, integrity, and reputation.
  • Root out and take from a failure every available ounce of growth and wisdom into the next goal and keep striving.
  • Read the speech “Man in the Arena” by Theodore Roosevelt to remember to tune out the naysayers, haters, and critics who keep us from attaining greatness.
Lynn Holland is a business development executive with 18+ years of experience taking operational, IoT & retail technologies, products, & consumer engagement to market with a focus in petroleum & convenience retail.

Ana Smith, Talent Architect & Global Learning Strategist

Failure, success concept

When I think about recovering from a failure at work, I always have to ask/think about the context of the culture and psychological safety of the team, the business segment, and the organization where the failure happens.

As leaders or people managers, we play a critical role in how our team members perceive and react to failure when it happens; creating the necessary psychological safety and culture of learning is key to this.

Promoting a growth mindset for our people calibrates how they interpret failure in a completely different way than people with a fixed mindset. Folks with a growth mindset see failure as a signal that they need to put in more effort, try different strategies, or seek feedback and guidance. They use failure as a motivation to improve and grow, rather than as a reason to give up or feel ashamed.

Some examples of how people with a growth mindset view failure include:

  • Failure is only failure if we fail to learn from it
  • Failure is an opportunity to enhance our skills and knowledge
  • Failure is a challenge that pushes us out of our comfort zone

However, having/exercising a growth mindset is not always easy or simple. It requires practice, persistence, and support from your leader/manager.

Bouncing back from failure at work can be hard, but it’s not impossible. There are some steps we can all take to recover from a setback and move forward with confidence.

Some of the steps you/we can take are:

  • Being honest with your superiors and admitting your mistake
  • Don’t make excuses or blame others for your failure
  • Find the silver lining (and there’s always one!)
  • Learn from your failure

Using failure as an opportunity to improve your skill set and potentially become a better leader.

These steps can help you bounce back from failure at work and show that you are resilient, adaptable, and committed to your goals.

Ana Smith helps people & organizations achieve their full talent potential by developing and co-creating people strategies and customized solutions, and turning them into impactful outcomes and collaborative relationships, using coaching as the “red thread.”

Kathryn Marshburn, Music Program Manager

Businesspeople in a meeting upset about a failure at work

Successful executives get used to failure because it provides so much growth and opportunity to learn. Creating a culture of celebrating failure is important and that starts with humility in the workplace.

While I worked for Spotify, Dawn Ostroff, a C-suite executive at Spotify, would share failures, break them down, and celebrate in our town halls (in front of 3000 employees) where we could learn as a team from the mistakes. I remember seeing the title for her presentation and I was so intrigued and teams across the company were inspired. We took notes on how to not repeat those mistakes, lean into them, and forward progression for new strategies.

When a failure occurs:

  1. Accept it with humility
  2. Gather all the facts
  3. Review how we could improve moving forward
  4. Come to the table with a mindset of failures = possibilities

I believe developing your skills in the practice of losing and accepting is a huge educational opportunity, so your skill set includes being put in uncomfortable positions, so that you can get good at rejection. I believe that people are too addicted to positive reinforcement and we could all grow from learning how not to repeat the failure where the next project benefits from the previous failure.

Kathryn Marshburn has spent 12+ years in the music and gaming industries guiding teams on identifying targeted goals with an agile approach resulting in driving revenue and reducing risk.

Michael Willis, Sports Business Operations Executive

Man on laptop shocked, stressed about a failure at work

No one begins a journey with failure as part of their plan. Caution might lurk, but turning back is not an option.

As executives and leaders, we know that failure is part of success. The real work for leaders begins when you must figure out what works and what doesn’t.

The first step is to own the failure. Don’t blame anyone or anything else. Take full responsibility for the failure and the action needed to correct it.

Find the fix, and understand what went wrong.

Test the solution from beginning to end to ensure everything works as planned.

Meet with your team to outline what failed. Inform everyone what was done to solve the problem. And share with the team the new protocols going forward.

In summary, everyone on the team must communicate a breakdown or failed system. Leaders can’t effectively lead with missing information. Leaders need to lead teams that are invested in the end product.

Michael Willis has 18+ years of experience working with accounting & sports organizations and has managed P&Ls of $10M – $125M+ with budgets of $3M-$50M+. He worked for the NFL for 22 1/2 years, mainly with the game officials working on the financial/accounting side of the business.

John Schembari, Senior Education Executive

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​I like to conduct after-action reviews—or AARs—after failures on the job.

The AAR process is as follows:

  1. What was supposed to happen?
  2. What actually happened?
  3. Why did it happen?
  4. What are we going to do next time?

What I like about the AAR process is that it is not just about identifying a problem but highlighting solutions/next steps which hold me (and others) accountable for change. This works for project-based failures.

When it comes to leadership failures that are often surfaced in 360-degree/other performance reviews, I like to find mentors/resources in that area and discern what is and what is not in my power to address/change.

John Schembari is a current K-12 teacher/school leader academic improvement coach and former school building and district administrator. He loves to draw, travel, swing dance, and read nonfiction.

John Hoffman, Creative Producer

Video production/film team work through a failure

Being a creative producer in the film and live experiential event industry requires handling setbacks, challenges, and adverse conditions. Therefore, the skill of dealing with failure, or redefining it as setbacks on the job, is crucial for success.

To excel as a creative producer, it’s essential to understand the primary responsibility of bringing a TV or live event concept to life:

  • Overseeing every aspect of the project
  • Generating ideas to collaborate with production partners and artists
  • Coordinating with all teams involved in all phases of the production process

Maintaining a positive attitude and staying focused on finding solutions is essential, and identifying pitfalls and solving problems is a superpower honed from years of experience. Setbacks can be turned into opportunities for growth and success, but this requires clear communication of expectations to stakeholders and realistic goals.

Instead, by approaching setbacks as opportunities for growth and focusing on finding solutions, creative producers can overcome challenges and succeed in bringing innovative and creative concepts to life.

With experience and agility, you learn to expect the unexpected because failure is not an option for a creative producer.

John Hoffman has 15+ years of leadership experience creating and producing video content, branded entertainment, PR stunts, and experiential and live events. At his core, he’s a storyteller who has mastered the creative map and can scale logistical mountains.

How do you recover from a failure at work? Join the conversation inside Work It Daily’s Executive Program.

Executive Spotlight: The Best Time Management Hacks To Use On The Job

Executive Spotlight: The Best Time Management Hacks To Use On The Job

What would we do with more time in the day? Most of us probably think we’d be more productive. But if there’s one thing we want more of but can’t control, it’s time. The secret to being more productive is not more time, but better time management. This is especially true at work.

The most successful professionals have exceptional time management skills. If you don’t have strong time management skills, that’s okay. Like any skill, time management skills can be developed.

We recently asked our leading executives about their best time management hacks.

Here are their responses…

Percy Leon, Digital Media Content Executive

You’ve probably heard of “time hacks” by now if you’re a video creator, a YouTube manager, or just someone who needs to maximize their time while working.

Time-saving techniques are basically ways to be more productive at work and do more tasks faster.

You can utilize a few different tactics to make the most of your time. I do the following things, to name a few.

The first thing I do is make a schedule I can follow. I know I’ll be able to focus and make the most of the time I have if I have a plan of action for each day and know what needs to be done and when.

Over the entire month, I aim to develop and batch my stuff, having enough for LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube long form, and YouTube shorts.

I divide my tasks into manageable portions and complete each one one at a time. This is another crucial time-saving technique.

This enables me to concentrate on each activity and complete it more quickly. I discovered various apps, like Notion, to keep track of what needs to be done so that you don’t forget anything.

Limiting distractions is a third time-saving trick. I mute my phone, turn off notifications, even if I find this to be a challenge, and concentrate on the task at hand. That way, I won’t be seduced by diversions all the time and can accomplish more in less time.

I try to take breaks throughout the day. This helps my mind recharge and I’m able to continue with the task I set out to do.

By creating a schedule, breaking out each task into smaller chunks, limiting distractions, and taking breaks throughout the day, I’m able to get more done in less time and be more productive.

Percy Leon is a digital media content producer specializing in educational technology and entertainment. He is interested in web3, metaverse, and the use of virtual reality for storytelling.

Kathryn Marshburn, Music Program Manager

Professional woman with good time management skills calls someone on the phone

I thought I was a great multi-tasker as a businesswoman until I saw a video on Nick Cannon and Amber Grimes when I saw how they both work in the music industry. They are on time, work like no other, efficiently work, treating the housekeeping staff the same as a client. Always having a positive attitude and always showing up. I borrowed a life hack from Nick, where he has a daily list of his to-dos, but always adds the last item where he makes time to do at least one favor a day for someone. This is one of my favorite topics: how do we share our experiences and mold and guide the next generation?

I value sharing my perspective with Gen Z and millennials about the music industry and how staff should be treated. I have many students and industry folks that reach out to me to ask questions about the industry in LA and connecting with these requests is important to me.

My favorite time-saving hack is to follow the Nick Cannon style of working and do favors and serve others. But because there are so many requests, I had to come up with an organizational plan.

I reserve 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm every single Friday to allow for time in my calendar to serve others and share what I know about the music industry. I schedule 30-minute calls, back to back, for anyone who wants to chat on music, needs advice, needs to connect, or is looking for resources. This helps me to plan ahead and group requests together.

I’m a big believer in paying it forward as so many people, especially women, kicked down so many doors for me.

Kathryn Marshburn has spent 12+ years in the music and gaming industries guiding teams on identifying targeted goals with an agile approach resulting in driving revenue and reducing risk.

Mark Taylor, Product & Operations Executive

Professional man with good time management skills talks during a work meeting

Self-prioritisation. Identify the current “axis of power” in your work and align what you are doing with that.

For example, I gave an update every Monday to the CEO on the status of a number of projects that had previously been languishing.

I knew the CEO’s expectations: 1) that everyone involved in the projects was working well together, and 2) that what we said was going to be done was actually being addressed in a timely and accurate manner.

I spent a good amount of my week getting status updates, fact-checking, and thinking ahead for possible questions. I blended these into a truth-based, expectation-meeting story by the time Monday’s meeting arrived.

This is where the “axis of power” comes in. If the CEO thought I was getting things done and doing a good job, it didn’t matter what anyone else thought—and I lived to fight another day…

Mark Taylor has 20+ years of risk, technology, and product management experience working in global and regional financial services firms in the UK and the U.S. He’s managed teams of 40+, successfully addressed 100+ regulatory issues, and has saved companies $15M+.

Carla Biasi, Personal Stylist

Work delegation, time management concept

Delegation! As an executive, we are charged with hiring a highly competent team. Use the highly motivated in your group to assist with tasks and responsibilities. This also helps acclimate them to different skills, and you have the opportunity to discover hidden talents in your staff. Your employees will love the collaborative environment!

Carla Biasi is a personal stylist living on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. She currently has her own business and works part-time at an upscale women’s boutique and as a virtual and kit stylist for a women’s specialty brand.

What’s the best time management hack you use on the job? Join the conversation inside Work It Daily’s Executive Program.

4 Phrases Your Boss LOVES To Hear

4 Phrases Your Boss LOVES To Hear

If you want to put yourself in a position to build a strong professional relationship with your boss, while growing your career and managing up, you have to prove yourself as a reliable employee. Taking the right kind of initiative can go a long way toward strengthening your relationship with your boss.

It’s important to keep in mind that managers are not only responsible for your role and responsibilities and to a degree your career; they’re also responsible for their duties as well.

If you really want to prove yourself to your boss, think of ways to work these four phrases into your work vocabulary:

“Here’s A Potential Solution”

A boss listens while his employee shares an idea with him during a work meeting

Bosses hear A LOT of problems. And more often than not, they are expected to come up with a solution. The thing is, if it isn’t their problem, they are not going to actively seek out solutions. Therefore, when you come to the boss with a problem, immediately follow it up with a proposed solution.

This accomplishes two things. First, it shows your manager that you are solution-oriented. You took the time to examine the problem and think about ways to address it. Second, your solutions are essentially saving the boss time and energy and those are both gifts to your manager. This approach is a huge win for you and the boss.

“Here’s An Idea”

Two co-workers go over some ideas with their boss during a meeting

You should be a student of your company. You should be very familiar with the company’s goals, mission, and vision. You should also have a very good understanding of the company’s challenges. When you know these challenges, you should spend some time each week working on ideas to solve those challenges that the company faces.

When you go to your manager to say you have an idea that will positively impact the company’s bottom line, everyone wins. Bosses should love to hear ideas on how to make things more efficient and profitable. Look for these ideas whenever you have downtime at work.

“Let Me Show You”

An employee graphs out an idea in front of his boss during a work meeting

On time-strapped days, it is so much easier to show someone something than it is to tell them. When pitching something to a boss or sharing an idea or even solving a problem, show him/her what you are talking about. Sketch it out, give them a flow chart, or show them anything visual and talk them through it. If you can, make a quick prototype. It is so much easier than using just your words when the chances are good that the boss is distracted.

Think about it. When you show people what you are saying, you have captured two of their senses: hearing and seeing. If you give them something to hold—even better (three senses). This gets their attention and allows them to truly evaluate what you are trying to do for the boss or the company.

Always try to show people what you are talking about. It allows them to react to your idea in a more connected way.

“I Could Use A Little Mentoring”

Bosses are not solely responsible for your career. This is your responsibility.

If you need new challenges or want new opportunities, it is up to you to scope those out and present them to your boss. If you don’t know how to do something or think that you could develop your skills even further, it is up to you to ask for mentorship.

As the protégé, you must take an active role in carving out time for the relationship. When you seek mentorship from your boss, know that it may not be the boss who becomes your mentor. Your boss may not even be the right mentor. However, they can be the one who facilitates an introduction. When you ask for this type of guidance, your boss knows that you own your experience and will work to support you.

Building a solid relationship with your boss is the key to getting where you want to go in your career. These relationships will follow you throughout your career. These bosses will likely one day be the person you call on to be a reference. And when it comes time to be a reference for you, you want them to say that you were solution-oriented, respectful of their time, and full of an entrepreneurial spirit.

Need more help navigating workplace relationships?

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.