“Leadership Development: How to Ask Your Team for Feedback When You’re the Manager”
Managers and supervisors who really want to do a great job frequently bring up in my Leadership Development Training seminars the best way to get feedback from their team.
While leaders care about being their best and bringing the best out in others, it’s not always easy for managers and supervisors to get useful information from teams about how to give the team what they need.
As you develop leadership skills, one fact to keep in mind is your company’s “corporate culture.”
Think of the company’s corporate culture as, in part, the ‘family dynamics’ or your organization. It also refers to all of the unwritten rules about behaviors and expectations.
Here’s an example of a coaching client of mine who was hired to be a manager in a county public service department. Although she sincerely wanted to work on leadership development, she felt frustrated with what to do next.
She had made the mistake of many well-meaning, but misguided managers. She paid no attention to the mood of her team, nor their attitude towards her. She didn’t think to consider the context in which she was hired.
She only knew that she wanted to develop her leadership skills, and so she went right to her team to tell her what she could do better.
Unfortunately for her, this manager, who we’ll call Maria, decided to solicit feedback in a team meeting when all 17 of her employees were present.
We have several flaws with Maria’s approach. Not only did she disregard her team’s attitude towards her, she failed to consider the context in which she was hired, and she asked for feedback right in front of everyone, with no privacy.
Maria totally missed the point that her team didn’t even personally like her. This likely came from the circumstances surrounding her hiring.
Maria came into her new leadership position as an outsider. She didn’t think to notice that the lady she replaced as manager had been there 18 years as manager, and seven years as a team member before that.
She didn’t see that her team had been there a minimum of 5 years each and that three of them had applied for her position.
In blunt terms, several of Maria’s team members felt that they could be doing a much better job than she, and when Maria invited comments and critiques in a public forum, several of her team members were brutal in their response.
Rather than feeling she’d gained valuable information in bringing her leadership skills up several notches, Maria left the meeting feeling personally attacked.
“How to develop leadership skills?” Great question. And the answer is essential for rapid leadership development.
When you want feedback from your team about how you’re doing, don’t literally ask: “How am I doing?” That’s a personal question and invites a personal attack.
Instead, keep your question on what the point really is, and that is, what can you do for your team?
Shift your focus when you want to develop as a leader. Think of your leadership role as a support position.
Just as Atlas, from Greek mythology held up the earth and sky, you as a manager, hold up the team by giving them the support they need.
So, instead of making your question be: “How am I doing?” You can ask instead, “What do you need from me to do your job more effectively, productively, and profitably?” “Do you need training? Resources? Supplies? Let me know and I’ll see what I can do to make it happen.”
Great leaders develop exponentially when they realize their role is one of support. So let your questions for feedback be centered on how you can get your team what they need to be at their personal best.
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Crystal Jonas, "The People Skills Lady"
Crystal Jonas, “The People Skills Lady,” delivers leadership development training to managers, supervisors, and team leads in corporations across the United States.
“Too Sensitive Leader: Great Tip for Overcoming Being Too Sensitive”
Leadership requires a degree of sensitivity, but if you’re too sensitive, there will be problems, not only for you, but the people you lead.
While every leader needs empathy, if this stands in the way of the mission getting done, many negative repercussions result.
Consider for a minute the kinds of activities associated with leadership that a manager who carries empathy too far will not be able to do or to do well:
* Give corrective feedback for someone who has a negative attitude
* Quickly and fairly follow company procedures for disciplinary action
* As necessary “coach someone out the door”
And these are just a few of the actions required and expected of in managerial positions.
While no one (or few people!) actually enjoys giving corrective feedback, think about the negative impact if substandard actions and attitudes are allowed to go unchecked:
* Team members who are meeting or exceeding expectations begin to feel the manager is playing favorites by not address the problem employee
* The rest of the team feels as though they have to work extra to make up for the person who is getting away with working less
* As a result, morale suffers, and with it, the ability to get the mission accomplished quickly and well is compromised.
The manager who is too sensitive often feels justified in not taking action right away when an employee fails to work up to standards.
Such a manager might like to think that the behavior will correct itself, or she believes that this is not all that noticeable, and so there’s no need to call attention to it.
Most often the “too sensitive manager” really does care about people and doesn’t want to say anything to the employee who’s falling below standards because the manager doesn’t want to hurt their feelings or to cause them extra stress.
Additionally, the overly empathizing manager may see any corrective action as confrontation rather than influence, and so she does nothing.
Since leadership calls for people to be fair to all and to make sure the company’s best interests are being protected, it’s important to take an enlightened look at how the manager can reframe this potentially negative situation and turn it around so fairness prevails as the company’s interests are being protected.
In helping companies develop their leaders, I’m often asked to give extra coaching to managers who have tremendous potential, but who are having struggles with delivering tough news when necessary.
My goal as “The People Skills Lady” is to help others be “who they are, at their best.”
You don’t take a person who is sensitive and try to make them insensitive. That’s neither fair nor doable. People are who they are and it’s important, as long as the employee is the right fit, to allow the employee to develop their strengths.
The good news is, there is much hope for the manager who is too sensitive, or who empathizes too much.
The solution is to shift perspectives.
When a manager is protective of the employee with sub-par behavior, this manager needs to shift perspective to the company and remember that their primary loyalty is to be sensitive of the company’s needs
Also, it will serve the manager well to be empathetic with the remaining team members who are forced to work above and beyond what’s expected of them in order to cover for work left undone by the substandard job performance of the problem employee.
Too sensitive managers don’t need to become hardened, uncaring automatons. They simply need to shift their focus of empathy and sensitivity to the company and the team.
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Crystal Jonas, "The People Skills Lady"
Hi, I’m Crystal Jonas,
In traveling to over 120 cities in the country each year, I often find that just one little tweak in what someone says or does can make all the difference. “The People Skills Lady” helps people express their best so they can get more done and make more money. Come visit my website and Sign up for my free newsletters while you’re there.
Call me at 719- 291-0366 and ask about speaking or coaching for you or for your company.
“Time Management and Emails: How to Manage Your Time and Priorities”
Time management is challenging enough, but emails add even more pressure to get more work done quickly As a corporate consultant who delivers time management seminars from Hawaii to New York and Alaska to Florida, one of the most frequently asked questions I receive from people looking to get more done in less time, is this: “How do I manage my time when it seems I have too much work?”
Looking to work smarter not harder? You’re in the right place. To use your time at work better, including managing all those emails, here are three tips.
Time Management and Email Tip #1: Shift your focus from “time management” to “priority management.” Henry David Thoreau said, “It’s not enough to be busy, so are the ants. What are you busy about?” You want to make sure that any activity that you engage in at work is high priority. Who decides “high priority”? You’re right! It’s your boss. Make sure you know exactly what “the sweet spot” is. That’s what I call those activities which most directly and positively support your company’s mission.
Time Management and Email Tip #2: Be aware of how often you check your email and limit the number of times you do check it. Entrepreneur magazine published an article called “Email Is Making You Stupid.” Now, how many times of day, by their own admission, do you think the average office worker checks his email? Would you guess he checks 20 times a day? 30? 40? Well, how about 50! Yes, you read that correctly. I’ve been a corporate consultant and corporate trainer for over 12 years now, and I’ve consulted with and conducted corporate training for over 100 companies a year across the country. So I know for a fact your company expects you to read your emails.
But, do you really think they expect you to check it 50 times of day?
To help you make the most of this Tip #2, I urge you to keep a running tally of how many times of day you check your email.
A while back, I read this quotation: “You have an infinite capacity for self-deception.”
Wow. That’s true and powerful!
Don’t kid yourself, you’re checking email a lot more often than you think. And, until you start logging it, you’re going to find your time quickly slipping away from you without you even knowing where the day went.
Big problem with email: It makes you feel *busy* but that doesn’t mean you’re working on the high priority activities that help you help your company.
Time Management and Email Tip #3: If you really want to get a handle on time management, the next time you open your email, ask yourself “At this moment, what am I procrastinating?” In the years I’ve been a corporate trainer and coach, I find that clients check their emails most often when they are putting something off. Usually, it’s the “something” that really matters. Maybe it’s harder to do, or more unpleasant. So, instead of acting on the priority, people go to the email. Hoping that maybe, just maybe, there’s something more interesting or more pressing that this other task they really don’t want to do. If you want to get a handle on your work load and start managing your work now, make sure you put these three tips into practice right away. You’ll value how much time you get back to take care of those tasks that really matter.
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Crystal Jonas, "The People Skills Lady"
Crystal Jonas, “The People Skills Lady,” is a corporate consultant and trainer who helps people make sure they are managing themselves and their priorities well so they can be more productive and profitable.
“Energy to Spare”
Ever feel like your “get up and go” got up and went? Here’s a simple tip successful people use to have energy to spare each day, regardless of how hectic life becomes.
At that time, you need to remind yourself that life isn’t a never-ending mega-marathon, although your tired body may be telling you differently.
Successful people fully appreciate the biological, emotional, and spiritual need to step out of the rat race to sit back and enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Without a few minutes each day, (I recommend an hour at least through the week, and more on non-office days) make a conscious decision to take what I call “purposeful downtime.”
I know that some of you are now out there saying “Yes, BUT, what if I can’t just stop what I’m doing and take time for myself? You have no idea, I just don’t have that kind of choice.”
Well, yeah, I can appreciate that feeling. With due respect, it’s misguided, and keeping your from achieving many of the rewards you so richly deserve, IF only you would set aside the notion that you can’t slow down and disconnect from time to time.
Successful people know that they must rejuvenate from time to time in order to be more productive when they do go back to work.
Here is the tip that many successful people use to keep their energy level up:
At least once, during the course of your day, take time out for you. Here’s an incredibly relaxing process you can do almost anywhere:
Sit up straight, if you are able to, lie down, but hey, if you’re doing this at work, that might look a tad odd.
Next, relax your body from the feet all the way up to your head. Slowly imagine all tension is leaving your body. You may find it helpful to use these words: My legs are getting heavy, warm, and totally relaxed. Repeat this as you work your way up to your scalp.
Then, breathe in through your nose for 8 counts. Hold for 7. Exhale through your mouth for 8 counts. Breathe normally between each of these measured breaths, and do this 3 times.
I taught this technique to a women’s business group when I was their after dinner keynote speaker. One of the participants wrote me that she had a measurably different blood pressure count the following month after continually using this process. Very cool!
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Hi, I’m Crystal Jonas,
Crystal Jonas, "The People Skills Lady"
- In traveling to over 100 cities in the country each year, I often find that just one little tweak in what someone says or does can make all the difference. “The People Skills Lady” helps people express their best so they can get more done and make more money. Come visit my website and Sign up for my free newsletters while you’re there.
Self-Esteem can improve your personal and professional life, and in the right amount can boost your confidence and fling open doors of opportunity.
Some people naturally have self-esteem and a strong sense of self-confidence, and you might wonder – Why? Why do some people have a healthy dose of well-earned self-esteem, and some others have huge amounts and you think, why is this person so confident?
If you’d like to raise your self-esteem but you don’t want to come across as full of yourself, you’d be well served to focus on “authentic self-esteem.”
Think of “authentic self-esteem” as self-confidence that emerges as a natural development when you consistently hold yourself to a higher standard, and benefit yourself and others as a result.
To build “authentic self-esteem” follow these three actions.
Number one: Focus on your positive traits, your goal is to be who *you* are at your best. You’re not trying to be the jokey, center of attention, life of the party if that’s not your natural style. Perhaps your style is to be more quiet and introspective, to listen rather that to take the lead in every conversation.
Appreciate how your unique qualities help others feel connected, important, unique and interesting.
Your goal is to be your best self, not someone else. You couldn’t sustain this kind of false approach, it would feel fake, and it would be exhausting! Besides, you want to be appreciated for who you truly are, yes?
So, first step, focus on your very best traits, and play them up!
Action number two: Track your progress. Each day, think of ways your unique traits can contribute to the world around you. You don’t have to solve major world problems, here. Simply consider how a specific action will help enhance the quality of life of those around you. And, be sure to write down specific actions you can take and follow through on them.
Here’s how to carry out this specific action: Go buy a spiral notebook. No need for a fancy $100 leather-bound journal, just a simple spiral notebook the kids use for school.
Consider 3 actions a day that play to your strengths that you could track. Let’s say that you are kind and sensitive. Simple. You can set these simple goals: Look the grocery checker in the eye and make small talk. Ask the receptionist how her weekend was as you walk to your desk. Compliment someone in the break room on their hair cut or sweater.
Your actions are breaking you out of your shell, connecting you to others, and improving the quality of life for those who get to be in your space. Sounds like something to feel good about, wouldn’t you agree?
Action number three: feel free to start small, with the suggestions above. You’ll soon find that “authentic self-esteem” blooms quite quickly when you focus on these three steps.
Remember that this brand of self-confidence is not about you being prideful, but rather you get to experience a genuine emotion of feeling good about yourself. Your actions matter to others, and so do you! Act now!
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Crystal Jonas, “The People Skills Lady” teaches people to express themselves at their best so they can be more productive and profitable. For info on coaching with Crystal, write Crystal@CrystalJonas.com
Three Essential Skills Of Emotional Intelligence For Morale, Productivity, And Profitability
If a manager in a leadership position want to have his employees agree more, get more done and make the company more money, they must understand many different aspects of emotional intelligence.
A manager’s level of emotional intelligence impacts his or her team in three essential ways:
1) By being emotionally literate, they take acknowledge their own perspective and interpretation of events. This positively impacts their group by modeling personal responsibility and the unique role of perspective in impacting how people interpret information.
2) In implementing techniques to manage strong negative emotions and being transparent about these processes, the teams appreciate that in becoming more emotionally intelligent, isn’t a substitute for Prozac, but rather a practical and powerful way to process strong emotions in a way that preserves their reputation and allows them to express themselves with greater credibility.
3) Finally, in being able to respect and appreciate the unique talents and skills of others, leaders with high emotional intelligence can leverage and maximize their teams “human capital.”
In short, EI savvy leaders directly and positively impact the morale, productivity and profitability of their teams.
Are you in a management position? How savvy are you when it comes to emotional intelligence? Is your leadership behavior exemplary in a way that inspires your team to bring their “A game” to work on a consistent basis?
Even if you have great people skills, do you know how to help your employees develop their own higher levels of emotional intelligence?
Work on building these three essentials skills and you will be surprised what will happen to your company’s morale, productivity and profitability.
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Hi, I’m Crystal Jonas,
In traveling to over 120 cities in the country each year, I often find that just one little tweak in
Crystal Jonas, "The People Skills Lady"
what someone says or does can make all the difference. “The People Skills Lady” helps people express their best so they can get more done and make more money. Come visit my website and Sign up for my free newsletters while you’re there.
Call me at 719- 291-0366 and ask about speaking or coaching for you or for your company.
How good are the Soft Skills of the Leaders In Your Company?
Crystal Jonas, "The People Skills Lady"
Soft skills (also known as people skills) help how personally and professionally successful an individual will be. And a company’s sustained viability and profitability is directly linked to leadership’s level of emotional intelligence.
Briefly, EI consists of being aware of and able to manage your emotions. It also includes using soft skills to pick up on the mood of others and be able to navigate the rocky waters of disagreement and conflict in an assertive yet respectful way.
Below are four competencies of emotional intelligence related to soft skills that every leader needs to understand:
1. Self-awareness: Knowing what your emotion is in the moment (this is considered being “emotionally literate”) and knowing what your negative triggers are.
2. Self-management: Being able to bring the appropriate emotion, to the appropriate degree to the appropriate setting.
3. Social-awareness: Your ability to use soft skills to pick up on the mood of the group, being able to read a situation, and apply the best behavior for that context.
4. Relationship management: Listening dispassionately to others, and in the words of Covey “seeking first to understand” and being assertive and respectful in times of conflict. This also includes the ability to build social capital and leverage relationships.
Many managers send their employees for coaching in these soft skills in order to get some sort of change to happen. While this is often a good idea and works in favor of advancing the skills of the employee, you know that you lead from the front.
Hence leaders who are eager for their teams to be more agreeable, productive and profitable are well-served in refreshing and boosting their own levels of soft skills and other aspects of emotional intelligence.
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Hi, I’m Crystal Jonas,
In traveling to over 120 cities in the country each year, I often find that just one little tweak in what someone says or does can make all the difference. “The People Skills Lady” helps people express their best so they can get more done and make more money. Come visit my website and Sign up for my free newsletters while you’re there.
Call me at 719- 291-0366 and ask about speaking or coaching for you or for your company.
Do you have leadership skills? Do you want a job? Just how are your soft-skills? Companies are looking for leaders to move into executive positions.
Crystal Jonas, "The People Skills Lady"
The June 14, 2010 issue of Newsweek, reports that “recruiters are desperate for top-tier talent.”
Jeff Joerres, chief executive of Manpower recruitment agency told the World Economic Forum earlier this year that, “Thirty percent of employers across the globe continue to struggle to fill positions available.” Keep in mind that most of these are executive positions. All those tech type people out there, and still, it is difficult to fill the top-tier levels. How much of a role do soft-skills have in landing these positions?
So, jut what are the best skills to have to get a job in management, or as an executive in today’s “New Normal”?
How are your tech skills? Tech-based professions such as logistics, biotech, health services and info tech means that top-tier scientists, engineers and computer types are ideally positioned for the best executive position openings.
IF. . .
If they also have the so called soft-skills associated with emotional intelligence, and adaptability. Given the fact that China continues to grow economically, and businesses in India are expanding at 30 percent a year, comfort in other cultures could be the mother lode combo for a top job marketable resume.
So, if you are not technical, what to do? We know for a fact that soft skills are a deal breaker. It doesn’t matter how technically savvy a person is if she or he can’t work in teams.
Can you teach tech people to strengthen their soft-skills? Might be an area to look into.
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Hi, I’m Crystal Jonas,
In traveling to over 120 cities in the country each year, I often find that just one little tweak in what someone says or does can make all the difference. “The People Skills Lady”helps people express their best so they can get more done and make more money. Come visit my website and Sign up for my free newsletters while you’re there.
Call me at 719- 291-0366 and ask about speaking or coaching for you or for your company.
Be Happy – Happiness is a Choice and an Easier One When You are Managing Your Emotions.
Crystal Jonas, "The People Skills Lady"
Ok, so if happiness is a choice, how come more people don’t choose to be happy? How can you be more happy? Good questions!
All it takes is using your emotional intelligence in managing emotions to get good at it.
All right, I confess “all it takes” was tongue in cheek. Managing your emotions is not all that easy. Because hey, you’re smart, if mood managing were all that easy, you’d have it nailed by now, right?
And truth is, if people were had been taught more about emotional intelligence and managing emotions in grade school, I wouldn’t be making my living writing programs, CDs and books on emotional intelligence skills and traveling across the country teaching people how to raise their emotional intelligence and master their emotions in the workplace.
Trust me on this one, there’s a good reason that you haven’t been all that great at “choosing” happiness.
Quite simply, managing emotions is a learned skill. And, unless you’re just naturally happy, or been taught how to chose which mood serves you best in the moment, there’s no reason you can expect to have mastered the incredibly wide range of emotions a person can feel.
You see, managing emotions starts with baby steps. So, how about this, begin by noticing what mood you’re feeling in any given moment. That might seem like a big chore, so let’s boil it down to this: Tomorrow morning, when you’re getting ready for the day, tell yourself that you will be conscious of any strong emotion you have through the course of the day. No matter what emotion it is, happiness, fear, frustration, love, you’ll catch yourself in the moment of high emotion.
Next, ask yourself, what circumstances came right before this? Does this emotion serve me? Is it as strong as it needs to be? Do I enhance this emotion or do I inhibit it by changing my focus?
Want to be happier? Geez, I hope the answer is yes! If not, this is probably not the best article for you, my friend!
To be generally happy on a regular basis, tune in your focus to all that is right in a single moment. Do not stop until you can come up with at least 10 factors that makes this moment just right. (Such as, the sun is shining, you’re having your favorite food for dinner, your best friend just called you for a movie, etc.)
Focus, focus, focus on everything that’s right. Now, you’re on your way to managing your emotions to be a happier person. GO FOR IT!
One more tip today. Keep a happiness journal. No kidding. Try it. Record all things great. You know, a lot of studies have been done on people who journal about negative stuff in their lives, and guess what? You’re way ahead of me, they actually get *more* negative!
Until next time,
Crystal Jonas.
Having great people skills is one of the best things you can possess.
Crystal Jonas, "The People Skills Lady"
People skills, which foster “social connectedness” play a key role in how long and happy your life will be.
Having friends and warm relationships boost your immune system, improve your mood, and yes, even add years to your life and quality to those years. Those with loving family or friends to connect with recover faster from illness or surgery.
In times of grief or extreme stress, whom do you turn to for comfort? Of course, your friends and family.
So, what to do to ensure you keep or cultivate your people skills and loving, supportive network of friends and family?
First, give. I heard a great man, Nido Qubein say “Everyone talks of ‘giving back.’ Just give.’ “ Give attention, time, patience.
Second, be available. Staying cocooned at home all the time when family or friends are coming together makes you miss out on golden opportunities to connect and build bridges.
Third, listen. Remember, you don’t have to be extroverted or doing all the talking! If your friends or family consists of a bunch of talkers, *someone* needs to be listening, right?
Fourth, stay in touch. Relationships are organic, just like the people in them. You must foster them to keep them alive. Do this by emailing, calling, visiting in person when you can, and yes, even snail mailing.
Your people skills, which you can easily develop, are one of your most valuable skills. They build your personal and professional relationships and add immeasurable richness to the quality of your life.
Reach out, connect, and enjoy!
Hiring experts get it: People who have good people skills with also called soft skills, is a key component suggesting leadership potential and is present in star performers and “high potentials.”
Crystal Jonas, "The People Skills Lady"
When you’re interviewing, a good interviewer will be asking you questions to elicit just how good your people skills are.
Just as a refresher: People skills is a combination of four competencies or skill sets: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management.
Specifically, what aspects of people skills are interviewers looking for?
You want to make sure you go in ready to help direct the interview so you make sure you get your own ideas in. Focus on three main points and be clear about what you present. Which three main points should you emphasize and ask questions about? How about technical skills, experience or ability to solve problems.
In demonstrating your high people skills, be sure to plan out how you will be getting these points across to the interviewer. This is not a time to “wing it”. Anticipate what the interviewer will ask and how you will respond to his/her questions.
Research what the company needs. Google is your new best friend before you go to the interview. Make sure you know the company’s vision and mission statement.) You will be able to show off your people skills by taking a genuine interest in what the company’s visions and goals are. Let them know what you can do to meet the company mission statement.
Know your brand. Just what is unique about you? Do you learn new technology quickly? Are your people skills good enough to make you the go-to person for teaching others new processes? Be prepared to say what you’re known for. When you leave an interview, you want people to know exactly who you are and what you stand for. Ask yourself who you are before you step foot in the interview room.
Create a good communication flow. Asking questions in itself demonstrates your interest and your level of people skills. It shows that you care. However, be careful not to over explain. If the interviewer wants more details, he’ll ask for them.
Smile and show a sense of humor. Be appropriately humorous. Employees with good people skills always have a good sense of humor; remember, they’re looking for someone easy to work with! A little levity, goes a long way in making a positive connection with the interviewer, which can put you over the top and into the interviewers “short list”.
Until next time,
Crystal Jonas.
Just What Must the Tech Companies Do Now Since the Demand for Employees Exceeds Supply to Survive in “The New Normal?
People Skills Training With Crystal Jonas
Tech companies be aware: Stats prove there are too few qualified technical professionals for the positions open now, and those opening over the next several years.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this trend will continue at least through 2018. Depending on how specialized the technical skills are, the demand for technical professionals is projected to grow between 31 and a staggering 83 percent.
Supply of technical professionals cannot keep up with demand.
Newsweek recently acknowledged this shortfall in its article on “The Future of Work: Employment” noting the scarcity of top-tier tech talent and the fact that so-called “soft skills” are an essential part of the “core job description” along with specialized skills. These skills are greatly needed to thrive in “The New Normal”.
Soft skills, also known as People skills, or communication skills allow technical professionals to productively work in teams, communicate clearly with supervisors and subordinates, articulate critical information to end-user clients, and develop as emergent leaders to take the companies into the next decade and beyond.
In short, the dynamic combination of tech skills and people skills are mission essential to the viability, productivity and profitability of any technical company wishing to thrive in “the new normal.”
Bottom line: tech companies must compete for top tech talent to ensure continual growth, and at the same time, they must cultivate the communication skills of these “high potentials” to ensure profitable succession planning. And leaders need to have strong communication skills, for companies to be as successful as they could be.
Good news: Research proves that just as tech skills can be learned, so can communication skills.
Here are three actions for tech companies looking to be competitive in the new economy and thrive in the new normal:
- Identify “high potentials” in your company.
- Design and deliver programs to foster professional growth of your employees to ensure full engagement, retention and loyalty.
- Cultivate the leadership qualities in high potentials with team building, leadership training, and communication skills coaching. This guards against “top performer flight,” encourages full investment of the workforce, and gives your company a clear succession plan for years to come.
Crystal Jonas, communications skills coach and management consultant, helps high tech companies leverage and manage their talent for maximum productivity and profitability. For information on availability for her coaching and consulting services, write Crystal@CrystalJonas.com or call 719.291.0366.
Engineers, IT professionals, and other scientists hold impressive academic credentials. Sadly, most technical programs fail to include a critical success factor in their curriculum. That success factor includes people skills training.
People Skills Training With Crystal Jonas
Technically brilliant, scientists have a distinct disadvantage in an otherwise stellar career.
To be fair, nontechnical professionals ask me for people skills training and workshops and communication coaching for their “high potentials,” emerging leaders, and current managers and executives as much as engineering firms, IT companies and other scientific industries.
However, scientists often aren’t expected to fill in this gap in their education until technical companies recognize the need for people skills in team building, succession planning, and the continued productivity and profitability of their company.
Employment reports and the Bureau of Labor Statistics clearly paint a picture of too few high-tech employees for the positions available.
As a global shortage of scientists such as engineers, health care and IT professionals ripple across the globe, savvy companies who depend upon the human capital of their technically trained staff realize that for a viable future, they must train their technical employees with high quality people skills workshops, seminars and coaching.
People skills include not only the basic ability to control one’s emotions and recognize the impact one’s behaviors have on others, people skills also include the ability to work well in teams, to collaborate and cooperate in teams while valuing the diversity of cultural, communication, and generational differences.
Advanced people skills must be fostered in current leadership and a technical company’s “high potentials” to ensure team building, the leveraging of diverse talent, and full employee engagement. These factors ensure the continued productivity and prosperity of a company.
Here are seven ideas to help technical professionals improve their people skills:
- Don’t be too hard on yourself. Unless your major was organizational psychology or interpersonal communication (and it likely wasn’t, or you wouldn’t be in your high tech job right now) your formal education did not include the essential elements of people skills.
- Don’t be too easy on yourself. Everyone seeking professional career success needs to boost their people skills. People like to work with people who are easy to get along with.
- Don’t be too proud. Sure, you got the technical job, and it comes with an impressive pay check. To really make your difference in the world, and to be heard at work, you’ll need to be a good listener. Your peers, supervisor and clients want to feel like you hear them before they are willing to listen to your ideas, no matter how great your ideas are.
- Don’t be too modest. Look how far you’ve come already personally and professionally without formal training or coaching in people skills! Imagine how much more successful and influential you will be when you master more advanced people skills!
- Don’t be too confident. If people skills came naturally, technical companies from Honolulu to Manhattan and Anchorage to Orland wouldn’t hire me every year to train and coach their technical professionals on people skills. You need a systematic, strategic approach to people skills to master them.
- Don’t be too doubtful. People skills DO improve your life, both personally and professionally. Millions of dollars in research, and countless studies support this fact. Don’t sit on the sidelines while your rewards pass you by.
- Do be intellectually curious. Technical professionals have a natural competitive advantage in being intellectually curious. Apply it to learning and applying as much as you can about people skills. Not only will you improve your professional career success, you’ll also enjoy deeper, more gratifying personal relationships.
Crystal Jonas “The People Skills Lady” helps technical professionals master people skills so they are more productive and profitable. Visit my site and sign up for the FREE NEWSLETTER while you’re there!
Employee Engagement: The Productivity and Profitability Solution
The People Skills Lady, Crystal Jonas
Employee engagement simply means employees consistently bring their “A game” to work.
They care about the organization, feel connected to the mission, have pride in talking about the organization. Engaged employees stay loyal to the company. There’s much less “talent flight risk” in an organization that fosters a culture of employee engagement.
Companies which cultivate engagement in their employees enjoy higher employee morale, less absenteeism, greater innovation, productivity and naturally, greater profitability.
How to do companies foster employee engagement?
Getting employees engaged at work happens deliberately. According to Profiles International – Imagine Great People Study, only 17% of the workforce is “Accomplished Contributors.”
Important point here: employee engagement happens at the level of leadership. From immediate supervisor upwards, employees are looking to those who lead them for qualities they admire and respect. Clearly, companies have room for staggering growth and increased profits when they provide their leaders with the right kind of training to engage their employees’ hearts, minds, and energy.
For employees to be fully engaged then, most managers could use high quality training in leadership and interpersonal skills. In short, the better the manager’s vision, ability to articulate that vision and get employees on board, the greater employee engagement and the company’s profitability.
People in leadership positions need to have a high quality of people skills training to be able to bring the vision of the company to the people they manage, to communicate this vision clearly and confidently and to be able to involve each individual’s unique talents in accomplishing the company’s mission.
Three things companies can do immediately to improve employee engagement and start reaping the rewards that come with full engagement:
- Take ownership at the line management level on up. This isn’t a task to pass off to HR. Immediate managers are the greatest influence in employees’ attitudes. Remember, “people don’t quit jobs, they quit bosses.” Train your managers from supervisors to C suite execs for credibility, consistency, and a clearly cohesive corporate culture.
- Give managers the people skills training they likely lack so they can communicate effectively and help build collaborative teams even from diverse cultural backgrounds, generational differences, communication styles and personality differences.
- Provide extra people skills coaching for your “high potentials” to encourage personal and professional development while fostering employee loyalty of top talent and ensuring smooth succession planning.
Crystal Jonas, “The People Skills Lady” provides companies the people skills training and communication coaching they need to fully engage employees for maximum profitability.
Priority Management – How To Get A Handle On It – Simplify Your Life, Simplify Your Mind
A thought from one of my Priority Management Workshops
Crystal Jonas Management Training For Success
Dear Friends,
Clients in Chicago recently had me come out to deliver my “Priority Management” workshop.
As always, they had many questions on clutter and making the most of their office space. Always seems there’s too much stuff: papers, email, other things people think you need but you don’t really.
Priority Management…How to get a handle on it?
Big thing to think about MOTIVATION. What’s your own personal motivation in getting on top of all that clutter once and for all?
Here are some ideas that might help you:
- The less stuff you have, the clearer your mind.
- You find everything more quickly which means less stress.
- Your space looks better and so you look better. (Think of this, if a boss is thinking “Who will we promote to run this department when Chris retires?” Do you really think the person with the messiest desk will get the promotion? Nope. The higher ups probably think: Look, she can’t handle what’s on her desk now, we can’t give her more responsibility!)
- Less stuff helps you do the important stuff faster and easier, making you feel good AND look good!
- Less stuff makes you richer. Did you know the average American household wastes 11% of it’s annual family income in clutter?!
So, solutions?
- Get rid of the big stuff first: Even consider getting rid of some furniture: an extra lamp, table, chair – this is the least effort, yet it clears your space up quickly
- Move next to the other major clutter culprits: Books and notebooks you don’t need. I know, it’s hard to throw away the written word. Weird, isn’t it? But, if it’s not fresh research, it can’t help you!
- Next, go to your files, thin it all out. Only 20% of paperwork will you ever look at again. Exception – of course, if your industry requires you to keep material, you surely already have a system set up for filing according to your company’s requirements.
- Now – each time you work on a project, remember that cleaning up is part of the process. ALWAYS put away one project, at least off to the side, before you begin another. End your day with a quick pick up.
Keep it clear and reap the benefits!
Warmly, Crystal
P.S. Interested in the “Priority Management” workshop? Give me a call at 719.291 Visit Quality Career Training for and sign up for my free newsletter for more tips.
What can you do when “life happens” , and you have little or no training for a career?
Crystal Jonas, "The People Skills Lady"
Lisa is scared (not her real name). At first, it was just a clammy, cold, “What in the world am I gonna do now?” kind of scared. Now it’s more of a “This could be the start of something new and wonderful.” Kind of scared
Lisa recently went through divorce. She was married 18 years. Two kids. One is a senior in high school, the other an 8th grader.
Painful divorce, expensive, scary. What next? Lisa wonders. Just when you think you have it all figured out, life throws you a curve ball.
I’d like to give you some of the ideas I’ve given Lisa. Even if you’re not going through a divorce,looking for career choices or know someone who is, sooner or later, life will transition. Some are good, some not. Some are exciting scary and some “Wow, this is the change I needed” scary.
Anyway, Lisa has said this training I went through with her was helpful, so I wanted to pass it on to you.
When you’re life is tossed about and change is being pressed upon you, consider this:
When you’re in a rut, you often DON’T change willingly. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be in a rut, right?
Try this: find the time to reflect upon your past. Draw a timeline of your life, noting the highs and lows. The joys and sorrows. What recurring themes do you notice?
What values, ideas, beliefs do you know you can count on each time? What has helped you recover from the down turns and inspired you for positive change?
Have you noticed that there have been changes that at first seemed disastrous, but later brought positive results you’d not have otherwise experienced?
Changes, whether by choice or thrust upon you are great times to reassess what’s most important.
Consider your core values in your life around the biggies, like family, work, relationships, spirituality, and health. Are your day to day decisions harmonious with those values?
Changes are a great time to reassess what’s working and what’s not and reconnect with what’s most important.
Take the time to pause and reflect, and best of all, make this transition a wonderful event.
Warmly,
Crystal Jonas
Come to quality career training for more on coaching programs. Sign up for the free newsletter while you’re there!
Hi, I’m Crystal Jonas,
In traveling to over 120 cities in the country talking about Emotional Intelligence and People Skills each year, I often find that just one little tweak in what someone says or does can make all the difference in getting to the top and being more successful in the workplace. Come visit my website at on quality career training. Sign up for my free newsletters while you’re there.
Call me at 719- 291-0366 and ask about speaking or coaching for you or for your company.
Ever thought that starting up a new business is what you need to do?
Work! You spend (at least!) 40 hours a week on the job. Work, then, at least in a perfect world, should provide a deep sense of meaning for you.
Coaching with Crystal
As several of my coaching clients are ambivalent about their work lately, I’ve been giving much thought to coaching people who might be contemplating starting up a business; a professional shift into a job or business
that gives them more satisfaction.
As the economy continues to recover, you can feel more confident about the professional business choices you have available regarding work. It just may be the time to consider changing your job or to starting up your own business!
And while I would NOT recommend that you quit work before you have a new business offer for another job, or starting up your own (unless, you’re independently wealthy!) I would like to offer you 3 ideas to consider when asking yourself whether the timing is right for moving on to starting your own business.
1. Do find yourself dreading Monday morning? Work is just that…”work”? I had a client who felt so trapped in her dead end job that she would feel physically sick every Sunday! Perhaps you’re not at that point. I hope
not. However, if you feel that you’re not going to be able to explore the full extent of your professional potential in business, you might want to ask yourself, “Do I really want to invest another year, month or even day in this company?”
2. You’re on autopilot most days. Just going through the motions.
There’s no energy, excitement nor intellectual stimulation in those 8 hours a day. Just the same old thing, business as usual…again. It’s mind numbing for people who feel their professional passion ignited by gratifying challenges at work.
By the way, a side note here: I have a client in one of my “Life in Transition” coaching programs who has purposefully chosen to stay in her “boring” job right now. You see, she’s writing a book and I’m coaching her through building her own speaking business. So, she *wants* work to be as mundane as possible. She wants to save her intellectual energy for starting up her new business. Just so you know, they love her work at her present job, and she never feels like she’s short changing them. It’s just not a job that requires a lot of mental power. Know what I mean?
3. ”This is not what my calling is.” Do what you love and the money will follow. I’m sure you’ve heard that before. It also happens to be true! More people than ever are starting their own businesses. It’s a great way to do what you love and make your living. What I recommend if you aren’t quite satisfied in your job and you’d like to explore starting your own business or changing jobs is coaching.
First: Kick it up a notch at work. Yes, you read that correctly. You couldn’t respect yourself if you gave less than your best at work. Besides, you’re going to need that good will when you leave your place of work . Starting a new business is exciting, but never “burn your bridges”.
Second: If you’re not already an active member in a professional association become one. You’ll make tons of contacts!
Third: If you’re considering starting a new business you should seriously, consider coaching.
There are few things more gratifying that doing what you love for a living. You have so much to offer, get out there, my friend!
I offer individual and group coaching; mastermind coaching groups . I’ll fill you in on just what you need to be successful in starting a new business.
Hi, I’m Crystal Jonas,
I’ve been coaching and training people just like you for over 10 years. I’d be glad to talk with you personally about starting a new career. And Just because you do call, I’ll be giving you a special deal you just cannot pass up! If you just want to stay in touch and get free tips sign up for my free newsletter in the meantime.
Call me at 719- 291-0366 and ask about speaking or coaching for you or for your company.
Just how are your People Skills? Technical Companies are looking to hire tech types with the people skills that are necessary for interpersonal communication.
People Skills Training With Crystal Jonas
Technical skills and scientific knowledge dominate where the jobs are now and will continue to be through at least 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Two huge problems for technical companies poised on the precipice of potentially huge growth.
One: There aren’t enough tech types for the jobs opening up starting now.
Two: Largely, technically trained professionals, while knowledgeable in the “hard skills” of their science, don’t have enough of the so called “soft skills.” These people skills are the essential link that that make scientists great at interpersonal skills so critical to customer interaction, contract negotiation, conflict resolution, team building, talent management, etc.
Without these communication skills to bolster tech skills, companies are already faced with a “talent crunch.”
Not enough technical professionals to take growing companies into the next decade, and certainly not enough tech types who also have communication and leadership skills necessary to ensure profitable leadership succession may mean that tech companies who could grow by leaps and bounds over the next 10 years are going to be in an all-out “war for talent.”
Recently, Newsweek reported that there is already a global shortage of scientifically trained employees to move into the highest levels of leadership in tech companies.
China and India continue to enjoy a growing economy as the US comes out of its economic slump. As with the US, China and India need technical professionals AND technical people who also have the people skills and interpersonal finesse to move into positions of leadership.
What’s a technical company to do? “Training technical employees of all levels in communication skills and developing the leadership skills of high-potentials is a deal-breaker,” says Crystal Jonas, Communication Coach and Consultant. “Technical companies know that if they don’t foster the growth of their employees and give them what they need to be successful, other companies will woo them away. This is costly, and left unchecked, catastrophic.”
Jonas advises technical companies to:
1. Immediately identify high-potentials
2. Create a professional development plan in collaboration with these top performers
3. Provide outside professional coaching to foster leadership potential
“If technical companies aren’t proactive in identifying their people and strategically and quickly moving forward to get their high-potentials the coaching they need to take their careers to the next level, these companies will watch their potential for unprecedented growth fade quickly in the din of competition for well rounded talent.”
Look me up at Quality Career Training to find out more about what your company can do to improve your communication and people skills in this technological world
Got leadership skills? Want a job? Companies are looking for leaders to move into executive positions.
Crystal Jonas, Emotional Intelligence Coach
This week’s issue of Newsweek, reports “recruiters are desperate for top-tier talent.”
Jeff Joerres, chief executive of Manpower recruitment agency told the World Economic Forum earlier this year that “Thirty percent of employers across the globe continue to struggle to fill positions available.”
Best skills to have to get a job in management, or as an executive?
How are your tech skills? Tech-based professions such as logistics, biotech, health services and info tech means that top-tier scientists, engineers and computer types are ideally positioned for the best executive position openings
IF. . .
If they also have the so called soft-skills associated with emotional intelligence, and adaptability, given the fact that China continues to grow economically, and businesses in India are expanding at 30 percent a year, comfort in other cultures could be the mother lode combo for a top job marketable resume.
So, if you’re not technical, what to do? We know for a fact that soft skills are a deal breaker. Doesn’t matter how technically savvy a person is if she or he can’t work in teams.
Can you teach tech people to strengthen their people skills? Might be an area to look into.
Just so you know, if you’re a technical professional, or work in a company and you’re looking for training and/or coaching in the soft skills including people skills, working well in teams, and emotional intelligence, give me or my business manager, Dan a call, we’ll see how we can help.
I’ve been training, consulting and coaching in people skills since ’91. Happy to assist anyway I can.
I’m at 719.291.0366. I’m traveling a lot, so sometimes, it’s easier to reach Dan at 719.265.5802. Warmly,
Crystal
Go to Quality Career Training for personalized programs and coaching.
Dating? — Body Language Matters!
Interviewing? – Body Language Matters!
Need To Influence Others? – Body Language Matters!
- Crystal Jonas, Emotional Intelligence Expert
Body language tells the world all about you. To make a good impression in an interview or on a date, manage your body language with these tips.
Before an interview or going on a date or ANY encounter where you care about how you’re perceived, in other words, most of life’s situations, know that you speak volumes before you ever open your mouth.
Prepare for the interview or date or meeting by asking yourself:
*How would I like the other person (people) to think of me?
* What can I do to positively influence that perception?
Body language managed well, provides so many simple and easy ways to POSITIVELY influence others!
Let’s take a look at a few:
As you know, people interpret first through their eyes. How you look matters.
Consider your style of dress. Is it appropriate to the situation? If you’re going on an interview and it’s a creative company, be sure your clothing says, “I’m creative, unique, interesting.” Interviewing at a bank? Conservative suit with dark colors and a light shirt/blouse are still the right approach. They say, “I’m trustworthy and dependable.”
By the way, make sure your clothes fit. Seriously, this business of wearing a size smaller than your body looks good in is NOT the way to go. Too tight clothing actually undermines your professional appearance.
I have a coaching client who lives in Denver, so I’m able to coach her in person at least once a month. When we’d known each other three months, she confided that one of the areas she wanted coaching in was heath and weight management.
“You’re kidding.” Was my honest reaction. She is so good at dressing for her figure, I had no idea she was carrying 20 plus more pounds than she was comfortable with! (I still thought she looked great, but that’s my opinion.) My surprise at her request says a lot about how much dressing smartly does for you.
How about your grooming? Hair, nails, teeth, all need to be taken care of here folks. You’d be surprised at how often my coaching clients who are managers want some tips on how to discretely tell employees that they need to groom themselves better. No kidding! This is probably one of the most frequently asked embarrassing questions I get.
Did you know that many health problems stem from poor dental care? What’s interesting is that people will subconsciously draw conclusions about your health and suitability as an employee, friend, or date based on dental hygiene. So keep those twice annual dental cleanings up to date!
Next non-verbal message to consider: your posture. Yeap, Mom was right. Stand up straight.
Think about this, how you hold your body has profound influence on your state of mind. This in turn influences mood and behavior, and of course, how people see you.
Now here’s a cool thing about your posture. If you’re ever in a funk, let’s say you’re in a bad mood, or you’re nervous, or feeling down, you can change this with posture!
Sure enough, how you hold your body will impact your emotions, your mood and the impression others have of you.
For an instant self-esteem boost, try this, stand up straight and imagine there’s a golden tread running through your body and up your head keeping your posture beautifully straight.
Heard of “Pilates posture”? That’s when you put your shoulders down and back (think, make more space between your ears and your shoulders – shoulders are NOT earrings!) and imagine there’s a magnet in your head and one in the ceiling, gently lifting you up as you straighten your back.
Keep your chin up, your feet solidly planted, and think “I feel good, and I’m so glad to be here. I’m glad you’re here, too.”
Consider another non-verbal clue that influences the impression others have of you. In short, promptness matters!
Over the last 19 years as an Assistant Professor then later a consultant, I’ve lost count over how many seminars, workshops and hours of coaching and consulting I’ve given on the topic of time management.
But here’s something you might be shocked to learn: Many professionals are late not because of being scattered or not caring about the meeting, but because they’re trying to squeeze out one more phone call or email before going to that meeting.
Sound familiar?
Big mistake! Not only are you short-changing the person on the other end of the call you’re squeezing in, you’re also almost certainly going to be late to the meeting.
Nobody wants to listen to your explanation behind why you’re late. Trust me on this. Don’t even bother.
But I will tell you this: In many workshops I’ve given for companies all across the country, I often ask the participants to give their impressions of someone who comes in late to meetings.
Here are some of the most frequent responses: “They don’t care about the people in the meeting.” “They disrespect the person who called the meeting.” “They resent having to be there.” “They want to draw attention to themselves by showing up late.” (Yikes!) “They’re overwhelmed and can’t get their schedule together.” – Note this, if the higher ups see you walking in late to meetings, they’re very likely to think, “She /He can’t handle the workload they have now, not the person to promote to more responsibility!”
So, yes, timeliness matters. Remember, it’s better to be a little early than a second late!
Your gestures speak volumes. The only tricky part is, you’re often not aware of them. You’re going to need a trusted friend (who’s really blunt!) to give you some feedback on gestures.
I recommend to my executive coaching clients and clients who are looking to get promoted that they literally practice confident gestures.
Here’s a fun tip for this. First, note someone truly successful whom you and others admire. Now, how does she (or he) gesture? Where does she hold her hands when talking, when emphasizing a point?
Now, go practice! It’s a fun and easy technique to master.
Eye contact speaks volumes. It’s said that “the eyes are the mirror to the soul.” It’s hard to trust someone who won’t look you in the eye, and in fact, the lack of eye contact is often associated with dishonesty at worst, and low self-esteem at best.
Again, go back to those people you admire and note how they hold eye contact.
The best news about eye contact is that you have so many opportunities to practice! Practice appropriate eye contact with everyone you encounter. Know that even if you’re shy, you can master this quickly. I’ve often had my shy coaching clients tell me it’s easy to practice on strangers and then work their way up to more eye contact with people they know. Interesting!
Let’s wrap this up with attention. Your degree of attention lets your conversational partner know how engaged you are in the discussion.
To be perceived as attentive, remember to lean forward a bit, subtly mirror the other person’s body language, and follow their conversation with appropriate comments and questions.
When in doubt, remember the old saying that “It’s better to be interested than interesting.”
Until Next time,
Crystal Jonas
Come visit my corporate website for Quality Career Training
