Dr. Francis Eberle, HR.com, June 2022
To connect is human. But connection during the pandemic was limited, which inevitably caused a shift in the workplace, leading employees to change jobs at a record pace. The upside of this phenomenon is that leaders now have an opportunity to connect with their people in new ways.
By Dr. Francis Eberle
Leadership development is worth the effort and time. According to a Lorman survey, retention rates rise 30-50% for companies with strong learning cultures. And 74% of surveyed employees feel they aren’t reaching full potential at work due to lack of development opportunities.
Particularly with workforces shifting, employees retiring, and younger employees taking over those roles, leadership development is a crucial need. It can help address the gaps created, fast pace of work, demands for effective and agile teams, and employees’ desires for advancement.
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Dr. Francis Eberle
Recently a client of mine who is a self-starter decided to change jobs. Moves like this take a great deal of effort. They disrupt your routines, your work style and sometimes relationships. For my client, the new position required moving to a new state and learning new roles, people and systems. As we talked, I realized she wasn’t talking about her Why: what drives her and why she wanted this position.
So I asked her, what about this position was worth all the transitions and new challenges? Without much hesitation she stated her reasons. It was not really a surprise that they were grounded in her principles and values.
I tell you this because self-starters can often be quick to action. They can sometimes do things without asking or try new things to just to test them. Throughout my management career and coaching work, I’ve seen that it’s not just about the action itself. In fact, self-starters who are successful have a deeper, more intrinsic reason for their actions, even if those decisions are made quickly.
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By Dr. Francis Eberle
These days we hear and read a lot about collaboration. Organizations say they value collaboration, and teams want more of it. Most of the time collaboration is a good thing. But sometimes it isn’t the best approach.
There are different ways to solve a problem depending on context, relationships, tools and platform. Context has to do with the outcome desired and by when. Consider if the problem is large enough to warrant bringing in additional people. Or can it be quickly solved by a few? A quick decision can sometimes be the best choice. If there is lead time and the problem is complex, requiring varied input or expertise, then it is likely that multiple parties are needed.
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By Dr. Francis Eberle
When I talk to groups I often tell them that leaders should step back more. The biggest concern I hear in response is that if they step back, they won’t be able to help their employees do the task right.
I will probe and ask what “do the task right” means. Usually, they describe steps to do the task, and then launch into outcomes they don’t want, such as embarrassing the company, insulting a client, a grammatical error, inadequate research, and so on. These outcomes feel like they could be the result of a fully hands-off approach. That is an incorrect assumption about what stepping back as a leader means.
Dr. Francis Eberle Hr.com, January 2022
Asking what to do about the “Great Resignation” is the wrong question right now. A better question is, “How can we benefit from this shift? How can we make it into a ‘Great Opportunity’ instead?” This reframes the concern of the very real current worker shortage and plugs into the new attitudes and desires of employees.
Changing your perspective from great resignation to great reshuffle, as explained in a recent Korn Ferry article, unlocks the mindset you need to act. The number of people leaving their positions is at an all-time high. Whether they take other positions, become solopreneurs or freelancers, retire, or just drop out of the workforce for now, this means that employees are searching for something different—and here lies the opportunity.Read More
Connected Leadership and Paying Attention
Host Dale Dixon and TCL Facilitator and author Dr. Francis Eberle continue their discussion about Connected Leadership. Francis tells the story of his dyslexia diagnosis and how it formed his theory of collaboration. He points to the aspect of Attention, which he believes sets a leader apart. He gives tips on how to start narrowing down your focus as a leader and figuring out where you should be paying attention.
Connected Leadership and Purpose
Host Dale Dixon and TCL Facilitator and author Dr. Francis Eberle talk today about the importance of defining purpose as a leader. Francis outlines why leaders must engage their employees to help lead, and the importance of organizational purpose as it relates to your team. He gives the four parts of the Connected Leadership model, which he discusses in his recent book, as well as tips for figuring out your own personal purpose.
Dr. Francis Eberle, Hr.com, August 2021
The bevy of digital connection options that got many of us through isolation during the pandemic has caused a distinct shift in the way we work. These enhanced connection methods created an increase in the trend of constant connection. As a leader, you may feel required to be plugged into an email, internal communication systems, social media platforms, your telephone, and professional networks. You might feel like there is no off button.
In your typical day, how much time do you give to connection platforms? Now compare that with the time you interact with employees and colleagues in person, on the telephone, and over video in a meaningful way. Connecting is good, right? But not all connection methods are equal.Read More
By Dr. Francis Eberle
One of my clients recently had difficulty letting go of some unfair comments from her supervisor. The comments were harsh because the supervisor thought the work was shoddy, but the supervisor had gaps in his knowledge and had overlooked the true quality of the work. My client knew she had to get past the comments, but they still hurt. There were two aspects to grapple with—the personal hurt and the professional relationship. My client had to be objective about the comments and build a more respectful professional relationship.
Instead of just letting the comments go, one way to move forward is hold one issue in limbo while focusing on another issue. In other words, suspend the belief that the supervisor had negative intentions when he made the comment and instead focus on the relationship.
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