Category: Professional Development

Effective Leadership During Crucial Times

Strong leadership within an organization is important under the best of circumstances, but in times of uncertainty, it’s absolutely essential. This year has really put leaders to the test, as they try to help team members navigate change while still attempting to get work done. But understanding the psychological and emotional impact of uncertainty on teams is crucial for effective leadership. It requires leaders to really sharpen their emotional intelligence skills and place a strong emphasis on support and communication.

Let’s take a look at some of the biggest obstacles facing team members right now:

  • Stress and Anxiety: Uncertainty can lead to increased stress and anxiety among employees, affecting their mental well-being and productivity.
  • Resistance to Change: Fear of the unknown and loss of control can cause a major resistance to change and make it challenging for leaders to introduce new projects, meets deadlines, etc.
  • Decreased Morale and Engagement: Long periods of uncertainty can have a huge impact on morale and employee engagement, leading to reduced motivation and job satisfaction.
  • Trust and Confidence Issues: A lack of clear communication and direction can cause distrust in leadership and strain confidence in the organization’s future.
  • Adaptation Fatigue: A constant need to adjust can create burnout and fatigue.

This paints a bit of a dim picture, but every organization’s secret weapon during times of change is effective leadership. Leaders must act as pillars of support and rely on crucial traits like empathy, resilience and adaptability. Here are 4 top examples of how strong leadership can make all the difference when uncertainty is the norm:

  • Provides clarity and direction: Strong leaders have a clear vision and strategy to deal with unpredictability and they know how to set and communicate priorities.
  • Fosters Stability: We all know leaders who seem unflappable when the going gets tough. Those leaders create a sense of stability and security that trickles down throughout their team.
  • Builds trust: Transparent, consistent and honest communication builds trust and loyalty within a team.
  • Offers motivation and inspiration: When leaders show empathy and compassion, it builds team resilience and helps them persevere through challenging times.
  • Promotes problem solving: Times of uncertainty can force organizations to think more creatively. The leaders who embrace this tend to foster greater innovation in the long term.

Leading through times of change requires an inspiring vision, clear communication and the ability to provide support. Fortunately, there are some essential habits and mindsets that can help leaders and their teams operate more effectively during these periods of uncertainty. . Leah M Joppy and Associates can help leaders by providing teambuilding opportunities during times of uncertainty. Learn more by calling us at 301-670-0051 or email us at leah@lmja.com. For a catalog of our services, please send an email to lmjainc@gmail.com.

Four Steps To Leading During Uncertain Times

During uncertain times, team members look to leaders for support and guidance to overcome the challenges thrown at them. It takes a strong leader to be adaptive, not just reactive, when it seems like every day brings a fresh set of changes. It can be particularly difficult for new leaders, who may be dealing with all of this for the first time. But even the most seasoned leaders can feel tested by everything that’s going on right now. How can managers continue to lead effectively and maintain a strong, reassuring presence?

In most cases, organizations that emerge more aligned and resilient have leaders who lean into these 4 principles: inform, guide, unite and connect. Here’s a closer look at each one:

Inform

As team members struggle to make sense of all the changes going on, they are particularly hungry for information and open communication. That’s why it’s important for leaders to communicate early and frequently. Honesty is crucial and leaders must be candid in acknowledging the unknowns. This helps create credibility, builds trust and helps squash catastrophic rumors that may be filtering through the office. Remember, it’s a leader’s job to help team members make sense of all of the uncertainty going on around them and what these changes mean for them. Empathy, patience and compassion go a long way.

Connect

Now more than ever, it’s important to cultivate trust with employees. Team members need to feel a connection and leaders who reach out and build an environment of support will be viewed as more credible and reassuring. Now’s the time for leaders to get out of the office and into the hallways. They need to reach out to employees on a personal level and give them opportunities to safely express their thoughts and emotions. Leaders also need to acknowledge that they’re affected by uncertainty and trying to navigate the changes. Everyone, including leaders, may need to seek out support—from friends, family members, mentors or a coach.

Guide

During periods of uncertainty, team members want strong leaders who are comfortable giving direction on what to do – and what not to do. Talking about long-term visions and strategies aren’t going to be very effective when people are bracing for more bad news or still trying to recover from previous upheaval. Leaders may find it helpful to keep things a little more basic and focus on shorter term goals and priorities. Now’s the time for steady guidance and providing as much stability as possible.

Unite

Uncertainty and change remind us of the importance of community. People naturally look to rally around what brings them together, such as shared values, meaningful purpose and knowing that they’re not alone. Leaders can help reinforce these feelings of belonging by celebrating their team’s contributions and resiliency. It sends a strong message of, “We’ve adapted to changes before, we’ll get through this and we’ll be stronger for it.”

Leaders at all levels are being tested by the uncertainty and changes in today’s environment. When you have to lead through stressful circumstances, you often don’t know what you’ll show up to—but as a leader you always choose how you’ll show up. Leah M Joppy and Associates can help leaders by providing teambuilding opportunities during times of uncertainty.

Learn more by calling us at 301-670-0051 or email us at leah@lmja.com. For a catalog of our services, please send an email to lmjainc@gmail.com.

Gen Z And Return To Office

The Return to Office mandate has been a challenge for so many workers, from navigating a long commute to finding affordable child care and managing family schedules. However, there’s a generation that started their career at the beginning of the pandemic and may only know work life as remote employees. For Gen Z and even younger Millennials, the return to office can be overwhelming. They may struggle with the cultural shift and find it difficult to adjust to office life norms that many of us take for granted. And it’s an issue that can’t be ignored in the hopes that younger workers will just “adjust”. By 2030, Gen Z is projected to make up about a third of the workforce and their needs and influence will only continue to impact the office.

Why is Gen Z struggling with returning to the office? After all, we’ve read reports that many of them feel lonely and isolated working remotely and crave in-person contact. Let’s take a look at 4 top challenges they’re facing:

  1. They’ve never experienced office norms. From in-person meetings to casual chats while getting a cup of coffee, this is all new to many younger workers. This also includes things that are often learned through direct experience (aka, the hidden language of the office), such as:
  2. Reading the tone of meetings and knowing how (and when) to speak up in groups
  3. How to deal with making mistakes and take accountability
  4. How to build visibility at work
  5. They’re used to autonomy: Working remotely forced many early-career employees to be self-starters and find their work rhythm and direction without a lot of external help or validation. Now, being watched and interrupted can feel distracting and even undermining. They may feel like they’re not trusted and start to become disengaged with the workplace.
  6. They’re feeling overwhelmed and overstimulated in the office: For a generation used to remote work, office life presents a whole new set of sensory overload: constant noise, lack of space, social anxiety. This can quickly lead to fatigue, a loss in productivity and burnout.
  7. They feel like they might be “misunderstood”: In a remote setting, the work spoke for itself. Now, it’s not just about productivity, but there’s pressure on younger workers to present themselves in a certain way. This can cause anxiety about being perceived as “antisocial”, “awkward” or “checked out”. They may fear that this could impact their career advancement.

If you’re struggling with the challenges of returning to the office full time and the stresses of life in general right now, working with a coach, like Leah M Joppy and Associates, can help. Coaching can provide a fresh perspective, goal setting and strategies to make this major life transition a little easier to handle. For managers, we can help you learn the most effective ways for managing the growing number of younger workers and dealing with the challenges they’re experiencing in the office.

To learn more, call us at 301-670-0051 or email us at leah@lmja.com.

Tips For Transitioning Gen Z Employees

For employees who were used to working in an office full time before the pandemic, the return to office mandate has been challenging enough. But imagine if you’d never really worked in an office environment before and started your career as a remote employee. For members of Gen Z, the return to the office can be daunting and intimidating. And for managers, it can create a whole new set of issues that they may not be used to dealing with.

Gen Z values transparency and inclusion, so the best way for managers to help ease the transition back to the office is to listen, communicate clearly and show empathetic leadership. Here are a few other suggestions to help:

  1. Don’t assume everyone knows how to work in an office environment: Many Gen Zs and even younger Millennials may not have experienced office norms, structure and everyday interactions. Leaders shouldn’t assume that something that seems simple is understood. For example:
  2. Clarify the basics: Where do people eat lunch? Is there a dress code? Is there a noise policy? To help answer these questions, consider creating a return to office guide and placing additional reminders throughout the office. 
  3. Explain logistics upfront: Although things like booking a meeting may seem like common sense, the reality is that for many younger employees, they have questions. Don’t assume that things you may think are obvious are second nature for them. Clarifying office etiquette and making sure young employees feel comfortable asking questions goes a long way.
  4. Lead by example: Make curiosity part of the office culture in a non-judgmental way. If managers openly model asking questions and learning something new, others will follow.
  5. Create a detailed resource hub: Whether it’s a quick-start guide, detailed FAQ, or resource for casual questions, clear communication can greatly reduce uncertainty and embarrassment.
  6. Show them the value of being in the office: If younger workers spend their days in Zoom meetings and in-office work mimics what they were doing at home, you can expect disengagement and even “task masking” (a term for looking busy without actually doing any meaningful work). Look for ways to make the in-office experience more meaningful, such as:
  7. Provide mentorship opportunities: Offer formal and informal mentorship programs that pair Gen Z employees with experienced team members for learning and skill building.
  8. Foster a collaborative environment: Structure some office time around collaborative projects that require face-to-face interaction and feedback.
  9. Provide visibility to leadership: Gen Z values access to leadership for career growth. Providing this kind of give-and-take helps break down traditional hierarchies and makes younger workers feel more comfortable and engaged.
  10. Explain the “why”: Always clearly explain the reason behind in-office requirements or initiatives. Gen Z needs to understand how their contribution impacts the organization’s mission. Clearly explaining the reasons behind decisions and their role within the organization can have a huge impact.

Returning to the office full time is a big change and younger workers in particular may feel stressed, overwhelmed and have a hard time navigating it all. However, leaders with the right mindset and strategy can help ease the transition and manage the challenges that come with it. Leah M Joppy and Associates can work with you to face these hurdles head-on. Learn more by calling us at 301-670-0051 or email us at leah@lmja.com.

Dealing With Change. Calling On Our Resilience.

“Change is the only constant in life.” You may not have known that this quote originated from Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, but we bet you’ve heard it a time or two! With the start of a New Year, a change in administration and so many other upcoming events, many of us are feeling the uncertainty  (and stress!) of change in our professional and personal life.

Change is always going to happen, but how we deal with it is crucial. It’s about our level of resilience, otherwise known as the ability to tolerate difficult or stressful situations while still remaining positive and productive. Some call it the ability to “bounce back.” According to the APA Dictionary of Psychology: ‘Resilience is the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to both external and internal demands.’ It’s a crucial component for your physical and emotional wellbeing and can mean the difference between surviving and thriving.

Embrace the 7 C’s. Understanding and embodying the 7 C’s of resilience can transform how you approach both your professional and personal life. It enables you to navigate obstacles with strength and confidence. Although initially directed at childhood development, Dr. Kenneth Ginsberg’s 7 Cs of resilience are vital in today’s ever-changing workplace. Let’s break it down:

  1. Competence: Develop the skills and knowledge to handle workplace situations effectively.
  2. Confidence: Build the self-confidence to trust your abilities and judgment in challenging situations.
  3. Connection: Foster strong relationships with team members to creative a supportive, collaborative environment.
  4. Character: Cultivate your personal values and integrity to guide your behavior and decision-making process.
  5. Contribution: Feeling that your contributions matter in order to build a sense of purpose and value.
  6. Coping: Develop effective ways to manage stress and adversity. This includes building problem solving and emotional regulation skills.
  7. Control: Focus on the parts of work you can control (i.e., your decisions and reactions) and let the rest go.

We can help. It sounds like a lot, especially when you feel like you’re just trying to stay afloat and manage your day-to-day tasks. But you don’t have to go it alone. Our new course, Building Resilience In Times Of Uncertainty, focuses on how to manage the stress, anxiety and uncertainty of “what’s next.” This course includes a resilience assessment and provides feedback about resiliency levels in 3 key areas: Challenge, Control and Commitment. Participants learn how to increase their resiliency and better prepare and manage uncertainty in their career and personal life. And who doesn’t want that, especially in today’s world?

Call us at 301-670-0051 or email us at leah@lmja.com for more information. 

Recognizing A Strong Leader

If someone asked you, “what are the critical components of strong leadership”, what answer comes to mind? Maybe good listening skills or excellent communication would top the list. Or perhaps the ability to delegate and not micromanage. While all of those answers are spot-on, you may be surprised by one crucial component that’s often overlooked: self-reflection.

If you’re in a leadership role, when was the last time you made an effort to focus on self-reflection? Or have you ever really done it or even figured out what it means? Self-reflection is taking some time to think about your thoughts, behavior, motivation and actions. The concept seems simple, but it can be surprisingly difficult to do. We’re always moving on to the next project, meeting or crisis without pausing to reflect on what happened earlier that day or that week. On the flipside, self-reflection is NOT about beating yourself up and getting stuck in the past. We can’t turn back time or erase a negative outcome, but we can learn from those experiences and change our behavior or leadership tactics moving forward.

So, why is self-reflection a key practice for leaders? It’s all about the 3 A’s: Awareness, Adaptability and Action. Let’s take a closer look:

  • Awareness: Self-reflection helps leaders become aware of their strengths and weaknesses. That kind of awareness helps them better understand how they lead, teaches them to capitalize on their strengths and work on improving weaknesses.
  • Adaptability: The practice of self-reflection enables leaders to gain insights from past projects, interactions and team dynamics. They’re better able to adapt, grow and respond to changes, conflicts and whatever else is thrown at them.
  • Action: By practicing self-reflection, leaders learn to look at situations from a neutral perspective and set their own egos aside. This helps them see the big picture and take action where needed.

A consistent self-reflection practice pays off in so many ways for leaders and helps them:

  • Set priorities and make better decisions
  • Learn to use feedback for growth rather than taking it personally
  • Maintain better relationships
  • Communicate effectively by understanding how they come across to others
  • Create a more honest and productive work environment

Taking the time to reflect has big benefits for both leaders and organizations. Yet many don’t recognize the value or know how to put it into action. That’s where working with a coach, like Leah M Joppy and Associates, can help leaders build a regular, ongoing self-reflection process. Leaders will learn how to ask effective types of reflection questions, receive personalized feedback and help set and achieve their goals. Ready to learn more? Call us at 301-670-0051 or email us at leah@lmja.com to learn more.

 

 

 

Why Some Managers Are Resistant To Work Schedule Flexibility

For many organizations, work schedule flexibility is a new part of their compensation package. It’s a powerful tool in terms of employee engagement, retention and recruiting. Remote and flexible schedules have shown to not only provide employees with higher job satisfaction, but better health, less absenteeism, increased work-life balance and less stress. This is all well and good for workers, but what do managers really think about remote work? While many understand the appeal and benefits, it’s still difficult to embrace change and work through the challenges of managing a remote and/or hybrid team.

Here’s a look at 7 reasons why managers may be resistant to remote work:

  • Lack of accountability and supervision: Sure, some team members work well (and in some cases better) working remotely. Then there are those that struggle with time management, distractions and other challenges. Managers may feel that it’s more challenging to supervise employees and keep them accountable when they’re not physically present in the office.
  • Loss of collaboration: Face-to-face interaction is often believed to foster a more cohesive work environment. Some managers worry that remote work can make it harder for team members to truly feel like a team. This is of particular concern for new team members and younger workers who are just starting out in their career.
  • Lack of company culture: Strong in-office culture can be a key component for an organization’s retention and recruitment. Managers may worry that remote work could be a hinderance towards building this culture.
  • Increase in security concerns: There may be concerns about the security of data when employees are working outside the office.
  • Decrease in productivity: Some managers may feel that team members are more productive in a controlled office environment. Working from home can potentially have more distractions and chances to break from a traditional work schedule.
  • Concerns about equity: In some settings, not all roles can be performed remotely or on a hybrid schedule. Allowing some employees to work from home might create perceived (or actual) inequities among team members.
  • Holding onto a traditional mindset: Some managers may still have a traditional view of work that involves all team members being present at a common workplace. Change is hard and personal experiences and beliefs take time to overcome, particularly when it comes to management practices.

As we discussed last month, an annual government-wide survey conducted by the Office of Personnel Management found that more than two-thirds of federal employees are still teleworking at least occasionally. Remote and hybrid work isn’t going anywhere, but neither are the management challenges if your organization doesn’t face them head on. Leah M Joppy and Associates can help you figure out your primary challenges and work with you and your team to make remote/hybrid working a more efficient, productive and collaborative experience!

 

Call us at 301-670-0051 or email us at leah@lmja.com to learn more.

Why Some Employees Find Remote Work To Be A Challenge

When we think of remote work, many of us think of meetings in our sweatpants, the ability to schedule appointments when we want and not having to sit in traffic for hours. For many, a remote or hybrid schedule is like a dream come true. We’ve looked at the variety of benefits in past articles, among them: work/life balance, increase in productivity, no commute, increased flexibility and autonomy and so much more. And we’ve looked at why offering a remote and/or hybrid schedule is an incredibly effective recruiting and retention tool. But even with all the positives, remote work can present a whole new set of challenges for some employees. Let’s take a look at some of the top 5 remote work complaints:

Con #1: Social isolation

This is probably the number one complaint that employees have about remote work, particularly new workers and young workers who are new in their career. It may be challenging to build strong relationships with colleagues without face-to-face communication, resulting in a sense of disconnection from the team. Social events like happy hours that were once spur of the moment and easy to plan, now take more effort and can end up on the backburner.

Con #2: Work-life boundaries are blurred

While some feel one of the biggest benefits of remote work is work/life balance, others have difficulty unplugging from the office and feeling like they’re always “on call”. It can be difficult to disconnect from work and take breaks when workspace is also a private space. This lack of separation can negatively impact mental well-being if not managed effectively and can lead to burnout.

Con #3: Communication and collaboration are limited

Zoom meetings are all well and good, but some aspects of face-to-face interaction can’t be done remotely. Remote work can make it challenging to build trust through in-person interactions. Some team members may also feel like their access to mentorship, networking and senior leadership opportunities are more limited.

Con #4: Risk of miscommunication

Remote work often involves written communication, which can sometimes lead to misunderstandings or misinterpretations. It may be challenging for remote workers to resolve conflicts effectively without the benefit of immediate in-person conversations.

Con #5: Lack of focus and distractions

While the typical distractions of the workplace may be eliminated, remote work introduces a new set of distractions at home. It’s easy to be distracted from work tasks by household chores, family members or other personal issues. Some workers may not have the space to exclusively dedicate to a home workplace and have to work in busier areas.

Each of us has a unique personality and work style. For every person who enjoys the solitude of working remotely and the freedom that it provides, there’s another who thrives on human interaction or craves the routine and structure of going into the office. That’s why management plays such an important role in implementing a strategic remote/hybrid work strategy and communicating it effectively with team members. Leah M Joppy and Associates is ready to help you reduce the cons of remote work and ensure that team members feel supported and engaged.

Contact us at 301-670-0051 or email us at leah@lmja.com to learn more and get started.

Listening To The Workforce: How To Make Remote Work Successful

There are so many reasons to love remote and hybrid work. For some, it’s rolling out of bed and starting the work day without the hassle of a long, stressful commute. For others, it’s the flexibility of picking up their kids from school or throwing in a load of laundry during lunchtime. Whatever the appeal, remote and hybrid work models are here to stay. Organization must embrace it if they want to remain competitive and recruit new team members. And the numbers back this up:

  • According to job site ZipRecuiter, jobs specified as “remote” receive 300% more applications than jobs that are not.
  • Organizations that don’t offer any kind of flexible-work options could be losing out on up to 70% of job seekers, according to HR consulting firm Thrive HR.
  • Nearly half (45 percent) of government employees will consider looking for a new job if their agency reduces remote and hybrid work flexibility, according to Eagle Hill Consulting research. These findings come on the heels of new federal government guidance that calls for a substantial increase in in-person work, along with unprecedented challenges filling government jobs.

Offering remote/hybrid positions is one thing, but execution is quite another. Once you have new team members in the door, it’s essential that managers know how to lead remote and hybrid workers. No one wants to feel like they’re out of the loop and continuous frustration with communication, technology and overall job satisfaction can lead to turnover. That’s why strong, well-trained leaders are key to the entire process.

When it comes to managing a remote/hybrid team, let’s start with a few of the basics. We’ve outlined a few “dos and don’ts” below. Maybe you’re already using most of them or perhaps they’re a good reminder of where you need to improve:

  • Do set immediate and clear expectations. And make sure they’re communicated clearly to everyone.
  • Do schedule regular team meetings and make them a priority (no regular cancellations!).
  • Do provide necessary resources. Leaders must ensure team members have the technology and other tools they need to succeed in a remote and/or hybrid environment.
  • Do engage directly with employees as often as possible. Have an open-door policy and set aside time for one-on-one conversations
  • Don’t just have a communication strategy in place, document it and share it. Everyone needs to be on the same page.
  • Don’t just encourage feedback, make it a priority. Really take the time to listen to team members.
  • Don’t micromanage and make employees feel like they’re not trusted.

Remote and hybrid work schedules only continue to grow in popularity and can be a major recruiting tool when trying to attract new team members. But implementation needs to be done correctly in order to retain workers. Leah M Joppy and Associates can help you figure out your primary challenges and work with you and your team to make remote/hybrid working a more efficient, productive and fun experience! Call us at 301-670-0051 or email us at leah@lmja.com to learn more.

Is There A Future In Remote Work?

Looking ahead, the future of remote work seems to only be increasing and flourishing. According to Upwork, by 2025, an estimated 32.6 million Americans will be working remotely, which is about 22% of the workforce. This projection suggests a continuous, yet gradual, shift towards remote work arrangement

For many organizations, flexibility is a new part of their compensation package and is a powerful tool in terms of employee engagement, retention and recruiting. Remote and flexible schedules not only provide employees with job satisfaction, but better health, increased work-life balance and less stress.

How does the federal government stack up in terms of remote and hybrid work? According to an annual government-wide survey conducted by the Office of Personnel Management,

more than two-thirds of federal employees are still teleworking at least occasionally. About one-third of the over 625,000 people surveyed said they do not telework at all, due to technological limitations, in-office requirements or personal choice. The remainder, about 68%, telework at least occasionally and most people said they telework three to four days per week.

Even as calls for in-person work have pushed leaders to reconsider remote work policies, they seem reluctant to do so. Remote and hybrid work benefits employers through higher productivity levels, decreased turnover and reduced absenteeism. And as we saw in our previous article, remote and hybrid positions equal more job applicants. Here are a few other ways that it benefits government agencies:

  • Ease with recruiting: Public sector recruitment isn’t always easy. Sometimes salaries are less competitive than the private sector, causing many potential hires to consider working for businesses instead. In offering a fully-remote or hybrid work structure, government agencies can increase the odds of finding an ideal candidate.
  • Casting a wider hiring net: With work from anywhere a reality, organizations can hire candidates anywhere in the world who will have the skills and qualifications needed, even if they don’t live there. The best may not live within driving distance of the office, but that shouldn’t be a barrier to employment.
  • Increasing diversity in the workplace: Studies have shown that groups, including women, people of color and those with disabilities, view remote work positively. Allowing staff to work from anywhere instantly increases the diversity of your candidate pool and removes obstacles to employment such as lack of transportation.

Recruitment and retention in today’s competitive hiring landscape can be a challenge. A strong remote and hybrid workplace can be just the tool your organization needs to attract a larger pool of qualified candidates. Leah M Joppy and Associates can help you create an effective recruitment strategy that outlines your remote workplace model and why potential new hires should work for you! Contact us at 301-670-0051 or email us at leah@lmja.com to learn more and get started.