Learning How to Give Constructive Criticism

An essential skill all upper management executives must learn is learning how to give constructive criticism. It is a necessary part of the job to constantly give feedback to team members, and understanding how to do so can determine the productivity levels of employees. Recent business data show that unsatisfied employees are more likely to do their job badly. The reasons for this can vary, although the inability to communicate with superiors is known.

An employee will inevitably commit mistakes. These should be dealt with as quickly as possible – and using constructive techniques.

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The first step is addressing the problem and not the person. Many employees feel that their character rather than the mistake is being attacked during feedback. Leaders must make the distinction from the get go.

The cause-and-effect argument works to great effect in this case. That is, explaining the faulty nature of the action and its repercussions to the company will allay feelings of blame. This gives a sense of responsibility to the employee and would hopefully reduce the risk of recurring mistakes.

The second step is asking the employee how the mistake was made. Again, it should be asked in a tone that is curious and not accusatory. There is a nuance here that must be understood. Both manager and employee should understand that this line of questioning is meant to resolve the issue and not for to defame the employee.

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In worst-case scenarios, a third-party observer can intervene to soften the tone of proceedings and prevent emotional injury.

These incidents of miscommunication can be easily avoided with the strategies and techniques placed on this Twitter account. These insights are credited to Emile Haddad, a Seattle-based business consultant.

The Edge: Why Go For Innovative Leadership?

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Innovative leaders are those who craft and shape their members into the best version of themselves. They combine good behaviors with the belief that a great idea can come from anywhere, even scratch. They contribute to their community by looking for the best ways to do things.

Leaders who are innovative also connect, observe, question, and experiment. Such habits aid in their personal way of processing novel ideas and creating solutions to challenges.

What truly makes innovative leaders different from others?

Innovative leaders connect with people and their surroundings. They see themselves developing connections with fields and situations that are not directly related to what they do. They connect with other people by sharing different disciplines and ideas that will lead to positive solutions.

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Innovative leaders are great observers. Their observations help them discern options, connections, and opportunities. They see how things work, and what does not work. They look at how others resolve challenges, and apply these techniques as needed.

Innovative leaders learn from their mistakes. They are willing to pursue experiences and opportunities to test their ideas. For them, mistakes are part of their big success. They do not dread failure, because they know that they will learn a lot with it.

Emile Haddad is a Seattle-based business consultant. Learn more about innovative leadership by visiting this blog.

Transactional Leadership: Assumptions And Inner Workings

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Transactional leadership is an organizational scheme where leaders motivate and direct followers by appealing to their self-interests. It works around the system of providing rewards if an employee does well, or penalties if the employee underperforms.

One of the basic assumptions of transactional leadership is that employees perform better under a definite and well-established chain of command. The workers can distinguish between the levels of leadership and which specific leaders are delegated to certain tasks. It also assumes that the primary motivation of employees is determined by rewards and punishments. Third, the primary directive of employees under such setup is to follow the orders of the leaders. Lastly, employees need to be closely monitored in order to ascertain that expectations and objectives are met.

Transactional leadership is based on the relationship between the employee and the management, defined by mutual need fulfillment. In the implementation of the rewards and punishments system, rules and procedures are integral. This type of leadership is effective in setting initial expectations and standards which will boost the efficiency and productivity of the team.

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Transactional leaders are expected to give constructive feedback to their team members, which leads to an increase in the efforts of the latter to receive better feedback in the future. Transactional leadership is also fully effective in the event of a crisis or during crunch time. Focus, one of the strengths of this kind of leadership, is key in the mitigation of disasters.

Seattle-based business coach Emile Haddad’s sensitivity to differing values within the workplace has enabled him to come up with business management models that promote professionalism and excellence. Get to know him more through this blog.

Business Culture: The Foundation of Success

Business success is a result of factors woven together by core values. Large corporations are the products of smart decisions and meticulous planning. They gave importance to details that affect the overall business process, thus preventing corporate imbalances and implementing lean but strategic business structures.

A tip of the scale in the wrong direction could prove fatal to any organization. Meanwhile, workplace culture lends meaningful weight in pursuit of objectives. Below are some of the reasons business culture becomes the centerpiece to the success of a corporation:

1. Employee sustenance A lot could be compromised whenever a quality employee decides to leave a company. Apart from losing manpower, the company undertakes an expensive re-hiring process. But with a strong workplace culture, attrition rate is kept to a minimum.

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2. Company image Social media is a big part of the lifestyle of today’s generation. Customers and employees alike turn to their social networks to tune in to trends and establish online engagements with the market. An attractive workplace culture will eventually find comfort in this platform, making it a fertile ground for good company branding.

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3. Strategy A good workplace culture can instill values among employees that are consistent with the vision of the company. It aspires for synergy and overall efficiency in the workplace.

Emile Haddad is a business consultant based in Seattle, Washington, who teaches entrepreneurs how to build a culture of excellence within the workplace. For more insights, click here.

Management Values: Accountability and Transparency

Sometimes the output becomes of utmost importance in the office. What leaders have to remember is that more than anything, the welfare of employees must never be neglected. Returning to the practice of accountability and transparency might bring about changes in the work dynamics. Instead of overlooking others just to get an individual task done, becoming aware of each member’s role in a team is essential.

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Accountability means being responsible for delivering. Whether it’s a small or crucial work task, being answerable to it is a sign of professionalism. If a leader keeps an important part of the job under wraps, those under him or her will eventually lose concern and do the same for their other assignments. Accountability is also about being responsible for one’s self and all the members of the team. This means recognizing that an individual has a role to play in the success of a project.

Transparency, on the other hand, is about being open for correction or evaluation. This could become difficult for those who have reached the top. However, to ensure the work’s quality, it is good to remain honest about all of its aspects. An office environment will thrive when transparency is promoted.

Accountability and transparency, when exercised, inspire success among all those involved. Having integrity at work will not only strengthen the relationship but will also cultivate best practices that assure quality output.

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Emile Haddad is one of Seattle’s most trusted business coaches. As a principal consultant at Catalyst Business Coaching and Consulting, LLC, he provides clients with the proper knowledge and skills they need to achieve their dreams of entrepreneurial success. To know more about Emile and his services, follow him on Twitter.

PR on a budget: Strategies for small businesses

In a rush to gain positive brand image, many businesses today resort to public relations (PR) to increase their market reach and to boost the sales of their products or services. Of this, a common misconception is that companies need to shell out a huge budget to get their message out to the public.

If this how you perceive PR, think again. Here are some budget-friendly PR strategies to help your business:

Build good relationships. The key in creating a good communications strategy is to connect with the right people. Even if you do not own a robust media list, companies today can still gain connections by making friends with industry influencers. To achieve this, you must identify the appropriate outlets and reporters who cover your industry and market. Reach out by inviting them for coffee or dinner. Make friends and build long-term relationships.

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Draft a good story. Journalists want a good story. Hence, it is important to focus on your story angles and message before pitching them to the media. According to Rion Harman, head of marketing for MakeSpace, an on-demand storage and delivery service, companies need to be straightforward with their goal, purpose and vision. It is through this that entrepreneurs can draft a PR strategy that contains timely and interesting stories.

Distribute multimedia releases. Long-term strategic planning is pertinent to reach a large number of media outlets via digital and traditional media. Know the right media outlets and journalists who might be interested in your story and try to adapt to their type of medium, whether they are in radio, TV, or online. Therefore, it is important to send your press releases in different formats.
 Storytelling and human relationships are the heart of PR. Therefore, it is important to maximize all your opportunities to get your story out to the public.

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Emile Haddad is a Seattle-based business coach who promotes awareness of ‘the heart of the business’ by bridging the gap between the commercial and the cultural dynamics found in a given organizational setting. Learn more about leadership and success by subscribing to this blog.

Working With and Understanding Millennial Employees

Millennials were born sometime in the early 1980s and the mid-1990s. Generally, this generation has been brought up by parents who taught them that they could achieve whatever they wanted and that they should always be the best at what they do. This resulted in a generation that is notorious for a sense of entitlement and poor work ethic.

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They show up at work with cool haircuts, the latest gadgets, a surfeit of energy, and a tendency to multi-task. Most middle-aged people have trouble working with them, but some human resource experts have finally decoded how to have better working relationships with millennials.

Experts have learned that millennials have a thirst for immediate feedback. Since they grew up in an environment where they received constant support and encouragement, millennials work better when their leaders overcommunicate. Holding regular meetings and providing regular feedback, whether good or bad, is an initiative of a higher-up that most millennials look forward to.

Millennials are growing up in a rapidly evolving world where information circulates the world in a second. These changes teach millennials that there is a constant need for improvement. Employers can take advantage of the unique cultures of the information age by providing millennials trainings where they can learn new skills. Millennials tend to become life-long learners and this attitude can open up some training opportunities.

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Lastly, millennials are also used to having almost answered through some quick strikes to the keyboard. This makes them thirsty for the ‘why’ in everything. Make sure you explain everything to millennials, especially when you’re about to give them a task.

Emile Haddad understands the value of every person in a workplace and adjusting to cultures of new generations of employees. Learn more about how you could better work with people of varying backgrounds in this Twitter page.