New Data Shows Companies Offering Flexible Work Policies are Hiring More Easily

Data from this past summer, drawing from hundreds of public and private sources measuring headcount growth and flexible work policies, has found that companies offering flexibility are hiring at a greater rate. While growth doesn’t always correlate to success, the research indicates companies who don’t mandate in-office work are having an easier time hiring.

This data confirms my own position on remote work – that agile companies who allow people to choose their work setup will have their pick of global talent and secure high-performing teams over those who insist on returning everyone to the office. We’ve also been seeing headlines across the web about company executives who themselves have access to satellite offices near their homes but who still insist on enforcing back-to-the-office policies. This messaging is not only hypocritical, it communicates to teams that there is no confidence in their ability to perform without constant oversight. These policies erode trust and damage organizational culture.

I’ve been exploring the shift to remote work and its implications in my leadership trainings. #LessonsLearned What I’ve seen from my remote operating clients is that in lieu of investing in a brick-and-mortar office, they’re shifting their investments into other impactful areas like learning opportunities and experiential retreats. They see that culture and engagement are massive accelerators for performance. And to me, they will be at the forefront of innovation thanks to their willingness to shift their perspective. So I would ask leaders this: What will the impact be if you don’t evolve? If you don’t invest in opportunities to enrich your culture’s desirability quotient? How will you leverage opportunities to drive innovation?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenamcgregor/2023/07/18/remote-and-hybrid-workplaces-are-hiring-people-twice-as-fast-as-full-time-office-employers-report/

Leading From the Middle: Why Middle Management is So Important

Scott Mautz’s book, Leading from the Middle, highlights a critical leadership need that organizations often overlook. Anyone who reports to someone and has someone reporting to them must lead from the middle. This can be really messy, since middle management is full of contradictions and opposing agendas, as Scott says in the book.

Here’s why this is so important. Scott points out that
– Middle managers can impact as much as 22% of revenue.
– Replacing a bad middle manager increases productivity by 12%.
– Employees with a strong middle leader are 20% less likely to leave when offered another job.

But there is a particular mindset and skillset necessary for influencing 360 degrees – up, down, and across one’s organization. This position is one of the most important and impactful, so why aren’t we paying more attention to it?

Scott compares this extremely tricky position to being a fish in a fishbowl. “Maneuvering in the middle of an oversized fishbowl, all eyes privy to my every movement. Surrounded, yet lonely. Pressure from all sides; the weight of water. Watching other fish with their own agenda zip by while I labored to remain steady and purposeful in the middle of it all.”

As a former middle manager, it’s so important to me to help other leaders develop self-awareness and become epic coaches. Even on teams within teams or from the messy middle, leaders have the potential to drive people and organizational results and build a high-performing, collaborative culture. While it may seem that being stuck in the middle inhibits what you can do or accomplish as a leader, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

We have built some amazing training programs that can tackle this particular challenge for leaders. Learn more by reaching out to us.

#MiddleManagement #LeadershipDevelopment #PeoplePerformance #PeopleScience

How Can You Maintain Accountability in a Wellness-Focused Workplace?

Leaders, can you relate to this?
The relationships between people and their managers have evolved. As culture-building and workplace wellbeing have become more of a focus, organizations have created a more open and progressive dynamic, leading to better communication and happier teams. However, it can be challenging for managers to hold people accountable in this context.

An example: one of your employees takes a class that causes them to start late each morning, and their work begins to slip. If you’re struggling to reconcile these two things – fostering accountability while respecting a healthy work/life balance – you’re not alone. According to recent DiSC data, nearly 20% of managers and supervisors are finding their biggest challenge is holding employees accountable, which speaks to the difficulty managers specifically face in holding space for both wellness and results.

But successful teams require both a healthy culture and accountability-based trust. It’s critical to give feedback on how people are showing up in their work relationships. Easier said than done, we know! But you’ll actually be building more trust and respect by holding your teams accountable, not less.

Despite the interpersonal challenges, increased focus on wellbeing has led to positive changes in the workplace. Almost half of the folks surveyed, including employees at all levels, report that employee wellness has positively impacted performance in their organization.

Getting support from a coach can help you apply accountability tools while also respecting your peoples’ wellbeing – Reach out to us for more. Pro tip: we also conduct experiential workshops and retreats if you want to level up your entire team or team of managers.

#AccountableTeams #LeadershipChallenges #Management #Teams

Simon Sinek: What does it look like to foster trust and vulnerability in a professional setting?

Vulnerability is a strength 💪

For many leaders, there is an expectation that they always act like everything is safe and certain, that they always have all the answers. But this behavior is inauthentic and creates a false sense of harmony in an organization. Under the surface, your people won’t have the courage to speak up, and there won’t be accountability or trust.

Owning up to challenges, acknowledging uncertainty, and fostering honest, vulnerable dialogue will ultimately build a trusting, cohesive team and a synergistic environment of support. Your team will rise to challenges, share information, and engage in productive conflict. Vulnerability will move the needle for results. #EncourageVulnerability
#WednesdayWisdom
#LivetoLead

Simon Sinek: What does it look like to foster trust and vulnerability in a professional setting?

Leaders Have A Greater Impact On Employees’ Mental Health Than We Thought

The impacts of leaders on their teams have never been more profound. According to this study, 43% of employees report they are exhausted, and 78% say stress negatively impacts their work performance. The reality is, how you prioritize workplace wellness affects your people far beyond the workplace – they end up carrying the effects of good or bad work environments home with them, and it impacts how they function with family, with friends, and with the rest of the world.

No pressure, right? Don’t worry, because leadership skills can be learned! And the greater the leadership, the more commitment and productivity that results from these happy, healthy, and cohesive teams.

Forbes: Managers Have Major Impact On Mental Health: How To Lead For Wellbeing

#MentalHealthAtWork #WorkplaceWellness #LeadershipMatters #LeadershipTraining

 

Striving to Keep Your People Amid The Great Resignation

The Great Resignation remains a point of concern for the larger work landscape – how do you keep your people happy and engaged, particularly when there’s a “New Year, New You” kind of mindset that crops up around this time? And as teams, what are you asking your leaders for?

Wiley released the latest in research across organizations and job roles, to determine what is it that keeps people feeling that they are being taken care of. Reach out to us to request your free copy of the eBook Keeping Your People: How to Navigate The Great Resignation.

mdr4you.com

Inc: If You Think the Great Resignation Is Bad, Just Wait Until January

#LivetoLead #FridayMotivation #GreatResignation #BetterTeams

MDR Coaching & Consulting Inc. is an Authorized Partner for Everything DiSC and for Wiley products and tools.

Inc Article: If You Think the Great Resignation Is Bad, Just Wait Until January

Leadership Adventure Retreats

Take your leadership training on the road!
As folks can begin to move more freely, consider a leadership retreat for your organization. Curated by us, take your leadership to the next level while having the opportunity to connect more deeply with your team. Better Leaders, Better Teams!

From food/wine tours, to yoga retreats, to whitewater rafting, there’s something for everyone.

Ready to hit the road? Reach out to us here:
MDR EXPERIENTIAL or ADVENTURE Retreats

#LivetoLead #LeadershipDevelopment #BetterLeadersBetterTeams #Results #RemoteTeams

 

Leadership Retreats

PXT Select™ Sample Report: Leadership

One of the great challenges of identifying leaders with the potential for success is looking beyond the sum of their job experience to truly understand the approach they’ll bring to guiding their teams and shaping their organizations. Agree?

This report is designed to shed light on a particular candidate’s #LeadershipPotential and provide insight into how he/she/they might confront the complexities of a leadership role. Incredible, right?

Read this full sample report here:
https://mdr4you.com/pxt-select-sample-reports.html
And to learn more about PXT Select™, we’ve got tons of tools for you here:
https://lnkd.in/gV3zJTK

#LivetoLead #PXTSelect #BetterHiring #LeadershipMatters #ExpandYourToolboxes #Trainings #Events

A Monday #CultureCheck

Leaders, how about a culture check?
Are you continuing to invest in the development of your people?

When it comes to building your own in-house leadership development program, MDR Coaching & Consulting Inc. can help you with guidance and tools customized for your specific needs.

We maximize people development for high potential leaders as well as seasoned executives. #SayYes
At MDR, we focus on maximizing outcomes for PEOPLE first, which then drive outcomes for organizations.

DM or #CallUs if you want to know where to start.
https://mdrleadershipacademy.com/

#LivetoLead #PeopleScience #PutUrPeople1st #LeadershipDevelopmentCoaching #LeadershipMatters #ItStartsWithU #MondayMotivation

Wiley Survey Reveals Top Influences on Workplace Culture

#PutUrPeople1st
Given this recent Wiley survey, does it resonate more?

It’s #PeopleScience, leaders.
Your people are putting themselves on the line each and every day to achieve desired outcomes for your organization. Do you know how to design a thriving culture which will support them?

Targeted, integrative coaching & tools like Everything DiSC can help.
#SayYes #LeadershipMatters

Learn more from a free virtual showcase or customized training with us as an Authorized Partner:
https://mdr4you.com/everything-disc-leadership-solutions/disc-workplace-profile.html

#LivetoLead #ThrivingTeams #NotJustSurviving #FridayFeels