March 2023 POWER TALK FOR WOMEN Magazine

POWER TALK FOR WOMEN

March 2023

Struggling with Hybrid Work Environments?

Check this out! Balancing Employee Wants with Business Needs Begins and Ends with You

Tapping into your Sense of Adventure

Seeing Change as a Chance

Tapping into Your Sense of Adventure

I love to reminisce about all the wonderful trips I have been on in my lifetime. I decided as an adult, I would tap into my own sense of adventure and create memories that I could use as inspiration. Expanding your horizons through experiencing other places and even other cultures stays with you for a lifetime.

The ability to approach your business or professional life this same way can produce huge opportunities for you. I learned to push the envelope and speak up when there was something I wanted to try. I realized that I may have been the visionary in many situations (based on the reactions from those around me), but I kept that sense of wonder and willingness to try new things.

What would you do differently?”

Click here to schedule a call with me to discuss how you can apply your sense of adventure to a pressing issue in your business or career.

When you believe something is possible, you have a greater chance of achieving it. Even when you don’t accomplish the “thing” you were going after, you will wind up further down the path of something different and wonderful. And “wonderful” can mean that you learned important lessons that allow you to keep moving forward in the future.

We have all heard of people who say they are “stuck”you may have felt that yourself from time to time. One method of getting “unstuck” is to actively get out of your comfort zone. I can’t think of a better way to do that than to tap into your sense of adventure.

Do you have an adventurous streak? And if so, how does it help you approach issues in your professional life differently?

“What if you applied your sense of adventure to your business or professional life?

Tina

Seeing “Change” as a “Chance”

What’s the most prevalent theme in our personal and professional lives these days? In my experience, it is the word “change”! Many things we used to characterize as normal have either been upended or significantly changed.

Great business leaders see Change as an opportunity – a Chance to adjust for the better. Change can be uncomfortable but think about what can happen when you lean into it!

A few changes we can explore:

1. A change in how and where we find our talent

2. A change in how we work and leverage technology

3. A change in how we lead others to allow them to thrive and make amazing contributions.

4. A change in how we view productivity and refocus on outcomes.

What if we looked at the myriad of things that are unnerving and uncomfortable for us now and reframed them as opportunities to do things differently? To me, that gives me an “out” – a way to approach things with a bit more positivity and gratitude. Start by making a list and determining what is worth your valuable energy and what is not. The simple act of making this list will help shed some light on how and what becomes your next “Chance” to do things differently – and often better!

IT BEGINS AND ENDS WITH YOU…

Employees have never had so much power and felt so empowered as they have since the pandemic began. The tides are turning, albeit slowly, and we are headed toward a bit more of an equilibrium state.

By equilibrium state, I am referring to the need to balance what we need from employees against our business needs. Can we truly measure how things are different based on hybrid or remote work environments based on our former “all in office” model? I don’t think we are there yet.

I once managed people in five states and learned to manage remotely before it was a “thing”.

Most of my adjustment involved a new way of thinking and managing. I was forced to BECOME A BETTER LEADER! I had to be clearer in my communication and expectations and learn to trust those who worked for me. It wasn’t easy!

They pushed me to let go and I was glad I decided to accept the challenge!

TIME TO BE ON YOUR GAME…

You didn’t become successful from simply allowing things to happen around you. You had a vision, took charge, and measured your progress. Much of that interaction happened in an office environment where you could ask anyone a question almost on demand.

Working successfully in this new environment takes more clarity, planning, and communication than you ever thought.

I do know that the right structure will yield better results. Be more committed to creating a scope of work, setting expectations and timelines, and following a process of checking in on progress. This is how I work with an independent contractor – except I can direct my own employees. See what happens when you shift your process in this new environment.

Struggling with Managing Hybrid Work Environments?

Check out these strategies…

1. Clear Communication: Have clear and open communication with employees regarding expectations, schedules, and responsibilities. Help prevent misunderstandings and ensure all are on the same page.

2. Flexibility: Allow employees to choose when and where they work when it is possible for your business. When you can, insist on availability during “core hours” to optimize access and collaboration. This can be a big motivator and lead to increased job satisfaction and productivity. Try to be as flexible as you can while enforcing expectations.

3. Collaboration and Connection: Encouraging collaboration and connection between remote and in-office employees is crucial to maintaining a positive and productive work environment. Provide opportunities for virtual meetings, team-building activities, and social events to foster connections and improve collaboration.

4. Equipment and Technology: Providing employees with the necessary equipment and technology to work effectively from home is crucial to the success of a hybrid work environment. This includes hardware and software and don’t forget training!

5. Performance Management: You should have clear performance management systems in place to monitor employee progress and performance, regardless of where they are working. This includes regular check-ins, performance evaluations, and feedback mechanisms.

6. Work-Life Balance: Encouraging and promoting a healthy work-life balance can improve employee satisfaction and reduce stress and burnout. To the extent possible, provide flexible work hours and allow for paid time off.

7. Trust and Responsibility: Trusting employees to work effectively from home and take responsibility for their own productivity is crucial to the success of a hybrid work environment.

PICK ONE TOPIC FROM THIS ISSUE TO FOCUS ON…

Call on your sense of adventure when you want to solve a business problem. It will help you check in with your creative side.

Change is not something that should stop us in our tracks. Each instance of CHANGE is a CHANCE to do something new or different.

Success in this new working environment is not just up to the employees. You must become a better leader in the process.

Letting others know what is expected and being clear in your expectations will create big wins. You’ll have to learn to let go and trust in the process.

Strategies for a successful hybrid working environment are easier to read than they are to implement. Start out slowly and see what works - then keep adjusting.

Let’s Connect...

This is what I do:

I'm known as "The Leadership Whisperer” by my clients. Yes, that's really my thing! I developed my Power Talk Formula© to help women like you - Business Owners and Professionals - get the tools and techniques you need to smooth out conflict, show up confidently and powerfully, enhance your Executive Presence, and bring your leadership to new heights – with the goal to get the results you want and need! You'll build new skills in communication and effective interactions with your peers, supervisor, executives, and team - becoming your own "Leadership Whisperer". AND these skills will carry over into your personal relationships. That's a bonus from our work together!

I engage in customized Executive Coaching, team workshops, strategic planning, public speaking, and informative online training and webinars. I also have several programs and groups to provide you with lots of options to engage with me and other like-minded women.

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I'm a professionally trained coach with a CPA and an Executive MBA, serving my clients as their Executive and Business Coach.