Author: PPM Academy

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Entrepreneurship

Do you have an Entrepreneurship Spirit?

Entrepreneurship Spirit
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The entrepreneurial spirit is a top characteristic of desirable team members. Those who have it push themselves to achieve more and do things faster. What is the entrepreneurial spirit? It is having a development-oriented mindset. When you have this type of spirit, you know that your skills can be improved and perfected. People who have a development mindset keep their attention on learning. This means that they don’t focus on whether they can do something. Instead, they focus on growing and improving. 

Do you have the entrepreneurship spirit? Here are six characteristics of people who usually do. 

1. They’ve Discovered a True Passion 

Consider the last time you talked to someone who was passionate about something. Regardless of whether you were interested in what they were telling you, it’s likely that they were speaking with conviction and genuine enthusiasm. This alone can captivate others. 

When someone is passionate about something, they learn everything they can about the subject and gain an in-depth understanding of it. 

Hiring people who are passionate will give your company the best chance of success. The reason for this is that they are always looking for a better way to do things. This comes with the benefit of efficiency, which will help your company see higher profits. 

The brain is a complex organ, one with 100 billion neurons that are capable of continuous learning. When you learn more information and apply it to something practical, you’ll increase your intelligence, ability to adapt and resourcefulness.  

2. They are Mainly Optimistic 

People who are natural entrepreneurs are generally optimistic. They don’t waste time thinking up reasons why they can’t do something. Instead, they come up with ways that make it possible. When starting something new, the chances of being successful are usually against you. This is when an optimistic attitude is most needed. 

If you’re hiring people with the entrepreneurial mindset, keep an eye out for job seekers who become excited when you mention tough challenges and major goals. These are the employees who will search for new and better ways to do things. 

To encourage your current staff toward the entrepreneurial mindset, make sure that your team goals are clear and reachable. Also, stay current on your field’s best practices. Review what others in your industry are doing. Then, release conventional thinking and focus on creativity. It’s okay to let things become messy and chaotic for a bit. 

3. They Have a Fear of Failing Financially 

People who have entrepreneurial thinking fear financial failure. They’ll pinch pennies and create new ways to recycle to keep their businesses in operation. This characteristic can help your company trim its overhead, increasing profits. 

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4. They are Willing to Take Risks 

Not only are people with the entrepreneurial mindset optimistic, but they are also willing to take risks. This doesn’t mean that they take action without considering the potential consequences. Instead, they take planned steps while knowing that they are not guaranteed success. 

People with this mindset also know how to work on their own and are generally resolute about making decisions. In the past, the term “entrepreneur” typically referred to someone who started a company or developed a new business. Today, according to Forbes, most professionals consider an entrepreneur to be a person “who sees opportunities and pursues them.” The financial journal also posted that 58% of millennials think of themselves as entrepreneurs. 

5. They Follow Through 

People with entrepreneurial thinking follow through on their ideas. They take their ideas out for a test drive to get in-person feedback and determine whether their plans work as intended. When it comes to team members, you’ll want to look for those who execute their ideas regardless of the situation. 

6. They Make Things Fun 

Those who are natural entrepreneurs make things fun. When an environment is safe and fun, it automatically engages the brain. This helps your staff relax. It also relieves stress. Put people in charge who tend to make work fun and productive. Doing so is likely to create a work environment that people enjoy. A happy staff is a more ingenious one. 

How Can You Develop the Entrepreneurial Spirit?

Six steps can help you foster the entrepreneurial spirit for yourself and your team. The first step is to consider life and opportunities from the viewpoint of a coworker, client, friend or even your child. This will allow you to experience life from a new perspective. Entrepreneurs generally try to see things from the perspective of a customer. For instance, they’ll consider how a customer would use a product or a service. 

The next step is to go for it. Ignore the desire to do everything properly. Instead, take a leap and let yourself try. When you encourage your staff to try, they’ll be more creative and likely more productive. 

Step three is to collaborate. Encourage your people to share their ideas and welcome the suggestions of others. 

The fourth step to developing an entrepreneurial spirit is to grow in the face of uncertainty. When you are unsure of things or situations, take it as an opportunity to learn and be patient. 

Step five is sharing your victories. In business, success is rarely solo. Be sure to give credit where it is due. 

The last step is to allow yourself and your team the time to dream. Go ahead and imagine what the future holds. 

Propel Your Company to Greatness 

What is the entrepreneurial spirit? The entrepreneurial spirit is what inspires people to take risks. It helps them believe that anything is possible and pushes them to achieve new and wonderful things. It will propel your company to great things. To learn more about how to encourage the entrepreneurship spirit, contact us at the Productivity Intelligence Institute today. 

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Increase Productivity

10 Ways to Increase Productivity at Work

Productive
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Productivity and entrepreneurship go hand in hand. For a new business to succeed, employees must be prepared to get things done. However, your most productive workers may not be the ones who cross the most items from their to-do lists. Real productivity is not just finishing tasks but also involves the ability to prioritize the most important tasks. In this article, I will give you ten actionable tips to increase your personal and workplace productivity.

How to Increase Productivity in the Workplace

Every entrepreneur wants a productive workplace. This effort begins at your desk. Your employees will look to you to model the best productivity practices.

Tip 1 – Prepare for Success

A productive day tomorrow often begins at the end of work today. With some preparation, you can give yourself cognitive clues that will put you in the right mindset. The last few minutes of the day are the right time to set up the next day’s action list. You will want to clarify which tasks have top priority.

The end of the day is also the right time to clear your workspace. You can put away anything that does not have a direct impact on tomorrow’s projects. If you have a written to-do list, place it so that it is the first thing you see in the morning.

Tip 2 – Stop Multitasking

Doing many things at once may feel productive, but it is often just a waste of time. Several neuroscience studies have shown that paying attention to more than one device at once lowers cognitive ability and can even reduce the amount of gray matter in the brain. Giving one task your full attention will improve the quality of your work and increase your work rate.

Tip 3 – Self-Care for Productivity

Healthy people are more productive. They have the energy and focus to work through the day without extra stress. The habits that promote workplace productivity are the same as those that promote a healthy lifestyle. A nutritious diet, adequate hydration and daily exercise will fuel an industrious day. Sleep is another critical factor. You want to come to the workplace well-rested and ready for the work ahead.

Tip 4 – Establish a Productive Schedule

Some people are the most focused at the beginning of the day. For others, the period after lunch is a fruitful time. Whatever your personal schedule, be sure to schedule space to get things done during your high-productivity window. If you want to increase productivity at work, get to know your employees’ preferences. Avoid scheduling meetings during the times when your employees do their best work.

Tip 5 – Focus on Priorities

Before a task makes it on your to-do list, consider why it is there. Successful entrepreneurs are those who put their energy into the tasks that bring them closer to their goals. Establishing clear priorities will let you distinguish between tasks that must get done, tasks that would be nice to do and tasks that are part of someone else’s agenda.

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Tip 6 – Find Your Motivation

The motivation for getting things done varies from person to person and can depend on individual brain chemistry. Some people find that stimulating the brain’s dopamine reward system will help them focus. They will plan a treat for accomplishing a difficult task.

Others find it more effective to harness the body’s stress response. They will create personal deadlines that put extra pressure on their productivity. 

Combining the two approaches may enhance the effectiveness of a neuroscientific strategy. Basing the reward on your ability to meet the deadline increases the stress of the deadline and the positive effects of the reward.

Tip 7 – Take Active Breaks

Staying in one position for hours at a time promotes boredom rather than effectiveness. When you take a five-minute break between work periods, step away from your workspace for some physical activity. It is even better if you can get outside for a walk. This practice will recharge both your body and mind.

Tip 8 – Hide Your Phone

Smartphones and other screens are a modern distraction. It is difficult to focus when you are looking at every notification. If it is feasible, build a period for returning phone calls and answering emails into your daily schedule. Then, keep your phone out of sight until the appointed time.

Tip 9 – Handle Simple Tasks Quickly

As you build your daily to-do list, you will find that some tasks only require a minute or two to complete. It might be a response to a client email or looking up an old file. If it takes less than two minutes, handle it immediately and get it out of the way.

Tip 10 – Delegate

For entrepreneurs with growing businesses, the move from being a solo artist to part of a team can be difficult. However, you brought your team member on board because they have skills and abilities that you lack. If you want to know how to increase productivity in the workplace, get to know your team. Assigning them tasks that match their skills will promote a positive and productive workplace culture.

Bonus Tip 11 – Work with a Partner

Entrepreneurship is a challenge, and you do not need to handle it alone. At the Productivity Intelligence Institute, I work with entrepreneurs and other business leaders hoping to improve their skills. If you are looking for a unique perspective on increasing your personal or workplace productivity, feel free to reach out. I would be glad to work with you.

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Creating High-Performing Teams

The Secrets of Great High-Performing Teams

High-Performing Team
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The last thing that you want your company to be known for is fostering a toxic work environment. When it comes to employment, there are places where people want to work and places where they don’t. While salary potential and the option for career growth are major factors that impact employee satisfaction, another critical element is team dynamics. If a company creates the right culture and develops collaborative teams, then growth opportunities will be available for workers. Here’s how to ensure that your company builds and supports high performing teams. 

Hire Good People

 

Hire people who are onboard with your company’s mission and leaders. Select employees who have the skills and knowledge that will make your company and other workers better. You can compare high performing work teams to successful sports teams. For instance, the Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series in 2020 because they recruited the right players and used their abilities properly. In sports, teams send out scouts to find the best players. You may not be able to use scouts, but you can embrace the same idea. 

Hire people who fit and give your team balance. You must ensure diversity as well as keep your teams the right size. A team must have enough members to manage the workload without having too many for the work that you have available.  

Pay Attention to Team Dynamics

 

Leading teams establish clear goals and form organizational priorities. They handle their workloads and deadlines according to their goals and priorities. They trust and respect one another while celebrating their accomplishments and providing credit where it is due. 

Focus on communication. Work with your members to make sure that they know how to communicate with each other effectively. A multicultural team may need to work through their differences. Allow space for this. Also, set aside time to create goals and action plans that match your company’s overall mission. 

When you form high performing teams, your company is more likely to operate with greater efficiency and enjoy bigger profits.  

Resolve Issues and Promote Harmony

 

Conflicts are a common issue within teams. People are unique, and their ideas and methods are bound to clash from time to time. Company leaders must quickly figure out the source of any issues within a team to react properly and resolve the problem. 

Keep in mind that there are two kinds of conflicts that arise when people work together, which are substantive and emotional. If the problem is substantive, then it will likely involve a difference of opinion or a dispute with the overall work process. Emotional issues are personal. You can keep your company’s multicultural team working together by handling problems as soon as they appear and establishing peace. 

Amy Edmondson, a Harvard professor, was the first person to recognize the idea of psychological safety. You can use this concept to build thriving teams. Psychological safety is something more than just a team environment free of bullying and harassment. It is an atmosphere where team members are inspired and encouraged to perform their best work. According to Edmondson, psychological safety is “a sense of confidence that the team will not embarrass, reject or punish someone for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns or mistakes.” 

Encourage Learning 

Sponsor team training to keep your employees’ skills current and to encourage personal growth. Make sure that each member of your team has the skills and tools to participate equally at work. Teams that perform at an elevated level value feedback and want to improve when they make mistakes. Search for growth opportunities by encouraging a culture that includes feedback. High-performing teams also invest in continuous employee development. This type of learning creates growth and encourages teams to continue pushing for higher achievements. 

It’s important for leaders to be aware that a lot of team learning happens informally between different team members. People effectively learn this way. Establish a culture that welcomes mentorship and rewards team members who work to build up their fellow team members.  

Company Pride 

An important element of leading teams is that people on the team perform well for the company and themselves. They experience personal happiness when their company succeeds, and they feel proud to work there. Once people have work pride, the company is more likely to excel. 

Make the Group Feel Like a Group 

If a worker remains at a job where he or she is always blamed for a team’s poor work performance, it will cause the person to experience a high level of dissatisfaction. This can thwart productivity. It’s important to establish a sense of collective responsibility within all of your teams. 

To develop and maintain collaborative teams, you must address team members as a group instead of singling people out. Regardless of whether a team has performed well by reaching every goal or failed to accomplish even one, be sure to keep members together as a team. If you address someone individually, you’ll only cause low morale. 

You should still hold one-on-one meetings with each member of your team to talk about their individual performance. 

Embrace Innovative Ideas 

Leaders must develop ways to let members of their team think for themselves and apply inventive solutions to problems. When workers know that they are safe to try new things and learn different methods, you’ll benefit from them coming up with better ways to complete their tasks. Your workers know the ins and outs of their jobs. Creative employees may figure out ways to make your company operate with greater efficiency. You may be able to use their methods and adapt other teams to work better and faster too. 

High-Performing Teams are Priceless

Take steps to create high performing teams by hiring good people, encouraging continuous learning and resolving team issues. To learn more, contact us at Productivity Intelligence Institute. 

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Actionable Insights

Turning Data into Actionable Insights

Actionable Insights
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Big data is both a gift and a challenge. Today, businesses have access to mountains of information ripe for interpretation. Without a strategy for data analysis, organizations will spend time and money on a fruitless search for meaning. According to a recent survey of 1200 companies by DNV, only 23% had developed plans for interpreting and applying insights from data.

Missing out on data-centered decision-making will place a business behind the competition. However, amassing the most data does not guarantee success. The goal is to turn relevant data into actionable insights.

From Raw Data to Information

Any kind of measurement can become raw data. The number of widgets your company sold last Tuesday is one piece of data. The number of chairs in your office is another. A spreadsheet full of data points will not lead to actionable insights on its own. Before data can be useful, it must be delivered as information.

Information is processed data. It may take the form of written reports, bar graphs, and other visual representations. Moving toward information also means putting aside data that is not pertinent.

From Information to Insight

Information is easier to interpret than raw numbers, but it has not yet reached the level of insight. The report must be placed in the broader context of the business. Your team may have sold 600 widgets last Tuesday. Is that an unusual number for a Tuesday? Does that number represent a single order by a widget enthusiast or 600 separate orders? Information linked to contextual concerns yields an insight.

What are actionable insights?

Not every insight will be an actionable insight. Sometimes, insights pulled from data will simply confirm that a strategy is on the right track. You had a flash sale on widgets last Tuesday, and the increased sales numbers show that it worked.

Processes like data segmentation might yield actionable insight. Most of last Tuesday’s sales went to people in their 20s. There is an untapped widget market, and your marketing team will now adapt the next campaign accordingly.

Steps to Develop Actionable Insights

Turning raw data into full-fledged data insights is an intentional process. Businesses must work so that data becomes a tool they can use rather than a time-consuming burden.

Start with a Question

You want data collection to help your team make informed decisions. To that end, it best to start with a question or decision that the data will inform. Knowing that you are focused on the sales of a single product will limit the amount of data you need to analyze. Seeking to learn information about your average client will have you poring over a different set of data points. Keeping things specific will help you focus your efforts and lead to meaningful insights.

Look for Trends

An unexpected number may be interesting, but it is less helpful for decision-making than a series of data points. You do not want to base your company’s future on a number that may have come from an unusual day. Trends of growth, decline, or other changes over time need your attention. For the health of your business, it is better to respond to a long-term trend than to react to a single data point.

Examine the Context

If data is the What, context establishes the Why. Once a trend shows up on your radar, it is time to examine the factors causing it. In most cases, your business strategy will not respond to the data but the forces that fuel the trend. Changes in sales data might reflect changes in consumer culture, a potential new client base, or the growth of a competitor. When you know the reason for the trend, you can address it systematically.

Share the Information

Psychologists will point to common issues that come up in data analysis. Analysis performed in a vacuum is subject to confirmation bias. Analysts look at the data only to find that it confirms what they already believe. Limiting your analysis to one or two leaders may also subject the process to cultural, age, or gender bias. A diverse group of people analyzing the data can prevent these effects.

The Data-Centered Organization

New data analytics and reporting tools make data interpretation accessible to all your employees. A business shaped by responding to data trends will make its decisions ahead of competitors. A few practical steps will help you make the transition.

Eliminate Data Silos

Older business models tended to limit data access. Integrated software makes it possible for everyone to see the same data reports, making it easier for the whole organization to work with meaningful information.

Keep It Relevant

Work with your teams to see what data is relevant to their area of expertise. Later on, they may ask for data from other groups to seek out connections. In the beginning, you do not want to overwhelm people with data they will not use.

Share Insights

Encourage people to share their data insights with others. This practice will help people see that you take data seriously and welcome their input. Every team should approach this process by asking, “What are actionable insights?”

Helping You Move from Data to Action

At the Leonard Productivity Intelligence Institute, my goal is to help entrepreneurs and other business leaders move toward their goals. If you need help transforming raw data into informed decisions, I would be happy to work with you. Contact me today for more information.

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Thought Leadership

Why is thought leadership important?

thought leadership
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Unlocking the Benefits of Thought Leadership

Whatever your industry, there are some voices that you cannot ignore. When an industry leader tweets or blogs, you will drop what you are doing and pay attention. You may not always agree with the person’s conclusions, but you will take them seriously. This kind of influence demonstrates the power of thought leadership. 

What is thought leadership?

The definitions of thought leadership vary. Thought leaders are often social media influencers, but they are not primarily concerned with self-promotion. They are experts in their fields, but they garner more attention than the average analyst or researcher. 

Thought leaders have a reputation for sharing new ideas and predicting trends. Although they have an expansive knowledge of an industry’s past and its current state, they are predictive voices that point out the direction of the industry. When businesses want insight into the future, they will turn to the valued opinions of thought leaders.

The Benefits of Thought Leadership

Being regarded as a thought leader brings several advantages. Thought leaders regularly share content through blogs, articles and speaking engagements. If you engage in these practices, you have already created a relationship with potential clients. They know your voice and way of thinking, and they will have respect for your opinion.

As you grow as a thought leader, it will become easier to make connections. Industry leaders will look to you for opinions and advice. These relationships will benefit everyone involved.

Secrets to Developing as an Influential Thinker

All definitions of thought leadership give priority to the act of thinking. People expect this person to add valuable content to industry discussions. Before you become a thought leader, you must learn to develop creative ideas.

Know Your Niche

It is difficult to be a generalist and a thought leader. In most industries, there is too much information for any one person to follow. Find the portion of your market that you are most passionate about and put your focus there. As you develop relationships with other leaders, your ideas will make connections across the industry.

Keep Learning

Education is essential to this path. People trust your voice because you can demonstrate your expertise. You will need to spend time looking for the latest information about your niche.

Develop Your Point of View

As a thought leader, people are not seeking you out simply because of what you know. Online research will give them the information they need. They are looking for someone who can put the pieces of the puzzle together. While you will use data to inform and support your point of view, people look to deep thinkers for their ability to share a vision.

Make Connections

To become an industry leader, you must gain the respect of other industry leaders. In the early stages, you will want other leading thinkers to cite your content. They are more likely to follow you if you have made a point to connect with them at conferences or through social media.

Secrets to Engaging in Thought Leadership

Thought leadership must be more than deep thinking. If your innovative ideas never make it off your desk, you may be a thinker or a dreamer, but you are not a leader.

Consider Practical Applications

You have combed through the industry literature and developed a new way to think about your niche. Now you must consider the practical applications. How can a business owner put your ideas to work beneficially? When you share your thoughts, it is a good practice to include steps for implementation.

Model Your Approach

If you are an entrepreneur, your business can be a laboratory for practical innovation. Explain the nature of your experiment to your team members so that they can share feedback about new processes or organizational changes. This will not only help you refine your ideas but will also encourage a culture of innovative thinking in your workplace.

Develop Regular Content

Regular content is the main way that thought leaders share information. With online publishing forums like eBooks, blogs and social media, it is easy to get your thoughts into the world.

However, being recognized as a thought leader takes time. It may take a series of blog posts or articles before people start paying attention outside your local area. Developing a regular publishing schedule will create a sense of anticipation in your audience. 

Invite, Don’t Sell

In several surveys, top business leaders have shared their opinions about online content. Their common desire is to read innovative thoughts that are specific to their industries. They will skip past generic copy that does not add anything new.

Self-promotion is another issue. As soon as the article becomes focused on the author, they will set it aside. As a thought leader, your opinions and vision are your calling card. When you share information that gives value to the reader, the content will market itself.

Growing as a Leading Thinker

What is thought leadership? It is turning your passion and knowledge into valuable industry insights. If you are looking for ways to improve your thinking process or share your ideas, contact the Productivity Intelligence Institute. I would be thrilled to work with you and help you unlock the benefits of thought leadership.

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Entrepreneurship

Do You Have An Entrepreneurship Mindset?

entrepreneurship mindset
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The world is fascinated by modern entrepreneurs. Stories of successful start-ups bring to mind the California gold rush of the 1850s. If only I can be at the right place at the right time, I will discover the genius idea that will make me rich.

There is always a measure of luck involved with business success, but a growing body of research shows that entrepreneurs share several characteristics. The entrepreneurial mindset is what carries these business leaders through repeated failures. It is also the inspiration that keeps them thriving after they find a measure of success.

What is the mindset of entrepreneurship?

Entrepreneurs are often experts in their fields. However, it is a set of entrepreneurial mindset characteristics that set them apart from other leaders.

Growth and Goal-Oriented Attitude

Psychologists make a distinction between growth and fixed mindsets. A fixed mindset assumes that everything should continue as it is. A great deal of effort goes into maintaining the status quo. 

A growth mindset assumes that things can always be better. Processes can be more streamlined, and products can be improved. To achieve this growth, entrepreneurs set actionable goals and work toward them without distraction.

Decisiveness

Neuroscientists have noticed the fast pace of entrepreneurial decision-making. It turns out that such leaders do not make snap decisions, but they are more efficient at making informed decisions. They combine their knowledge and experience with a gut-level response to make choices that move them forward.

Accountability

Decisions do not always pan out as expected, but successful entrepreneurs do not play the blame game. When they experience failure, they accept responsibility for their choices and try to learn from what happened. A growth mindset accepts personal responsibility for both success and failure.

Resilience

Almost every well-known entrepreneur has as many stories of setbacks as positive outcomes. These individuals always know that failure is a possibility, and they work hard to prevent it. They also learn when to let go of a failed idea to start something new.

Improvisation and the Entrepreneurship Mindset

As a professional musician and business consultant, I see parallels between the mindset of entrepreneurship and playing in a jazz ensemble. Over the years, I have seen naturally-gifted musicians who make improvisation look easy. However, I have also played with instrumentalists who had to work hard to find their sound.

Taking in the Music

A big part of successful improvisation is paying attention and listening. What can you pull from the melody, and what can you add? How have the other musicians set up your solo? 

Entrepreneurs must also pay attention to what is going on around them. They are problem solvers who figure out how to meet consumer needs. When they look at what is in front of them, they are always thinking about how to make it better.

Riding out Your Decision

Improvisation is about experimentation. Of course, you can stay in the safety of a familiar rhythm and melodic line, but the real fun is in searching for possibilities. A few sour notes will let you know that you may have gone too far. However, a real jazz musician does not put down the instrument and walk away. She will adapt the melody and bring the music back on track.

Business leaders will also make imperfect decisions. Their plans may fall apart due to forces beyond their control. A common sign of the entrepreneurial mindset is the ability to recover, adapt and grow.

Making It Look Easy

When a great jazz ensemble plays at a club, it feels like they are doing something easy. Most audiences do not recognize the amount of effort that goes into learning and perfecting an instrument. It is the hours in the practice room that make the performance look like its second nature.

Entrepreneurs have a reputation for taking advantage of unexpected opportunities. However, they can only do so because they have done the hard work that sets them up for success. There may be luck involved, but tenacity and diligence are also necessary.

How to Share the Mindset of Entrepreneurship in Your Business
To move from a start-up to a full-fledged business, you will want to cultivate the entrepreneurship mindset in your team members. Inspiring this kind of permission-giving culture will help you grow in unexpected ways. For your leadership, this transition will require humility. You are moving from being the main soloist to becoming an interdependent ensemble. For your team members, this change will require education and freedom.

Provide the Necessary Tools

To gain confidence, your need your team members to grow in expertise. Make education a priority. Expect that your team members will always be learning something new.

Let Them Play

It can be tempting for the most experienced musicians to take all the solos, but your team will never learn that way. Allow them to pursue new ideas and take risks. 

Keep Things Light

Musicians who are afraid of making mistakes will never learn to improvise. If an honest effort results in a failed experiment, use it as a learning opportunity. When your employees are walking on eggshells around you, they will be too scared to take risks that lead to growth.

Growing the Entrepreneurial Spirit

You and your team can learn to adopt many entrepreneurial mindset characteristics. When you do, you will create a workplace that is innovative, exciting and fun. If you are looking for a partner on your entrepreneurial journey, I would be delighted to work with you.

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Managing Virtual Teams

Announcing a Painless Way to Manage Virtual Teams

Manage Virtual Teams
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Communication: Managing Virtual Teams without the Pain

Managing teams has always been a challenge. When you bring a group of people together, there is a constant possibility of disagreement and conflict. Different works rates and communication styles also muddy the waters of collaboration. When you take those challenges and put them online, it can be even more difficult to get things done.

Most professionals assume that a virtual team is less productive and efficient than an in-person group. However, with the right management style, virtual teams can exceed the performance of onsite teams. Clear communication is the key to managing virtual teams to success.

Successful Strategies for Managing: Communication

Before the 2020 pandemic, businesses were experimenting with the possibilities of remote teams. Using online tools, a group can include people from across the country and around the world. This ability increases the diversity of team members and creates new opportunities for innovation and unexpected connections. The arrival of COVID-19 made such remote teams a necessity.

Many of the typical strategies for managing teams are not as effective in remote settings. They rely on establishing a team culture through the many small daily encounters that happen in a shared space. For a remote team, there must be an intentional focus on communication and connection.

Provide Resources for Tech Proficiency

Online communication begins with a shared platform. The team members must not only have access to the same communication software, but they must also know how to use it. There is nothing more frustrating to an online meeting than participants who cannot unmute themselves or share their screens at the right time.

The group must also agree on how to communicate outside of regular meetings. If you are managing global virtual teams, you may be dealing with several time zones, and phone communication may not be feasible. You also want to establish expectations about person-to-person versus group emails and texts.

Establish Trust

In an office setting, team members learn to trust one another through casual interactions. They make connections over shared interests or family situations. Developing this kind of rapport can be difficult online.

A growing number of remote teams are using unstructured coworking models to develop closer relationships. At a designated time, team members join together online. However, it is not a formal meeting. Each person works on a piece of the project in the same virtual space. Sometimes, these sessions may involve no talking at all or only brief moments of consultation. It seems that being available for one another over an extended period helps create professional trust.

Establish Accountability

The most effective teams know that they can rely on one another to get the pieces of the project done. As the manager, you must foster a culture of accountability. Remote team members may not feel as much pressure to accomplish tasks. Having them share progress reports in an open forum creates a social pressure to achieve.

Communicate the Company Culture

In a remote group, the team members may not all come from the same organization. Managing global virtual teams may involve freelancers and contractors as well as regular employees. By helping each person feel like they are part of the larger organization, you are encouraging them to work toward a shared goal.

Virtual managers should also communicate their expectations about issues like deadlines and participation early in the onboarding process. They should understand the group’s style of communication. Some teams prefer a free-for-all discussion style, while others work with a turn-based method for input.

Evaluate the Process

Participating in virtual teams is new territory for many of your employees. It will take time to learn what is and is not working. Dedicating time to regular evaluation will help streamline the team’s process. In a global team, are there barriers to communication beyond time zones? Are there cultural assumptions that prevent dialogue? Addressing the blind spots of a diverse team will lead to greater trust and enhanced cooperation.

Celebrate Progress

Communicating in a virtual team does not just need to be about deadlines and status reports. It should also focus on positive progress. 

Acknowledging excellence and celebrating completed project milestones help the team focus on the final goal. Giving a weekly shoutout to an outstanding member will also cultivate respect. As the team hears about positive achievements, they will have a better sense of one another’s capabilities.

If it is possible for your team, you might consider hosting an occasional in-person gathering. A retreat that celebrates the completion of one project and launches the next provides in-person interactions that will sustain the virtual work.

Meeting the Challenge of Managing Virtual Teams

Helping managers develop effective teams is one of the goals of my organization. I can provide tools and advice that will help you get the best performance from your group. Whether you are working with a traditional in-person model or stepping into the world of virtual management, I will work hard to help you succeed. Contact the Productivity Intelligence Institute today.

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Creating High-Performing Teams

Stay One Step Ahead of the Challenges of Virtual Teams

Challenges of Virtual Teams
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Overcoming Roadblocks to Effective Virtual Teams

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses were offering their employees more flexible, work-from-home options. The sudden switch to lockdown life made virtual teams a necessity for businesses used to an in-person model. Remote collaboration brings a host of challenges. However, virtual teams are an asset when treated as an effective tool rather than a temporary substitute.

Changing Your Point of View

As a management and productivity consultant, I have seen many clients struggle with the effective implementation of virtual teams. A big part of the problem is that they are trying to recreate the experience of an in-person team in an online forum. Collaborating with colleagues on a screen or in a chatroom will never be the same as an in-person meeting. As soon as you give up that expectation, you are ready to unleash the potential of virtual team management.

An effective virtual team can be productive and efficient. According to the American Psychological Association, remote workers have a higher level of job satisfaction. Their performance is at the same level as in-person colleagues and often slightly better.

Handling the Challenges of Virtual Teams

Remote groups involve a unique form of teamwork. Once you embrace it as a working model, you can address the challenges of virtual teams. The common roadblocks that most virtual managers encounter include:

  • Team trust issues
  • Communication
  • Problems with technology
  • Personal support
  • Team accountability

Developing Team Trust in the Virtual World

Your team members must rely on one another. In an in-person setting, trust develops over time as people see completed projects and have positive interactions with one another. As a manager, you will need to take steps to help your team develop trust. Some of the techniques that I find work best for virtual groups include:

  • Highlighting the gifts and relevant experience of team members.
  • Pointing out individual moments of excellence.
  • Providing time for social interaction.

Improving Team Communication

Virtual team communication can be a challenge. In an in-person meeting, team members can see non-verbal cues such a facial expressions and body stance. It is also easier to gauge differences in tone. Sarcasm works with people in the same room, but it can create confusion in a text.

Managers must take a different approach for virtual meetings. Most online meeting platforms work best when only one person speaks at a time. This setup can be frustrating during a brainstorming session. Some managers have all participants stay muted unless they are addressing the group. Others use a round-robin meeting style where team members speak in order one at a time.

Another way to improve communication and increase trust is to make each team member responsible for a portion of the meeting. The online forum makes it possible for some team members to coast by allowing more talkative members to dominate the time. In some cases, tech-savvy employees have figured how to automate their virtual presence. An effective virtual manager will make certain that every voice is heard.

“Evelyn Wood wouldn’t do it this way,” wrote Boston Globe

Using Technology Effectively

Some people are more excited about technology than others. When a virtual team begins, everyone must be on the same page. Each team member may have different computer hardware and internet speeds. If technology gets in the way of productivity, you may need to help your employees upgrade their systems.

Using technology effectively will involve training. First, you must confirm that team members are accessing the right resource for their virtual meetings. You may have to spend some time helping employees learn the basics so that they can share their screens, mute themselves and send real-time messages.

Supporting Remote Employees

If you are working with a virtual group used to working in an in-person mode, they will need support as they adapt to the change. Newly remote employees can struggle to maintain appropriate boundaries between their work and home lives. They may find that they are tackling work projects long after their official work hours, a practice that can lead to burnout.

Virtual managers cannot control the work practices of their employees in the same way that they can in an office. However, they can set examples and clarify expectations to maintain a healthy work culture. Some ways to support virtual team members include:

  • Using hour-tracking software to make certain employees are not working too much or too little.
  • Offering tips for creating a home office workspace.
  • Enforcing a policy of no after-hours emails or work-related communication.
  • Help employees with accessing the right resource for mental and emotional support.
  • Setting an example of appropriate work/life boundaries.

Setting Goals and Expectations

Determining the effectiveness of a team is different in an online setting. You might walk through an office and see your employees at work. You can receive an immediate response about project progress. For virtual teams, breaking larger goals into smaller pieces offers a better assessment tool. Developing clear expectations and timelines will help increase productivity while working from home.

Consulting for Both Virtual and In-Person Teams

At the Leonard Productivity Intelligence Institute, it is my goal to help managers develop effective teams in every setting. Whether you manage a team that is in-person, virtual, or somewhere in between, I would be thrilled to work with you.

Categories
Creating High-Performing Teams

How to Build a High-Performance Team

High-performance team
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How to build a high-performance team 

Being a great team member can improve a job that you love or make a job that you don’t love bearable. When people love their team, they want to come to work each day. They may even choose to spend time with one another outside of the office. Great teams are energetic, and they get things done. High-performing teams require outstanding leadership. How can you build a high-performance team? Research shows that leaders of great teams have these five characteristics. 

1. They Inspire Rather than Micromanage 

Teams that perform at a high level generally have leaders who create energy and excitement within the team. This inspires members to do more. It helps them feel that what they’re doing is important. When people feel special, they tend to work harder and feel happier. 

Inspire your people with continuous learning. High-performing teams appreciate feedback and use it to learn and improve. Create a work environment that welcomes feedback, one that doesn’t become defensive when constructive feedback is shared. 

Be sure to implement a reward system that emphasizes good performance. Make sure that you are collecting data to see what is working and what isn’t. This will help you improve your managing techniques.  

2. High Performing Teams Have Managers Who Set Stretch Goals 

When managers set stretch goals, they encourage their teams to push themselves to achieve something that may seem impossible. People don’t want to arrive at their workplace to labor at something that other teams could do easily. They want to stand out and perform tasks that make a difference. 

Performing important tasks will help your employees see that they are necessary and special, increasing their job satisfaction. This will help their work engagement and job pride grow.  

Teams that perform at an elevated level celebrate their successes together. They also express appreciation for each team member’s contributions to their successes. United celebrations inspire a strong collaboration culture, and it helps every person on the team feel linked and valued. 

3. Great Teams Have Trusted Leadership

 

Great teams trust their leaders. If a manager isn’t trusted, they cannot inspire people to perform at their highest level or resolve issues. Leader insights include developing the ability to get a team to believe in stretch goals and trust in their everyday communications. 

Research shows that there are three main supports that form trust. The first one is developing relationships. People trust those they like. For this support, establish relationships with your team members. The second support is knowledge or skills. People trust those who can help them resolve issues. The last support is to be consistent. If you tell someone that you’ll do something, then be sure to follow through. This managing technique develops trust. 

Management insights include promoting someone to the position of team lead who other people on the team turn to naturally for information or guidance. Also, pay attention to each person on your team to locate those who naturally create unity within the group. These are the humans who you should promote.  

4. High Performance Requires Leaders who can Handle Conflict

 

Conflict within a team will turn a high-performing group into a dysfunctional one in record time. To keep your team performing well, act quickly when conflicts arise. Accept that anytime there is a group of people working together, conflict is bound to happen. 

It’s easy to assume that adults will manage disagreements effectively on their own. If this were the case, then there wouldn’t be wars or divorce. To keep your team working well together, you will need to step in when members aren’t getting along. 

Work to streamline your team’s communications. Teams that perform at a high level must be agile and dedicated. You can accomplish this with streamlined communications. Ensure that every member of your team is on the same page with clear employee expectations and work processes. This step may help diffuse situations that could become challenging. 

Some workplaces encourage competition between teams, but cooperation almost always works better. When your team labors together, they’ll be more likely to achieve excellent results. 

5. Focus on Communication

 

High-performing teams have leaders who focus on communication. Don’t be afraid to repeat yourself by reminding your team about the company’s vision and your group’s direction. To be an effective team leader, it’s important to stay on message. 

People are easily distracted. Help your team focus by reminding them of their goals and what they need to do to accomplish them. Keep your team up to date on how they are doing and each project completion timeframe. 

Today’s technology is amazing. As a leader, you can use it to communicate with your team members more frequently, but keep in mind that the human brain is designed for in-person connections. To communicate well, the human brain considers body language, facial shifts, and pheromone signals. These things are mainly lost when people interact with each other through technology. 

Inspire your team by encouraging connection. To help your people feel connected to a group of their fellow employees, establish unified purposes. Do this by creating transparent goals that your team can accomplish with connection and alignment. 

Managing a high-performing team requires you to assess work priorities and goals to make sure that they align with your company’s values and are effective. Be sure to communicate with your team regularly and check in on progress.  

High-Performance Teams Will Help You Succeed

 

Build a high-performance team by embracing management skills that excite, inspire trust, and resolve conflict. When people are members of high-performing teams, they’ll feel proud of their work and a greater sense of self. For tips and guidance on how to become a beloved leader, visit us at Productivity Intelligence. 

Categories
Managing Virtual Teams

How to Manage Virtual Teams

Virtual Teams
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Utilizing Multiple Techniques That Can Help You to Manage Virtual Teams

While you manage virtual teams, you may implement strategies that will increase productivity, improve communication, promote teamwork and reduce numerous types of expenses. Ideally, you should frequently schedule virtual meetings, and the company can create long-term goals, cultivate a professional environment, provide various incentives and customize a detailed schedule.

Creating a Flexible Schedule That Could Increase Productivity

Many studies have suggested that a detailed schedule can improve the efficiency of employees, and once you develop a custom schedule, the representatives could evaluate necessary tasks, upcoming meetings, important notes and several types of projects. You may also utilize project management software that can frequently provide important notifications. Generally, these strategies could help the team to accomplish many types of goals.

Evaluating Games That Can Improve Teamwork

Recently, multiple neuroscientists studied complex games that can improve virtual team building, and during each game, the employees will learn to trust their colleagues. The virtual team building games can enhance communication, stimulate creativity and improve the interpersonal dynamics of each group. If you organize games for virtual teams, the activities will also help the employees to evaluate the skills of their colleagues.

The games can significantly improve the morale of the employees, and the productive activities could considerably decrease chronic stress. Moreover, the complex games may reduce the production of cortisol. This stress hormone can affect the neurons, the dendrites and each person’s metabolism. Once the activities decrease levels of cortisol, the games could prevent fatigue, increase the self-esteem of many employees and stimulate the production of serotonin.

Managing Virtual Meetings

During each meeting, the employees can share innovative ideas, evaluate the efficiency of each team, describe numerous achievements and ask important questions. The professionals may also examine the challenges that could affect the business, and the employees should create comprehensive solutions that can help the company to overcome these obstacles.

The team could also provide detailed presentations, and the employees may evaluate relevant statistics, the performance of each team, long-term goals and predictive forecasts. According to neuroscience research, these techniques could consistently enhance innovation, improve communication and increase the productivity of a cross functional team. The meetings can also help the employees to cultivate professional relationships.

Simplifying Important Tasks and Increasing Efficiency

Once you create a cohesive team, you may use a cutting-edge software program that could improve automation, reduce the complexity of many tasks and decrease the duration of each project. Typically, these tools can increase the productivity of every team, and the software program may significantly reduce a company’s expenses.

The managers should clearly describe each task, and the supervisors can also explain the responsibilities of every employee. When the team manages a project, the team may create a detailed timeline that could allow the employees to evaluate upcoming milestones.

Avoiding Distractions and Improving the Workspace

The team can provide guidelines that could help the employees to reduce distractions. Usually, the workers should avoid distracting websites, noisy environments and online videos. Each employee can also create a home office that features a useful desk, important accessories and adequate storage space. Generally, a home office can prevent distractions, and the custom office could also decrease stress, provide a private sanctuary and reduce various types of expenses.

Sharing Important Information

The project manager should encourage the employees to share valuable information, and when the employees discuss personal topics, the colleagues may increase trust, improve social bonds and evaluate the needs of other employees. If you organize games for virtual teams, you could select games that will allow the colleagues to discuss important information. While the employees are enjoying the games, each worker can evaluate the personalities of colleagues, the goals of other employees and each colleague’s ideas.

Providing Important Incentives

Once you create a virtual team, you can offer multiple rewards that will incentivize the employees. If a team achieves major goals, each employee could receive a one-time bonus, or the manager may increase the salaries of the employees. These incentives could improve motivation, optimize the morale of the employees and promote innovation.

Each business should create a clear-cut plan that describes the company’s goals, the available incentives and the achievements of many employees. Usually, this technique could increase the competitiveness of each team, and consequently, the employees may complete necessary tasks, accomplish important goals and motivate their colleagues.

Reducing Chronic Stress and Improving Well-Being

Multiple studies have suggested that chronic anxiety may affect more than 50 percent of employees who work at home. If you would like to relieve stress, you could frequently participate in extracurricular activities, and you may enjoy high-quality workouts that could increase the production of endorphins. Neuroscience research has indicated that the training sessions can augment the level of norepinephrine within the brain. Norepinephrine is an important neurotransmitter that could substantially increase attentiveness, and the natural compound can improve critical thinking, reduce anxiety and stimulate creativity.

Learning More Information and Contacting Our Business

The Leonard Productivity Intelligence Institute is a well-known business that provides consulting services, and the company can help project managers to create successful teams. If you manage a cross functional team, you could examine detailed guidelines, several types of courses and project management tools.