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Emma McQueen

Leadership

5 Top Tips for Getting a New Manager Up and Running

| All Posts, Leadership

I was coaching a leader who was new into a business, having come from a different industry, being used to working at a different pace, and having not quite grasped the new business. His manager suggested a coach to help him get adjusted to the new way of working and to help him get up to speed quickly. I was hired as the new coach. 

We all want our new employees to succeed, however many feel overwhelmed with their new work place, the new expectations placed upon them, and the new set of dynamics- from executive relationships, to the politics that play out in the boardroom. 

I am often asked how to set employees up for success. There are a myriad of ways to do this, however here are my top 5:

1. Let them listen! Let them take the time to listen to their direct reports, employees, the business and the boss, to discover the great things about working in your business and to find out what the pain points are within the business.

2. A plan of some sort is a good start – what do they want to achieve in 30/60/90 days? Does their plan match yours? Be clear about what you want them to focus on for the first 3 months (SMART goals anyone?)

3. Set them up with a buddy within the business and a mentor or coach external to the business. 

4. Discuss with them what they need from a professional development standpoint (which you should know from the recruitment process).

5. Work with them to determine success measures, so that you both know, very clearly, and before the end of the 90 days whether they are on the right track.

My final thought – please, please, please provide them with feedback early and often so that they know if they are doing a good job/excellent job/poor job.

If you have a new employee (manager/leader), who wants to be successful fast, check out my propel to success program. The first 90 days as a brand-new manager can be an exciting time, but it can also be difficult, daunting and overwhelming. Propel to success can offer the support new managers/leaders need in order to succeed in their new role in a way that makes learning practical and ensuring it sticks.

Be Enthusiastic, optimistic and energetic, everyday

Em x

What happens when you are too nice?

| All Posts, Difficult Conversations, Leadership, Results

Since working for myself I have really struggled to put into words the things that I need when I have sought out some extra help from a third party.  I know what I need to do to get the job done but there are no mind readers out there? So, I just have to work that little bit harder to be very clear about what it is I need. 

Two of the biggest things I am guilty of when communicating with people is assuming that; they know more than they actually do; and that they can read my mind.  

How often have you been guilty of making these assumptions?  

The easiest ways to avoid confusion and provide clarity are to: 

  • Never make assumptions of people’s knowledge. Have open discussions about what it is they already know and what they need to know. 
  • Never think a person can read your mind (as great as it would be if they could). You need to ensure that you communicate clearly all the information that is needed and be direct with your requests (bearing in mind, they may need more information than you may need). 

The impact of assuming is that it ultimately leads to confusion and things not getting done correctly, if at all. 

Another key consideration is how clear you are about your requirements and expectations. I wonder how many people are unclear about their expectations? Lack of clarity around this is especially a trap for women who don’t want to upset other people. An issue many of us face is that we want to come across as “nice” all the time and we can sometimes mistake being direct as being unpleasant. 

If your desire is to be “nice” it is not at all about the message you are trying to get across, but the way you communicate it. I truly believe that you can be kind and communicate clearly in business. Here are three things that may help to ensure it works as well as it can: 

  • Work on the relationship first and foremost, and ensure both understand each other’s intention. Having said that, we all judge the actions of a person rather than the intent, so make sure your actions align to your intent 
  • Talk about what happens under stress for each of you before a stressful situation arises. Discuss how you will deal with it so that you can very clearly say “I am under a bit of stress at the moment” or, so that you can say “I can see that you are struggling right at the moment, what can I do to help” 
  • When you make a mistake, admit it, apologise, talk about it and move on 

Take time to ensure the person you are communicating with is clear and understands your expectations. Going back to the above, ensure that you do not assume their knowledge or that they can read your mind. Having these discussions in the first instance provides clarity and understanding.  

By being clear and direct we ensure that everyone is on the same page and that we are getting the things we need. 

So next time you need something, be clear with the person who you need it from around expectations and timelines. Help them out, which in turn helps you out. 

If having clear and direct conversations is something that you are struggling with, please get in touch. I offer tailored coaching programs and can help you. 

Be enthusiastic, optimistic and energetic everyday 

Em x 

Do the Work!

| Action Station, All Posts, Leadership, Results

I have recently spoken about showing up (or the act of not showing up and what this can mean). Now I feel like the natural progression is to talk about doing the work, or GSD (Getting Shiz Done)! 

It is so easy when you are under the pump to feel overwhelmed and get bogged down in how much work there is to do, and instead of getting on with it, sitting on it and stressing about how much there is to do. This is a trap that we are all guilty of falling into, but one that that we need to recognise and get out of immediately. 

Take Bree for example. Bree is a busy working mum like most of us. She juggles kids, work, a busy household and (when she gets time) a life. It all got the better of her recently. She had just taken on a new role at work, a role that she was more than capable of, in fact it was her dream role. However, the timing of it coincided with her partner being out of town on business; the start of a new school year for her eldest; her youngest getting sick; and her kids being unusually emotional (feeding off her vibes). 

Her go-to feeling in this unusually stressful situation was that of absolute overwhelm, and it left her paralysed with no ability to get on with it. Instead of simply doing the work and taking small steps forward, she let everything go. What resulted was her boss needing to pull her aside and question if she was keeping up with the changed workload. 

Not getting shiz done can be due to many reasons. We all find ourselves in situations where we are perhaps overwhelmed, suffering mind blocks, lacking confidence – whatever it may be that is stopping us from getting on with it. At these times we need to acknowledge it and implement a strategy to ensure we can get on with it. One of the things I find helpful is taking time when I am not stressed to develop a self-care plan that I can access when I am feeling like this. Check out my bog Who’s Looking After You for tips on developing a self care plan.

Similar to not showing up, not getting shiz done can have many ongoing negative impacts; the work compounds, people notice you – for the wrong reason and you can develop a bad reputation. Check out more.

One of my core values in life is progress over perfection. This is all about not sweating the small stuff and just getting on with things. It is about not being scared of giving things a go. It is about trusting in yourself that you are capable.  Sounds simple in theory, and it is actually quite simple in practice too. 

So how do we get on with it and get shiz done? Here is my simple yet effective advice for exactly that: 

Write a list – of ONLY 3 things

I write a list of only 3 things to get done in a day. Of course, I have a longer list around, but if I get those 3 things done, I feel like I have achieved what I have needed to. If you need to, keep a longer list somewhere else.
Writing down the tasks you need to complete and prioritizing the list is so simple, yet super effective. Think of all those things that pop into your head on a daily basis, the things that you are continually putting to the back of your mind but that are also so important to complete. Write them down so you can focus on actually completing them. The bonus to this method is the absolute sense of achievement you will get from ticking items off the list once completed.  

Stop procrastinating – Do the HARDEST thing first!

I do the hardest thing on my list first and then give myself a fist pump for getting it done!  

Stop distractions and focus

Distractions are all around us and can be very hard to avoid, however you do have some control over this. Switch emails off, turn your phone onto to do not disturb, block out your calendar and request no disruptions from work colleagues for set times throughout the day. Use this time to focus on nothing else but tasks on your to do list. Eliminating these distractions and focusing will make the task at hand so much simpler. You may even find that you are completing it quicker than you thought you would. 

Seek out an accountability buddy

Sometimes not being accountable to anyone can mean we don’t do the work (this is something I see a lot of in small business owners). Find someone who you can share your goals with and check in with them at a regular frequency. Being accountable to someone other than yourself will help keep you on track. 

Revisit your goals  

If you have been with me for a while you would know that I like to set goals (yearly, monthly – sometimes even weekly).  Monitoring these goals is so important to ensuring that you are on track to reach them. If you are not getting shiz done, chances are you are not going to achieve your goals. Take time to reflect on your goals and implement those strategies that you need to, to ensure that you are on track to see results.

Implementing these strategies will help set you on the right path to getting shiz done.  Just think how good you will feel when you are ticking off the to do list and knowing that you are on top of your workload and where you need to be to move forward. Oh – and don’t forget to treat yourself when you feel like you have been super effective. This could be as simple as going for a walk or getting a coffee, just something to say, “I did good!” 

If you need some help getting shiz done, I’m your gal. I am results driven and expect results from my clients. I will keep you accountable and make sure that you are getting all the shiz you need to get done, done. Get in touch and see how we can work together.  

Leadership That Doesn’t Suck

| All Posts, Leadership

The horrific events that took place in New Zealand have rocked us all, but hasn’t Jacinda Ardern been amazing? In times of crisis it is so important to have a leader who people trust and respect. Jacinda Ardern has proved that she is such a leader.  

I have previously written about ‘Do I need to be a superhero to be a leader’ where I spoke about what the superhuman leader would look like. Up until this point there has not been a notable contemporary leader to compare this to, not anymore. Jacinda Ardern quite possibly is a superhuman leader. She is showing her nation and the world what a true leader is and my hope is that more leaders take on her ways. I truly believe that the way she leads can have such positive impact for so many. 

So, what are the outstanding characteristics that she is getting so right? 

Empathy

The empathy that Jacinda has shown everyone effected by this awful, nonsensical violence in this tragic time has been real and unwavering. However, her ability to be empathetic is something that is second nature to her (according to Jacinda). Upon taking office, Ardern said that her government would be “focused, empathetic and strong”. This important trait is one that she embodies in her everyday dealings. Imagine if we had more leaders that had the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Wowsers, that’s all I can say! 

Compassion

Jacinda has shown copious amounts of compassion in the wake of these tragedies. Her kindness, support and willingness to help those effected has been something that is not seen by everyday leaders, but it is something that I hope to see embodied by more leaders in the future. 

Positivity

If leaders could practice being positive and optimistic instead of focusing on the negative, people would be more likely to be engaged. At her first press conference following her election as leader, Jacinda Ardern said that the forthcoming election campaign would be one of “relentless positivity”. Following this, her party rose dramatically in opinion polls, just proving the power of positivity. Do you want to follow a leader who is positive? I do! 

Integrity

Integrity is the hallmark of a person who demonstrates sound moral and ethical principles. A person who has integrity lives his or her values in relationships with co-workers, customers, and stakeholders. Honesty and trust are central to integrity. If a leader has no integrity, chances are they are not going to be trusted by those they are leading. 

Clear Communication

A leader who can be clear in the way that they communicate is going to be better understood, and accepted. This relates to both delivery and receiving of information. It is important to ensure that what you are delivering is understood and if not, make sure that you follow up to ensure that it is. Also ensure that you are available and open to receiving communication and feedback, remembering that it is a two-way street. 

Kindness

Kindness encompasses what I do, but is not often seen as a leadership trait.  In fact, kindness in terms of leadership has previously been seen as a potential weakness. However, I believe that choosing kindness has the ability to make you a stand out leader. Being friendly, generous, and considerate (all important aspects of kindness) are things that we should all aim to be, especially if we are in a leadership role. Jacinda in her address to the General Assembly of United Nations called for kindness as the basis for action. Imagine the impact that kindness as the basis for action could have on a local level let alone a global one.

Some of these traits listed above have previously been seen as weaknesses in leaders, however if we all chose to be more deliberate in using these characteristics (or, letting them shine), a leader has the power to engage, motivate and gain the trust of the people they are working with. 

Having a leader who is trusted by their co-workers is integral to good business. Poor leadership has the potential to ruin organisations. Without the right investment, coaching and support, you will not have or be a great leader. Poor leadership leads to high turnover rates, workplace stress and declines in employee engagement, experience and performance. All organisations exist for a certain purpose; good management of employees and leadership are critical to ensure the purpose is fulfilled. Everyone has the innate ability to be a great leader. However, for many of us this does not come naturally. An intentional investment can turn a technical expert into a great people leader. 

If you have a new manager or leader who needs a bit of help navigating the way, check out my propel to success coaching package.