Ten Rules of Engagement When You Attend Training

When you attend training in your work world what are your expectations? I am sure yours are like mine. Interesting, relevant and useful are right at the top of most people’s list. Have you ever considered what the trainer’s expectations are? That might put a different spin on your perspective.

 

I have been a trainer for financial institutions for several decades and here are a few of the Rules of Engagement for the attendee:

1. Come prepared to engage in the learning.
2. Be on time.
3. Bring an open mind.
4. Don’t forget a sweater or a jacket if you tend to be cold-natured.
5. If you bring a laptop or tablet, don’t cause a distraction to others by keyboarding or checking your email or Facebook.
6. Leave your cell phone on vibrate or off and in your pocket or handbag.
7. Participate; ask questions, speak so everyone in the room can hear you.
8. Take notes.
9. Return to your workplace prepared to discuss what was covered.
10. Provide feedback on your evaluation about how the training experience was for you.

Still learning,

Honey

Pump Up the Bottom Line with Engaged Employees

What is the motivation to investigate and implement strategies that promote employee engagement? Gallup says that disengaged employees may be costing the US economy $450-$550 billion per year! Their research goes on to say that on the average ONLY 30% of the workforce is engaged. The remaining 70% are most likely committed to undermine what engaged workers accomplish.

Imagine the results at your shop if you could bump up the number of engaged employees. Engaged employees are more dependable, they operate from a “can do” way of thinking versus “can’t do”. Engaged employees are 21% more productivity and leave customers feeling appreciated and cared about. Happy, capable employees help recruit happy, capable new hires. Happy employees leave a positive impression on the customer and the end result is happier customers. Happy customers refer new customers.

Empowering and engaging your employees is about leadership. Provide innovative and effective leadership training. Set the bar high for management; leaders are to be on the lookout for ways to encourage and challenge employees to stretch and discover their potential. Inspiring and coaching employees to increase their capability.

The most engaged workers say they work for a leader that has confidence in them. The road to engagement for employees is paved with a sense of responsibility towards their leaders and a belief that what they do and how they do it is valued.

There isn’t a vaccination or miracle vitamin that ensures employee engagement. What brings engaged employees forward in the workplace is leadership. Leadership is a skill. Provide leadership training. Expect managers to learn how to lead. Then your leaders can pump up the bottom line with engaged employees.

“Leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders.” – Tom Peters

Still learning,

Honey

 

 

 

 

 

Go For Win-Win!

 

Foster a win-win mindset by focusing on the development of three character traits:

Integrity

Integrity means treating everyone by the same set of honorable principles. Do what you say you’ll do and own it when you don’t. Respect the time, space and boundaries of others as well as yourself. Work hard to respect what you say and what you write. Honor your agreements.

 

Maturity

Maturity is walking the balance beam of courage and consideration. Expressing feelings and convictions with courage offset with consideration for the feelings and convictions of others requires maturity, particularly issues that matter greatly to all parties.

 

Abundance Mentality

An abundance mentality supports the belief that this is a world of plenty and that there is enough for everybody. It results in the sharing of accomplishments, recognition, profits and decision making. It encourages possibilities and creativity.

Polish your commitment to go for a win-win mindset and you will find the quality of your relationships, partnerships and engagement with others will take on a new shine.

Still learning,

Honey

Creating Training Advocates

The core solution for training effectiveness in your organization is buy-in from all key influencers. Work at tapping into successful lobbying skills as you seek to encourage role models to value learning and training!

A lobbyist is defined as someone who tries to influence others on behalf of a special interest.

Here is your checklist for success:

• Solicit feedback without becoming defensive – take a look what people are saying they need, want, wish was different
• Find your champion – go for as high up the food chain as possible
• Promote and embrace continuous improvement - how to streamline, elevate quality
• Seek endorsement for tying learning outcomes and training attendance to performance appraisals
• Form a training council – not to be confused with a committee – small advisory team
• Survey your talent pool – find the artists, writers, cartoonists, teachers to help make training sizzle

Still learning,

Honey

Embrace your failures

 
 

Our modern society conditions us to avoid fiascos. The thought of failing stresses us out when we are expected to impress our manager with exceptional results just as it did when we were kinds wanting to impress our parents in a school play.

While a failure might knock you down temporarily, it’s important to get back on your feet with the valuable lessons shrouded by the letdown. These lessons are often overlooked as we are preoccupied with feelings of shame.

Be mindful and don’t let discouragement hold you back. Embrace your failures and look for what they teach you instead of what you dread in them. Find that hard? Here is some advice to look at letdowns from a different angle:

• Let it be an inspiration. A bad experience will allow you to approach a future challenge with newly gained insights.


• Let it build your courage. When you are more comfortable with failing you’ll not only be able to take more risks, your mind won’t be clouded by anxiety and fear of failing again.


• Let it motivate you. When you know what disappointment feels like, you’ll be more focused and work harder to elevate yourself.

Still Learning,

Honey

How To Diffuse Any Heated Customer Interaction With Ease

Don’t we all wish that every customer interaction is a smooth and pleasant experience where all parties respect each other? The reality is that some experiences, unexpected news or unfortunate events can bring out a strong negative energy in some customers. In the heat of the moment those customers can vent their emotions on the people in your front-line: your tellers. Training your tellers to handle these heated customer interactions with confidence and calmness is imperative. Equip your tellers with the techniques that enable them to satisfy the hard-to-please by using the five point customer contact rule.

1. Remain friendly and keep your smile upDon’t raise your defenses, it will turn the situation into a power struggle
2. Show interest in the customer’s issueShowing genuine interest is a strong signal that you are committed to solving the issue
3. Maintain eye-contactDon’t look away, stay focused on the customer as this is yet another signal that you are dedicated to find a solution
4. Express appreciation for their feedbackSignaling that your customer’s feedback is important shows that your organization puts its customer's satisfaction first.
5. Use the customer’s name
   Using the customer’s name makes the conversation a little more personal and it grabs people’s attention. Bring your customer out of a frenzy by repeating their name to get their focus back.

Using these techniques will show your customer you are interested in resolving their issue professionally. It will quickly bring the heat down so you have the opportunity to get to the root of the problem, find a solution and ultimately provide outstanding service.

 

Still learning,

Honey

Leading the Way at the Branch

The highly accomplished basketball coach at Duke University, Coach Mike Krzyzewski, has earned a reputation for being an outstanding leader. In his book, Leading with the Heart, Coach K says, “There are five fundamental qualities that make every team great: communication, trust, collective responsibility, caring, and pride. I like to think of each as a separate finger on the fist. Any one individually is important. But all of them together are unbeatable.” His philosophy for the business world is to approach it like basketball. “Business, like basketball, is a game of adjustments. So be ready to adjust.” 

 

Leadership isn't better than management nor is it a replacement for it. Not all leaders have responsibility for managing others but, more often than not they do. Leadership is circuitous; what you give is what you need to get. A classic example at the bank is the role of the branch manager. Here the leader is given a set of objectives and is expected to work with a team to produce meaningful results. The branch manager will need a dynamic role model that is devoted to encouraging and coaching the manager to success.

 

Effectiveness as a leader doesn't include walking on water or perfection. Rather it includes a genuine desire to make a difference – to continuously work on personal effectiveness. At the same time, recognize that the more you contribute and the higher up the ladder you go, the more vulnerable you become. Taking on more responsibility and signing up for big challenges increases the risks associated with scrutiny, failure, criticism and disappointment. Yet, when weighing all the odds, the chance to experience a deep sense of personal satisfaction that comes with meaningful work will make the effort outweigh the risk.

 

Still learning,

 

Honey