SERIES: Part Two of a Five-Part Article

We live in a world today that has more negative and discouraging stimulants than ever before. An effective managerial-leadership mindset is to continually model success traits and endlessly encourage others to demonstrate the same.

In many businesses today, an organization’s greatest detriment and enemy is not the economy, government, outside influences, market demands, customers or competition, but rather the unfocused, negative individual that assumes a “terrorist” daily behavior!

To ensure the greatness that resides within each person on your team is regularly showcased and your ability to draw upon individuals as strategic personnel assets is raised, consider:

1. Task Trait Assignment – Reevaluate which tasks you assign or delegate to individuals based upon which skills and abilities they truly posses versus tasking them out of habit. Psychology teaches us that when an individual does something from which they have a skill base and succeed, their self-esteem rises and, with that, their positive self talk, motivation, passion and commitment!

2. Demand Solutions – Create a new rule that demands when a problem arises (and it’s inevitable), individuals must present a minimum of two action-oriented solutions!

3. 360 on the Fly – Reestablish the culture and condition individuals to realize that everyone is now expected to regularly share success-oriented feedback with one another. In doing so, only solutions can be raised – never a mere critical analysis. In essence, you are dumbing down the traditional performance assessment approach to player performance improvement between a “boss” and an “employee.” You are also placing this responsibility and growth development action into the hands of everyone, at every level, at any appropriate time!

4. Learned Behavior Busting – Recognize that when someone uses excuses for non- performance, abdicates work activities, knowing someone else will assume the work, or takes to long to accomplish a task, this person has likely learned how to play the game of avoiding work throughout life. To break both of you from this destructive and corrosive behavior, hold that person accountable in a non-threatening manner.

5. Tough Love Them – Sometimes individuals on our team carry negative personal baggage and either display it to their professional peers or allow it to impede their productivity. In these instances, visit with them one-on-one, acknowledge the positive contributions they bring to the team and inquire if they realize that there is something interrupting that positive history and reputation, thus discrediting their public image. Allow yourself to be an enabler of success by partnering with them as an advocate for success and a willingness to be a sounding board for them if necessary. If this proves ineffective, elevate the need for a behavior adjustment on behalf by indicating the level of pain, discomfort, loss and trauma they may face if this unwanted behavior continues or elevates.

6. Honey Versus Vinegar – Surround them with positive stimulants (people, activities, tasks, assignments, etc.) and limit their exposure to the obvious negatives (disagreeable people, events, tasks, etc.).

7. Champion Them – Determine to where individuals on your team desire to ascend (where do you want to be next year or in five years within this business) and work endlessly and publicly to guide them and nurture them in that direction.

Leaders cultivate championship level attitudes and behaviors from their team, and a leader must occasionally ask him or herself how clued in are they to each individual on their team. Success leaves clues and like attracts like. If winners are what you want, condition individuals to be exactly that – winners!

Tell us about your winners.