09. Experts Weigh In On The Biggest Challenges Leaders Face Right Now

📰 Erin’s media career: Modernising the New York Times.  02:15💫 Showcasing the vision for the future and shaping beliefs and priorities around that future. 04:22🔀 Flexibility is here to stay: hybrid work model is the most preferred type of work but comes with challenges. 05:16⚗️ Using Experimentation to get the hybrid model right: HubSpot and three different models employees can choose from. 07:56😍 This time of great transformation: Sharing and connecting with people, understanding mental health, understanding that inclusion and diversity are about power.10:32🙃 Difference between individual contributor and manager. 12:41🤓 Leaders now have to learn a whole different way of leadership. 15:30💯 Looking at employee's well-being, more holistically, not just between nine to five.17:56🤝 Focusing on helping managers to figure out their priorities - personally and professionally. 20:08🏆 The highest rated companies this year are the ones that are actively caring for employees and communities by building trust, flexibility, autonomy, and greater clarity in their organization. 23:55😊 The ability to empathize is critical. 27:33🤩 High performing teams have high-quality connections: Collective weeks off, mentorship circles and red, yellow, green exercise. 28:40📋 Tips and studies on how to get the benefits of hybrid work. 33:04👂 Finding things in common: one on one 5-minute breakout exercise. 36:49✌️ Start small, show the vulnerability to your team. The #1 driver of successful teams is psychological safety. 39:52😎 Sign up for Charter’s newsletter: Research findings on best business practices and cliff notes of new business books. 41:16Linkswww.charterworks.comTeam Building Activities: https://better-teams.com/team-building-ideas/>> Connect with Leigh Ann: www.better-teams.com>> Get the Better-Teams model to identify your team’s strengths and greatest opportunities using a common language here: https://better-teams.com/better-teams-model/ 🖼️ Connect with Leigh Ann’ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leighannrodgers/

👩‍🎓 Leigh Ann founded the Team Consultant Academy in 2019. 01:02🙃 Executive coach Gayle Ely of Total Life Leadership on psychological well-being of employees. 03:24👓 Improvement leader Danielle Freeman of The Clorox Company on lack of clarity. 06:40😷 Wanda Walker from Uniquely Yours on the changes the pandemic brought and insights into organizational culture.09:59↘️Charterworks newsletter, McKinsey & Co. Knowledge Partner - reducing likelihood that women and people of color fall behind. 12:29🗓️ How teams use ‘hub weeks’ to come together 13:25.🥖 LBT Trivia Question: Where did the word culture originate from? 14:19🎯 Alex Suchman of Barometer Interactive on using games to promote strong team culture and identity. 15:00🤗 Innovation coach Mary Bolander of Mary Bolander LLC on solving creativity challenges. 19:015️⃣ The five steps of Design Thinking. 22:19🚩 Leading Better Teams Challenge. 23:26Join Forward & Get Your 1st month free using the coupon code: LeadingBetterTeams  https://leigh-ann-rodgers.mykajabi.com/join-forward >>Join Me in my Team Consultant Academy https://leigh-ann-rodgers.mykajabi.com/enroll-in-team-consultant-academy-aug-2021-cohort-1-1 >>Connect with guests:Gayle Ely, MBA, PCC  https://www.total-life-leadership.com/  Danielle S. Freeman, CMF, CVF https://www.linkedin.com/in/cidanielle/Wanda N. Walker, CLSSGB, CVF  https://uycllc.com/Alex Suchman, PMP https://www.barometerxp.com/Mary Bolander https://www.linkedin.com/in/marybolander/>>Links mentioned:Charterworks Newsletter, Knowledge Partner McKinsey & Co. https://www.charterworks.comDesign Thinking https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_thinking >> Connect with Leigh Ann: www.better-teams.com>> Get the Better-Teams model to identify your team’s strengths and greatest opportunities using a common language here: https://better-teams.com/better-teams-model/ 

🌟 Appreciation matters. 01:11🎯 Five core needs according to Maslow. 02:04🤩 Another way to think about appreciation. 04:271️⃣ Words of affirmation should be genuine, specific, and timely. 06:40🖥️ Creative approaches to words of affirmation 08:062️⃣ Acts of service. 15:47💪 Practical advice to implement acts of service. 16:19🤔 Better Teams Trivia Question: What is going to increase the pleasure for the receiver of a gift more?18:533️⃣ Appreciation with gifts. 21:534️⃣ Touch, as the fourth area of appreciation. 27:565️⃣ Quality time 28:59🪅 Fun and interesting ways to spend quality time. 30:58🚩 Leading Better Teams Challenge 36:43Facts at the beginning - https://hbr.org/2016/05/recognizing-employees-is-the-simplest-way-to-improve-moralehttps://www.tinypulse.com/blog/sk-employee-recognition-statsMaslow’s Hierarchy of Needs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs  Book:  The 5 Languages of Appreciation by Gary Chapman and Paul White https://www.appreciationatwork.com/5-languages-appreciation-workplace-improve-employee-engagement/ Kudo Board - https://www.kudoboard.com/ Celebration Gallery - https://better-teams.com/a-celebration-gallery-to-acknowledge-team-members/Certificates - https://better-teams.com/reward-recognize-a-virtual-team-with-certificates/Trivia - https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_psychology_can_help_you_choose_a_great_gift >> Connect with Leigh Ann: www.better-teams.com>> Get the Better-Teams model to identify your team’s strengths and greatest opportunities using a common language here: https://better-teams.com/better-teams-model/ >> Join FORWARD https://leigh-ann-rodgers.mykajabi.com/join-forward

🙄 The two reasons teams do not like changes. 01:22🤓 Many people are considering quitting jobs, so we need to adapt to retain our teams. 03:02📈 Bruce Tuckman’s stages of group development model. 04:11▶️ Coming together: Forming. 04:44🧠 The Storming phase. 05:52💪 The Norming phase and Performing. 06:34😇 Storming is a normal, natural process - so embrace this phase. 08:12🧠  LBT Trivia Question: How many thunderstorms are happening in the world right now? 11:48🗣️ Storming teams: The importance of communication during a time of change is huge. 12:18👂 Boost the number of check-ins with your team. 14:27🎧 Check out Episode #4 - 3 Ways to Align Your Team Around Goals, Roles, and Methods. 15:13⌚ When is the time for negotiation to kick in? 15:423️⃣  Three BOLD Leadership Questions, with Gisele Shelley Garcia. 16:50📖  “Changes are inevitable, and not always controllable. What can be controlled is how you manage, react, and work through the change process.” Kelly A. Morgan 17:49🚩 Leading Better Teams Challenge. 19:00https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/19/1-in-4-workers-is-considering-quitting-their-job-after-the-pandemic.htmlBetter Teams Assessment https://better-teams.com/assessment/Bruce Tuckman’s Model: http://web.mit.edu/curhan/www/docs/Articles/15341_Readings/Group_Dynamics/Tuckman_1965_Developmental_sequence_in_small_groups.pdfActivity Stages of Our Team https://leigh-ann-rodgers.mykajabi.com/better-teams-stages-of-our-teamGisele Shelley Garcia BOLD Leadership https://theglenbrookgroup.com/womens-leadership/>> Connect with Leigh Ann: www.better-teams.com>> Get the Better-Teams model to identify your team’s strengths and greatest opportunities using a common language here: https://better-teams.com/better-teams-model/ >> Join FORWARD https://leigh-ann-rodgers.mykajabi.com/join-forward

Leaders report being overwhelmed at an alarming rate. 01:021️⃣  Thinking versus feeling. 03:28🤩  Name it to tame it. 05:05🪜  The tool of using a scale from 1 to 10 to assess emotions. 06:07✍️  Write it down! 07:11🧠  LBT Trivia Question: How many pieces of information can we hold in our minds at one time? 08:272️⃣  The chunking technique. 09:09🙋 Ask your team about their progress each day. 13:273️⃣  Four different ways to prioritize. 13:54⚖️  Eisenhower Matrix or the urgent importance scale. 15:28🔤  ABC 123 method. 16:03🐸  Do we do the quick ones first? versus “Eating the frog” 17:26🤔  Pick your top three things for the week, month, quarter, year. 19:144️⃣  Schedule it in technique. 20:25💐  Batching work. 23:03🚩 Leading Better Teams Challenge. 24:55LinksDan Siegel, Name It To Tame It YouTube Videohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcDLzppD4Jc Psychology Today Scale of 1 to 10 Stress Reduction https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/joyful-parenting/201602/how-the-scaling-question-can-help-you-reduce-stress-20UK Study on Stresshttps://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/statistics/mental-health-statistics-stress#:~:text=Results%20of%20the%20Mental%20Health%20Foundation's%202018%20study&text=In%20the%20past%20year%2C%2074,overwhelmed%20or%20unable%20to%20cope.Forbes Study of Feeling Overwhelmed https://www.forbes.com/sites/joefolkman/2015/07/23/feeling-overwhelmed-you-are-far-from-alone/?sh=222653ce19a4LBT Trivia question - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2864034/Writing it down -  https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/memory-catcher/201710/is-it-better-write-hand-or-computerMinds hold 3 - 5 pieces of information (This is the trivia question - you have the link above)Eisenhower Matrix -https://www.eisenhower.me/eisenhower-matrix/ ABC123 Method - no reference for thisMichael Hyatt book: Free to Focus, Michael Hyatt >> Connect with Leigh Ann: www.better-teams.com>> Get the Better-Teams model to identify your team’s strengths and greatest opportunities using a common language here: https://better-teams.com/better-teams-model/ >> Join FORWARD https://leigh-ann-rodgers.mykajabi.com/join-forward

🛀 Calgon, “Take me away!” 01:01😞 Three out of four people say they’re feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope with stress. 02:33🤷‍♀️ Being the victim of our circumstances is an easy role to play.  04:19🙅‍♀️ “I'm busy”. It's code for “I'm stressed” but how to change that?   05:54🧣 The SCARF model. 08:08👑 We all desire status in our lives. 11:01👩‍⚕️ What is dopamine and how can status overwhelm us? 12:08😒 What have you said yes to, because you saw it as an opportunity to increase your status, but that you later regretted? 14:01🤩 Certainty and Autonomy. 13:38⛓️ What are you holding on to that someone else could do? 19:01🫂 Relatedness is how we feel connected to others. 19:50🧠 LBT trivia question: What is the hormone released in our brains when we feel connected to other people? 21:06🧐 Are you letting your need for relationships interfere with your judgment about workload distribution? 23:00❓ Fairness is about our desire for equal exchange between groups for people but are you being fair to yourself? 23:18🚩 Leading Better Teams Challenge. 26:20Old Calgon Commercial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yjgPgs0_S0Your Brain at Work:  Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long, by David RockSCARF Model>> Connect with Leigh Ann: www.better-teams.com>> Get the Better-Teams model to identify your team’s strengths and greatest opportunities using a common language here: https://better-teams.com/better-teams-model/ >> Join FORWARD https://leigh-ann-rodgers.mykajabi.com/join-forward

⚠️ All teams have at least one area where the team is not fully aligned. 01:02⚡ What are the challenges when aligning a team? 02:27🤔 What is team alignment? 06:22🧐 What does a team need to be aligned around? 08:04🚘 LBT Trivia Question: How often should you align your car tires? 10:28🌞 Re-aligning your team is a very proactive approach. 11:192️⃣ Roles and responsibilities while aligning your team. 12:02🔥 Using the RACI Method for role agreements. 14:42📝 Let’s talk about job procedures, and team norms.18:01✨ The Distinctive Leader exercise. 19:43✌️ Alignment is critical for the health of your team. 22:12🤓 The Better Teams Challenge 22:42LinksBetter Teams Assessment https://better-teams.com/assessment/RACI Method  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsibility_assignment_matrix Better Teams blog post mentioning Mark Smith’s book - The Distinctive Leader  https://better-teams.com/best-team-culture/ The Distinctive Leader, by Mark Smith https://www.amazon.com/Distinctions-Lessons-Leadership-Mark-Smith-ebook/dp/B017FCVR1QBetter Teams Model  https://better-teams.com/better-teams-model/ >> Connect with Leigh Ann: www.better-teams.com>> Get the Better-Teams model to identify your team’s strengths and greatest opportunities using a common language here: https://better-teams.com/better-teams-model/ >> Join FORWARD https://leigh-ann-rodgers.mykajabi.com/join-forward

🤕I’ve experienced the feeling of falling behind on many things during the last year. 1:59👍 Reframing my thinking and the new learning process has allowed me to catch back up. 3:15⏩ ‘Forward’ is my online community for leaders and facilitators. 5:34👣 A 4-step process to understand FOFB - fear of falling behind. 8:08🤔 Ask yourself - Are you really falling behind? 8:31🔔 LBT Trivia Question: What do 75% of super-achievers have in common? 9:455️⃣ Does it really matter if you are falling behind? Find the root of it by using the 5 Whys technique. 10:50⏳ Do I want to do it and do I need to do it are great questions, but be realistic about your time too. 13:18🍂 Our life comes in segments and there are seasons for some decisions. 15:53🏆 Importance of a good, diverse team. 14:25🥅 Are we realistic or is our bar too high? 17:02📋 Make your plan to accomplish your goal. 19:31🚩 Leading Better Teams Challenge. 22:58 >> Connect with Leigh Ann: www.better-teams.com>> Get the Better-Teams model to identify your team’s strengths and greatest opportunities using a common language here: https://better-teams.com/better-teams-model/ >> Join FORWARD https://leigh-ann-rodgers.mykajabi.com/join-forward >> Collaboration tools mentioned:  Mural, Miro, Klaxoon

💨 Why do we avoid, accommodate or compromise in conflict situations? 1:30💣 If we don't talk about unspoken issues openly and constructively, it will drain us. 3:25✨ The Thomas Kilmann Instrument (TKI) conflict management instrument. 04:29🐘 Steps for addressing the elephant in the room. 9:181️⃣ Be sure you are in the right mindset first. How to do that? 10:462️⃣ Choose your timing and approach wisely, and what to consider.14:44☝️ A good question to ask yourself about your objectivity! 18:033️⃣ Acknowledge and name the elephant in the room.18:41🙃 Team assessment is a great way to address the elephant too. 22:58🌸 LBT Trivia question: How do elephants communicate? 26:294️⃣ Establish the intention and ground rules to create a safe environment. 27:255️⃣ Moving into the discussion and identifying solutions. 30:236️⃣ Follow up and have accountability checks. 32:45🚩 Leading Better Teams Challenge. 35:32Connect with Leigh Ann: www.better-teams.comJoin FORWARD https://leigh-ann-rodgers.mykajabi.com/join-forward Check out the Better Teams Assessment https://better-teams.com/assessment/Connect with Wanda Walker -Uniquely Yours Consulting & More, LLC https://uycllc.com/about-us , Twitter: @uycllcWandaElephant facts: https://www.wwf.org.uk/learn/fascinating-facts/elephants

😞 So many people are feeling isolated due to pandemic. 1:02😟 We are Zoomed out and missing out on real connections. 2:56💡 How to recreate office closeness virtually? 05:11💻 1. Audio-visual connections and finding flexibility. 09:11🖥️ 2. Using a dedicated channel to connect only to a personal level. 11:32🎯 Even if you are not a social leader, participate in the team’s chatter and learn about them. 15:26😎 LBT Trivia Question: What decreases blood pressure, releases endorphins, increases your chances of promotion, and boosts your immune system, yet is contagious? 17:24🤝 3. Match-Ups: we naturally gravitate towards people who are like us. 18:50👍 Create a forced connection to kickstart a new relationship between teammates for just 15 minutes. 21:25☀️ One more way of creating match-ups. 24:14🗣️Offer conversation starter questions for your pairs. 24:45🤩 Better-teams blog post: 18 questions for starting a conversation https://better-teams.com/18-icebreaker-questions-to-get-to-know-your-team/  25:10⭐ As leaders, we must put energy into forging connections, which can sometimes get lost in the work. 28:24🚩 Leading Better Teams Challenge. >> Connect with Leigh Ann: www.better-teams.com>> 18 Questions to start a conversation: https://better-teams.com/18-icebreaker-questions-to-get-to-know-your-team/ >> Get the Better-Teams model to identify your team’s strengths and greatest opportunities using a common language here: https://better-teams.com/better-teams-model/  >> Join FORWARD https://leigh-ann-rodgers.mykajabi.com/join-forward