Yesterday I had to make a trip to Sephora in JCP. I confess I am a lip gloss addict! But I was lucky and met the Senior Vice President of Sephora’s inside JCPs. She was very nice and gracious when I asked if she had a few minutes to talk about leadership. I asked her the following two questions: “Have you changed the way you lead in the last 5 years and what do you do to inspire your team?” Here is what I got out of our conversation………. She said as a leader I am trying to make my employees feel more secure in order to keep the ship afloat, aware that if too much disruption leaks out into the workplace, there is risk of losing top-talent which is difficult and costly to replace. In this ever changing workplace terrain, leaders need to think differently about how to keep their teams on track. They must become more intuitive; diverting from the traditional ways of leading that has become too predictable and uninspiring. Many leaders are out of touch and disconnected from their employees, focusing solely on their own personal agendas. This is most evident in leaders that still try to use a “one-size-fits-all” approach to earn trust, build loyalty and stimulate team and individual performance. Leaders must understand that in today’s new workplace, there does not exist a single recipe to encourage employees to perform better. Rather, it’s about how to maximize the ingredients in order to create hundreds of recipes that are customized and authentic; that provide long-term continuity and impact. She said that she stopped trying to sell her employees about why they need to perform better. Instead she explains why their contributions help solve problems and contribute to the company’s advancement. Employees are more inclined to step up their game when they know their work can add-value to the healthier whole. For example, she always shows her team the outcome of their collected efforts. They go to the manufacturing plant and watch a new product on the production line or to the stores to see new label designs on the shelves. Inspire performance by connecting the dots of her employees’ efforts. It’s not only about what you are trying to sell, but also what the team is able to solve along the way. The secret recipe to inspiring employees is to know the “ingredients” of the people you are inspiring. People want to know that their leaders understand their tendencies, aptitudes and behaviors well-enough to best work with and motivate them. The best leaders and coaches always do. When you spend time with your employees, make it matter. Don’t just expect your time and title to inspire them. Employees want a leader that pays attention and genuinely cares about them. Great leaders take the time to know the ingredients before they can create the best recipe for success. Employees are most inspired when a leader takes the time to know them and show that they have their best interests at heart. Leaders that know how to prepare thousands of recipes are those who continually make the ingredients better – and keep them from spoiling. Employees are tired of being told what to do. They are eager to learn and remain relevant. But they find it difficult to be inspired by leaders who only inflict fear. In today’s fast-paced world, people don’t have time for lectures; they want continuous coaching and leaders that are paying attention. Eager to grow, they want objective feedback. Simplify the process. Don’t exhaust your employees through complexity and buzz-words. People seek direction that is too the point. Remember, most people have mastered the art of execution. Let your employee do their jobs well by providing the right tools and support to make them better at carrying out their roles & responsibilities. Be a great teacher, but quickly shift into facilitator mode. People are inspired when given the opportunity to learn how to do new things. Stop lecturing and start teaching! Enforcing accountability is a key component to sustaining performance momentum. However, when you can give your employees “ownership” in the process of defining how accountability is enforced – you inspire trust and a desire to go above and beyond the call of duty. Giving your employees ownership means that you have shared and entrust them with your authority. You are now allowing your employees to “call the shots” based on what they believe is in the best interest of the team and the organization. For example, create a special project and allow an employee to take ownership of it. Outline your expectations for the end-result, but allow him or her to take charge of the project. Agree to meet once-a-week and observe the change in attitude and desire to perform. Use the results and what you learned along the way about the employee as a means to customize your approach to best inspire that employee’s performance long-term. Again, this is a great way to learn more about “the ingredients”. Historically, leaders have used “increased responsibility” to inspire performance. While this approach may still have merit, it is when a leader can help foster the professional growth and development of their employees that performance most flourishes. Leaders must take more time to mentor and / or guide their employee’s development and growth. Ultimately, it is a relationship based on trust that inspires employees to perform. When you are mindful of managing and implementing what we have talked about this will certainly jump-start your ability to earn trust with your employees and inspire their performance. When you trust someone, you believe in them. People are inspired when they know that their leaders believe in their capabilities to deliver. Inspiring employees to optimally perform requires a leader who can see beyond the obvious in people. Inspiration comes not from something that you turn on and off, but rather from constant behavior – triggered through multiple ways – that makes your employees feel that they matter and that you genuinely care. Thank you Lisa for such an amazing experience, inspiration and the perfect lip gloss!
Posted on: Tue, 23 Jul 2013 16:39:35 +0000
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