Blog Archives - Page 8 of 83

5 Misconceptions About Challenges That Every Leader Must Face

May 14, 2017 by Debra Kasowski Leave a Comment

There isn’t a leader who has never faced a challenge before. They are tried and tested. They have faced heartaches and triumphs but there are still many misconceptions about the challenges they face.

Misconception #1: Building a trusting team is EASY.

When you put a group of people together, you can not assume you will have a high functioning trusting team by default. Each person comes to the group with different knowledge, skills, and abilities. It is part of a leader’s responsibility to know what some of these knowledge, skills, and abilities are so they can be leveraged to work toward a common vision. To do so, trust must be built. It is the foundation of the team and without trust, you will not get results because people will fail to commit to the vision and hold yours.

Building a trusting team takes time and effort. You are bringing together people of different backgrounds and experiences. You cannot expect everyone to “just trust each other”. The members of the team must get to know each other as people first and have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities as they work toward a common goal. They need to be able to depend on each other to “get the job done”. It is not an easy task when team members are “me” focused versus “we” focused. There is a time and place to work on individual goals but they must be aligned with the common goal to be supported by the team.

Misconception #2: A leader does not need to ask for feedback.

Not asking for feedback is like saying, “Go ahead, run through the minefield. Nothing will happen.” Asking for feedback is crucial. As a leader, you must take the time to ask for and listen to the feedback offered by the people who work alongside you. They are at the frontline and can offer valuable input into the impact of daily operations. People are more engaged when asked for their opinion on things.

Misconception #3: Criticism is bitterness and should be discarded.

Even though criticism is hard to hear at the best of times, there is a lesson to be found. Ask yourself or the person offering the criticism what the ideal situation would look like. You may learn that information may have been miscommunicated or not communicated at all. When someone criticizes something, they obviously have a vision of what could be better so ask. The other thing to remember is not to take the criticism personally as it is someone’s opinion and not necessarily yours. What is the lesson to be learned? What can be improved?

Misconception #4: It is acceptable to let a setback set you back.

We hear so much talk about being vulnerable and as a leader, it is important to know how much to share and how much a setback will hold you back (and it better not for long or another leader will take your place). Your followers need someone to look up to in the face of setbacks. They need someone to continue to believe their skills and abilities to work toward a vision. They need to be reminded that setbacks are temporary and it is through action that new results can be achieved. A leader sets the tone for setting up the comeback from any setback. They may share their concerns; however, they must stand in confidence and stay motivated. The people see their leader as a role model and will do the same.

Misconception #5: To lead change, you must be at the helm 100% of the time.

Leaders are leaders because they lead, inspire, and build people. They know when they must step to the side and let their people demonstrate their knowledge, skills, and abilities. They encourage creativity and innovation. They want to hear suggestions and ideas about how to become better. To do so, the leader must walk alongside their people to help them step up and into their potential. The leader does not have to be at the front the whole time. A leader must be able to share a clear vision for the people ensuring all actions align with the team’s core values.

If leaders led with conviction based on these misconceptions, there would be no followers. People need a leader who is willing to work toward building a trusting team and engaging their people in the process. A leader must trust in the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the people hired to do the work and support them in areas that require growth. A leader needs to be open to feedback and appreciate different perspectives. A leader needs to lead with confidence and share the helm with those who have strengths that the leader does not possess to be successful in facing new challenges and adventures placed before them.

What are some of the misconceptions you have encountered as a leader?

DEBRA KASOWSKI, BScN CEC is an award-winning best-selling author, transformational speaker, blogger, and Certified Executive Coach. She has a heart of a teacher and is certified in Appreciative Inquiry and Emotional Intelligence. She is a contributing writer for Diversity and Fabulous at 50 magazines. Debra Kasowski International helps executives, entrepreneurs, and organizations boost their productivity, performance, and profits. It all starts with people and passion. www.debrakasowski.com

7 Critical Mistakes Business Owners Make and How to Avoid Them

May 2, 2017 by Debra Kasowski Leave a Comment

At one time or another, we all make mistakes. Some mistakes are bigger than others. Some mistakes are more forgiving than others. The most important take away from a mistake is to hopefully learn from them so you do not make the same mistake twice or even three times. Often, we do not know what we do not know until we realize what we don’t know shows up in ways we would not rather remember.

“Success does not consist in never making mistakes but in never making the same one a second time.”
― George Bernard Shaw

There are several business owners who think I will build it and they will come. I was one of those people. I have learned many lessons along the way about attention to detail to making decisions based on cash flow to remembering to hit the record button when doing an interview for a new product or podcast. All mistakes have a consequence whether it be in loss of time, money, resources, or even reputation. All mistakes can teach us a lesson. Mistakes are an opportunity to make better decisions and take different actions which lead to different results. There are many critical mistakes that can be impacting your bottom-line.

No clear vision. You need to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve with your business. If you do not have a vision, you cannot expect to take actions the will create meaningful results. You cannot expect your employees or customers to follow you if do not have a clear message around your vision. Everything in business starts with a clear vision! Get clear on what you are wanting to achieve before you invest a ton of money and time.
No goals or plan of action. If you do not know where you are going how do you expect to get there? You need to get your ideas and plans out of your head and onto paper. Write out your SMART goals – they need to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. Once you have the goal, you can come up with strategies to achieve it – otherwise, you will wander aimlessly.
Not tracking your numbers. We all love it when money is coming in and the bank account numbers get increasing; we do not always love it so much when the numbers are decreasing. Keep a simple spreadsheet and track the flow of money coming in and going out of your business. It can be very eye-opening. When you track your numbers, not only to you see what is working and what is not working, you can make decisions about you need to stop doing or what you need to start or to continue doing. Keep doing what works – sounds obvious but if you are not measuring it you will never know.
Do it all ‘solo’. One of the biggest mistakes as a business owner or entrepreneur is that you want to do everything yourself. Your business or start-up is your “baby” and no one can look after as well as you do. In the beginning, you may do everything. As your business grows, you can only stretch yourself so far before you will need to start delegating to be able to meet the demands of the marketplace. Initially, do everything is an asset. You understand what needs to be done and you can also set expectations around how you want it done or not done. Start delegating small projects or tasks and as you feel comfortable delegate more. You need to focus on your strengths on what you do well.
Not looking for ways to improve. Too many people when they hit success get complacent. They fail to see that they need to be on the look out for new ways to do things. It may be streamlining systems and processes to become more proficient. It may be implementing ideas discussed with a mentor or something you read in a book. Try new ideas. Test new ideas. You never know when that one tweak increases customer demands.

“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”
― Albert Einstein

Looking for ‘get rich’ quick strategies. There is no ‘magic’ pill or ‘get rich’ quick strategy that is going to grow your business. Many people are drawn to this type of marketing because of the promise of a quick fix to a problem ailing them. Cookie strategies do not work. If you want your business to grow, you need to build relationships, let people know what you are doing, and take the actions necessary to make things happen. You may need to sacrifice outings, lattes, and shopping sprees in the process. A sustainable business takes time and patience to grow. Put in the work and reap the rewards.

Not celebrating success – big or small. You might jump out of the gate with great vision and focus on building your business. If you do not stop or at least pause and acknowledge your smallest wins you will not notice the big ones. You will run out of motivation and the steam to persevere through tough times. Tough times can happen but they do not last. The duration is even shorter when you celebrate and are motivated to continue to take action before halting production. Therefore, you hear about people who quit too soon.
Avoid making these critical mistakes. It was Maya Angelou that said, “When you know better, you do better.” If you have been making these mistakes, you need to make a change to get the results you want. There is no turning back once you have this awareness. Your business success depends on you learning from your mistakes.
DEBRA KASOWSKI, BScN CEC is an award-winning best-selling author, transformational speaker, blogger, and Certified Executive Coach. She has a heart of a teacher and is certified in Appreciative Inquiry and Emotional Intelligence. Her writing has been published in a variety of print and online magazines. Debra Kasowski International helps executives, entrepreneurs, and organizations boost their productivity, performance, and profits. It all starts with people and passion. Sign up the Success Secrets Newsletter and get your free mp3 download today! www.debrakasowski.com

3 Fascinating Reasons Why Conflict Increases Commitment

April 25, 2017 by Debra Kasowski Leave a Comment

Let’s face it. When you have people with different knowledge, background, experiences, and expertise, eventually, you will face some conflict. People are people. Each person has different ways of dealing with conflict. While some people steer clear of conflict because it makes them uncomfortable not all conflict is bad. There is healthy conflict and unhealthy conflict. We are going to focus on healthy conflict.

You are probably wondering how conflict can be healthy. Healthy conflict is productive conflict – it leads to an outcome where results are achieved. For conflict to be healthy, judgment needs to be dropped. You need to approach conflict with curiosity like someone learning something new for the first time. As you learn more about a person or situation, you can come from a place of empathy and gain a better understanding of why a person does what they do or see how a situation arrived at the point it is at now. Even if you do not agree with another person, you can understand why they believe what they believe. Sometimes team members or partners do not agree on the approach to getting action items done. However, if they believe in the vision of the organization or business, they will often commit to getting things done. Why is that?

Open Communication – When conflict occurs, it can open communication. Stone-walling and silent treatment are not productive. They do not put the issues on the table. When conflict arises, it needs to be tended to quickly allow all parties to have their voices heard. As each person voices their experience and opinion, you can learn what is important to them. Even though there may be a disagreement, keeping an open dialogue can lead to a resolution. The question to be discussed is, “What happened to get us here?” Focus on facts, not emotions.

Set Some Ground Rules to Keep Communication Going:

Stay calm – no yelling! No name calling or walking away from the discussion. Treat people with respect even when you do not agree with them. Everyone’s voice needs to be heard. No talking over one another or interrupting. Actively listen to what is being said and be able to reflect back what you heard or paraphrase your understanding of the situations. Challenge your assumptions and apologizes if you were wrong.

Discover Intentions – A natural first reaction to a situation that is not going in your favor is to think, “Why is this happening to me?” or “Why is this being done onto me?” These questions come up when a person jumps to conclusions or mistrusts another person. When you feel this way, it is beneficial to reflect and gain and understanding of what triggered you to believe something is happening “to you” versus “for you”. What is truly happening? What is being done to me? What was the other person’s intention? Do I have facts to support this intention? If you don’t, you could be fretting over nothing. Save your energy. Start with the belief that a person has good intentions. When you believe otherwise, your actions will match your beliefs.

Examine the Impact – What is the impact of the situation? What do I want to happen? Is there something I need to do differently to get different results?

Healthy Conflict:

Is not judgemental; it comes from a place of curiosity
Allows for open communication and exploration of ideas
Understands that most people have good intention – to do no harm
Keeps the desired outcome in mind
Lets everyone’s voice be heard
Involves taking actions steps toward collaboration and cooperation.

No one said that to gain commitment we must have a unanimous vote, you need to have the facts to make the best decision. What you do need to be able to do is to trust the person or the process. Explore the facts to gain a better understanding and ask questions to learn about the gaps. Healthy conflict leads to forward movement and progression. It helps us move through change.

For many, conflict is an uncomfortable conversation but when you come from a place of being a learner you will be fascinated with your discovery. You may learn to trust yourself and others to do what is right to achieve great things together. Together you are committing to each other and the results you will get.

Skirting an issue does not get your farther ahead. What conversation have you been avoiding? What facts are you missing? Have you been holding off on a decision because you do not have all the answers that you want? Conflict can be healthy, if you are not looking for excuses, blaming, or complaining. It comes down to owning and being accountable for your own thoughts, feelings, and actions. You can only do this by being able to deal with conflict in a healthy way.

DEBRA KASOWSKI, BScN CEC is an award-winning best-selling author, transformational speaker, blogger, and Certified Executive Coach. She has a heart of a teacher and is certified in Appreciative Inquiry and Emotional Intelligence. Her writing has been published in a variety of print and online magazines. Debra Kasowski International helps executives, entrepreneurs, and organizations boost their productivity, performance, and profits. It all starts with people and passion. Sign up the Success Secrets Newsletter and get your free mp3 download today! www.debrakasowski.com

3 Ways to Make Failing Meaningful

April 10, 2017 by Debra Kasowski Leave a Comment

No one wants to fail, let alone let others see them fail. The reality is that you are more critical of yourself than other people. People naturally want to help you succeed so they don’t want to see you fail either. Instead of being embarrassed and avoiding people because you are worried about what they think about you, find ways to may the failure meaningful.

You may have heard the phrase “fail forward” so pick yourself up and keep going. By keeping the momentum going, you can rise up to new heights and succeed at what you are working on accomplishing in a different way.

Define what success is on your terms. Everyone has their own definition of success. What one person defines as success may revolve around how much money is in the bank. For another person, success may be traveling around the world. Just because something did not go as planned does not mean you are not a success. Re-frame the situation and realize that this one event was not successful. Do not let it define you.

Discover the lesson in failure. They say that success leaves clues. What clues have been left for you to take a different action in the future? What was missing that needs to be executed next time?

Detach from the outcome, trust the process. Sometimes when you get so hung up on what the outcome is supposed to look like, you are not open to the possibilities and opportunities that come your way. You also want to be able to trust if the best efforts were put forth that you will be able to get the results that you want. Worrying or getting upset about it does not solve anything. You have heard the cliché, “everything happens for a reason.” In my experience, it certainly does. Be open to the possibilities.

If you do not know what you are working toward achieving, you will not get there. If you cannot find the lesson in the failure, chances are you will take the same actions and get the same results. If you cannot trust yourself and the process, you will never act. There are many ways to achieve success. Let finding meaning in your failures be one of them.

How to Use Facebook Live Video to Stand Out in a Crowded Marketplace

March 21, 2017 by Debra Kasowski Leave a Comment

Most people do not realize the value and how powerful Facebook Live video is. Live streaming allows you to take people on a journey through visual storytelling. You have heard the saying a picture is worth a thousand words; a video is worth a million. More and more people are watching videos online to be inspired, motivated, educated, and entertained. If your audience is on Facebook and you are not using Facebook Live Video, you could be missing a prime opportunity to showcase or business or organization.

There are several advantages to using Facebook Live Video:

No editing is required.
No need to make it fancy with graphics and words moving across the screen.
You are in real-time.
Live Customer service opportunity.
Does not require a ton of technical knowledge – press Go Live and you are on your way!
You do not need to download a specific app to use it.
It allows you to engage with others and lets you see how many people join the Facebook Live video and what point of the video they have made a comment.
You can respond to greet people and respond to comments as they come up on the video stream.
You can share the link, embed the video, or use it on other social media platforms.

Some people may find the inability to edit their video uncomfortable but viewers are looking for a true connection. They are looking for transparency, authenticity, and a story they can relate to. Viewers enjoy interacting, hearing their name mentioned, and feeling a part of the conversation.

Writing articles and blogging are great ways to get your voice heard online and boost your credibility. Add some powerful images and you grab your reader’s attention. Add a video and they get drawn into the conversation. Videos bring ideas into motion.

The use of Facebook Live Video will only continue to grow in numbers and you do not want to lose the opportunity to showcase your work and the solutions you offer. Wondering how to use it? A couple tips before you get started: choose a location with good lighting and free from a lot of background noise and ensure you have a strong Wi-Fi connection. Hold your camera at eye level so we can see your face. If you give your viewers a heads-up as to when you will be shooting your Facebook Live Videos, you will give more people an opportunity to plan to join the conversation.

When you leverage your Facebook Live Videos, you will be able to:

Share tips and strategies to brainstorm, problem solve, or streamline systems, processes, or approaches to new or challenging situations.
Take your viewers on a behind the scenes look at an event, conference, business, or organization.
Turn your article topics into a conversation and do a live Question and Answer period online.
Share your opinion and or experience.
Showcase events and conference live so people feel like they are part of the action.
Demonstrate or share your products and services.
Use Facebook Live Video to gain media coverage.
Interview people live and in the moment so people can get to know people in real-time.
Share facts and figures.
Capture a testimonial on the spot.
Embed your video on other platforms or even on your website.
Run a live online course.
Promote your upcoming event.

The list could go on and on. Pick one or two ways you would like to leverage social media so you can stand out in the marketplace. Once you master those, try a couple more ways. Measure the amount of interaction and voila! You will see how many more people will get involved in the conversation. Discover which topics get the most traction and expand on those thoughts in future videos. Don’t be afraid to have a call to action in your videos; people often want to know what to do next or how to connect with you. Let the conversation continue.

What ways are you using Facebook Live Video? Please share a comment below.