• An Authoritative approach mobilizes people toward a vision and can be a powerful leadership style when change is required.

The style in a phrase? “Come with me.”

• An Affiliative style helps to heal rifts or to motivate people during stressful circumstances by creating emotional bonds.

The style in a phrase? “People come first.”

• A Democratic style forges consensus through participation.

The style in a phrase? “What do you think?”

• A Pacesetting style sets high standards for performance.

The style in a phrase? “Do as I do, now!”

• A Coaching style develops people for the future by developing their long-term strengths.

The style in a phrase? “Try this.”

• A Coercive style demands immediate compliance and works best in a crisis to kick-start a turnaround.

The style in a phrase? “Do what I tell you.”

Determine what you are trying to achieve and then choose the appropriate style to incorporate into your leadership. It’s all about flexibility discussed on our next blog.

Welcome to the Loyalty Factor Information Exchange, a bi-weekly service providing summaries of major publications and books on various management and customer relationship topics. 

 Loyalty Factor has been instrumental in helping companies:

• Increase Customer Satisfaction by 20 – 33%
• Increase Revenues by 50% in 18 months
• Increase Manufacturing Production by 200% in 18 months
• Simplifying mergers and acquisitions

Our information exchange this week highlights the Engagement Strategies article, “The Employee Engagement Imperative” by Allan Schweyer.

The growing organizational focus on achieving financial results by engaging employees reflects an emerging realization that traditional management practices are outdated. Today more than 80% of value in organizations is the ability to innovate, create, delight customers and solve problems.

Many studies have shown there is a direct link between financial results, share price performance and the ability of an organization to engage its employees.

Many ask, “What’s the difference between employee satisfaction and employee engagement?” Night and day is the best answer.

Satisfied employees are rationally satisfied with things like pay, benefits and work-life balance; they might stay with the organization but will rarely do much beyond what it takes to keep their job.

Engaged employees are emotionally connected to the mission, goals and objectives of the organization, and as such are willing to exert discretionary effort to help it succeed.

Unfortunately, only about half of US Workers are engaged in their work (and, as above, less than a quarter are fully engaged.)

The most important ingredient to sustained employee engagement is leadership, particularly the quality of front-line managers and supervisors.

If businesses and government are to overcome the challenges posed by globalization and the economy, they must invest in the development of supervisors and leaders. Otherwise, our nation’s problems are likely to overwhelm us. 

To develop the leadership to engage and empower your employees call Loyalty Factor at 603-334-3401.

Welcome to the Loyalty Factor Information Exchange, a bi-weekly service providing summaries of major publications and books on various management and customer relationship topics. 

 Loyalty Factor has been instrumental in helping companies:

• Increase Customer Satisfaction by 20 – 33%
• Increase Revenues by 50% in 18 months
• Increase Manufacturing Production by 200% in 18 months
• Simplifying mergers and acquisitions

Our information exchange this week highlights the article, “Understanding Y: Learn how to recruit Generation Y workers and how to make them stay“ by Christine Luporter from WomenConnect. 

Just as you’re getting used to dealing with Generation X, along comes the next demographic group. Generation Y, as some call it, is composed of those born after 1977. What are they looking for from their employers?

Here’s how Generation Y college students answered one survey when asked what they wanted in their first jobs:

1. A fun work environment
    
2. Growth opportunities
    
3. Competitive salary
    
4. A wide range of projects to work on
    
5. Good benefits, including healthcare, profit sharing, and 401(k)
    
6. Opportunities to learn and develop new skills, paid for by the company
    
7. Travel opportunities
    
8. Flexible work schedules

Whether born in 1950 or 1980,
when people are happy at work,
they are more productive and engaged
about the well being of the company.

For keynote addresses, seminars, and/or worships on managing and integrating Generation Y into your workforce, contact Dianne Durkin at Loyalty Factor. She has researched and presented on this topic for over 7 years and her dynamic presentation style clearly articulates the message .

Incredible Feedback from the NAPBS Annual Conference Keynote Address

Special thanks to the National Association Background Screeners (NAPBS) Annual Conference attendees last week in Nashville, Tennessee! Dianne Durkin’s keynote on Managing Change in Environments that are Redefining Themselves received the following feedback:

 “Dianne’s presentation was extremely insightful. It really helped me to reevaluate my business and outline very clearly how I can grow my business in the future.”

“Thank you for the excellent presentation at the NAPBS Conference. Your energy and knowledge are second to none!”

“It was great to meet you, and I was inspired by what you said! I’m ready to go out and build my business. Thank you for teaching us.”

“Dianne you were absolutely wonderful to hear and probably one of the most powerful woman speakers I have heard in a long time. Thank you!”

The Seven Practices of Exemplary Leadership:

There have been more than 3000 studies conducted over the years aimed at identifying the qualities of successful leaders.  More than 50 qualities have been identified that are important to leadership.  And, there are seven qualities that seem to stand out as being more important than the others. The good news is that each of these qualities can be learned, and they must be learned by practice and repetition:

1. Vision: The most important single quality of leadership.

2. Courage: The second quality that leaders have in common.

3. Integrity: the most respected and admired.

4. Humility: Leaders have the security and self-confidence to recognize the value of others.

5. Foresight: Leaders have the ability to look into the future and anticipate what might occur.

6. Focus: The ability to focus personal and corporate energies and resources in the most important areas.

7. Cooperation: The ability to work well with others is essential for effective leadership. Your ability to get everyone working and pulling together is essential to your success.

Loyalty Factor is known for its Leadership Development Programs.
With over 35 modules, customized to meet our clients specific needs,
there is something for everyone.

Call us today and improve the performance and profitability of YOUR
business with Exceptional Leadership.

www.loyaltyfactor.com

Dianne Durkin is president and founder of Loyalty Factor, a specialized consulting and training company that enhances employee, customer and brand loyalty for some of the nation’s most prominent corporations and many smaller businesses. Dianne’s proven expertise lies in helping companies quickly get to the core issues and outlining their impact on the organization’s profits, productivity and people.  www.loyaltyfactor.com

Welcome to the Loyalty Factor Information Exchange, a bi-weekly service providing summaries of major publications and books on various management and customer relationship topics. 

 Loyalty Factor has been instrumental in helping companies:

• Increase Customer Satisfaction by 20 – 33%
• Increase Revenues by 50% in 18 months
• Increase Manufacturing Production by 200% in 18 months
• Simplifying mergers and acquisitions

Our information exchange this week highlights the Harvard Business Review article, “Creating Sustainable Performance“ by Gretchen Spreitzer and Christine Porath.

Creating Sustainable Performance

According to the Harvard Business Review article, creating sustainable organization performance is the result of thriving employees. These employees are not just satisfied and employed, they are engaged in creating the future.

The authors found that people who fit this description demonstrated 16% better overall performance, 125% less burnout, 32% more commitment to the organization and 46% more job satisfaction than their peers.

Thriving employees have two components: Vitality, or the sense of being alive, excited, and learning; and Growth that comes from gaining knowledge and skills. Some people naturally build vitality and learning into their jobs, but most employees are influenced by their environment.

According to the authors, four mechanisms create the conditions for thriving:

• Having decision-making discretion
• Sharing information about the organization and its strategy
• Minimizing impoliteness
• Offering clear, concise, and consistent performance feedback 

To learn how you can develop an environment that engages your employees in creating the future contact Loyalty Factor at 603-334-3401, or read Dianne Durkin’s new book, “The Power of Magnetic Leadership: It’s Time to Get R.E.A.L.” where the E stands for Engaging, Empowering, and Enriching Employees for Increased Earnings.

The journey to Authentic Leadership consists of Self Awareness, Values and Principles, Motivation, Integrated Life – and now, knowing your Authentic Self.

Authentic Leadership is:

• Being aligned with who you are (being the real you)
• Finding coherence between your life story and your leadership
• Bringing people together around a shared purpose
• Empowering people to step up  and create value

Knowing Yourself:

• Finds passion that motivates you
• Finds the purpose of your leadership
• Feel comfortable in your own skin
• Know your strengths and weaknesses and fill the skill gaps with colleagues that complement you
• See yourself as others see you

Protecting & Practicing Your Values & Principles:

• Understand the values and principles that guide your leadership
• Decide what is most important to your life
• Set clear limits as to what you will do under pressure

In summary, Authentic Leaders are grounded in who they are and what they stand for, and operate  with honest, integrity and congruency.

Dianne Durkin is president and founder of Loyalty Factor, a specialized consulting and training company that enhances employee, customer and brand loyalty for some of the nation’s most prominent corporations and many smaller businesses. Dianne’s proven expertise lies in helping companies quickly get to the core issues and outlining their impact on the organization’s profits, productivity and people.  www.loyaltyfactor.com

Welcome to the Loyalty Factor Information Exchange, a bi-weekly service providing summaries of major publications and books on various management and customer relationship topics. 

 Loyalty Factor has been instrumental in helping companies:

• Increase Customer Satisfaction by 20 – 33%
• Increase Revenues by 50% in 18 months
• Increase Manufacturing Production by 200% in 18 months
• Simplifying mergers and acquisitions

Our information exchange this week highlights the book, “The Power of Professionalism: The Seven Mind-Sets That Drive Performance and Build Trust” by Bill Wierma.

The Power of Professionalism

When only 17 percent of employees believe their leaders have the organization’s best interests at heart… When only 18 percent of Americans trust lawyers completely … When the Google search “Has U.S. business lost its way?” yields 159 million hits … Something is very, very wrong. Is it any wonder that cynicism is at an all-time high and trust at an all-time low?

The solution according to the authors is professionalism. They state professional ideals build trust. And trust is the foundation for both personal and organizational success. With trust, people tend to be more confident, proactive and hopeful. Without trust, people tend to be more skeptical, withdrawn and pessimistic.

In The Power of Professionalism, Wiersma outlines the seven mind-sets of trusted professionals.

1. Deliver results. Equal importance should be given to delivering the right results in the right way AND to sustainable outcomes.

2. Realize (and act like) they’re part of something bigger than themselvesmeaning they put the interests of the organization (a client) ahead of their own.

3. Know things get better when they get better. The result they are continually learning and growing personally and professionally.

4. Hold themselves to exacting standards:

• Have a personalized core set of values
• Do what’s right over what’s expedient
• Stay focused and avoid pointless drama

 5. Practice Personal Integrity:

• Authenticity and honesty
• Delivering on one’s commitments (both explicit and implicit)
• Refusing to violate the trust others have extended to them

 6. Aspire to Emotional Consistency.

• Respect when it’s difficult to be respectful.
• Maintain objectivity.
• Manage their egos.

 7. Reveal value in others meaning being comfortable in one’s own skin and not threatened by others.

Understanding the importance of trust is one thing: building it is quite another.

Professionals build trust!

According to Bill George who wrote the book True North, authentic leaders not only inspire those around them, they empower people to step up and lead. The authentic leader brings people together around a shared purpose and empowers them to step up and lead authentically in order to create value for all stakeholders.

The journey to Authentic Leadership is:

• Self Awareness
• Values and Principles
• Motivation
• Integrated Life
• Knowing your Authentic Self

Self Awareness: When you know yourself, you can find the passion that motivates you, and the purpose of your leadership. Leaders who know themselves well become comfortable in their own skin, act consistently in different situations and gain the trust of others.

Values and Principles: Being centered on your values is not easy, but it is essential to true leadership. When you have a clear understanding of your values and their relative importance, you can establish the principles by which you intend to lead.

Motivation: There are two types of motivation: extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic motivations are measured by the outside world, and include winning athletic competitions or making money.

Intrinsic on the other hand stem from a personal sense of meaning of ones life. This can include personal growth, helping other people develop, and making a difference in this world. As individuals grow in their leadership capabilities, they tend to pursue roles that are in tune with helping others and making a difference.

Integrated Life: Authentic leaders are constantly aware of the importance of staying grounded: spending time with family, close friends, getting physical exercise, practicing spirituality, and doing community service.

In our next installment we’ll explore more of the center item – Knowing Your Authentic Self.

Dianne Durkin is president and founder of Loyalty Factor, a specialized consulting and training company that enhances employee, customer and brand loyalty for some of the nation’s most prominent corporations and many smaller businesses. Dianne’s proven expertise lies in helping companies quickly get to the core issues and outlining their impact on the organization’s profits, productivity and people.  www.loyaltyfactor.com

• Increase Customer Satisfaction by 20 – 33%
• Increase Revenues by 50% in 18 months
• Increase Manufacturing Production by 200% in 18 months

Our information exchange this week highlights the book, “Change the Culture, Change the Game: The Breakthrough Strategy for Energizing Your Organization and Creating Accountability for Results” by Roger Connors and Tom Smith.

Mastering the ability to accelerate culture change is an essential core competency for every leader who wants to keep his or her organization competitive and focused. Organizational culture is defined as the way people think and act. 

For the change process to have maximum effectiveness, accountability is key. With accountability, people at every level of the organization embrace their role in facilitating the change and demonstrate the ownership needed for making true progress, both for themselves and their organization.

In this book the authors state “Beliefs about how work should get done affects what people do.” They outline three essential change components:

• Experiences which foster beliefs
• Beliefs which influence actions
• Actions which product results 

According to the authors, if you:

• Change people’s beliefs about how they should do their daily work,
• Help them adopt the new beliefs you want them to hold,
• You will produce the actions you want them to take! 

Effective leaders understand that beliefs drive people’s actions in the organization. When people see leaders reinforcing beliefs, everyone gets the message that “I ought to be doing that too,” which directly affects culture change.

To enroll an entire organization in change the authors state:

1. Start with accountability – clearly define results.
2. Get people ready for the change – Describe the process.
3. Begin with the top and then proceed to enact teams.
4. Engage and Involve Individuals – when people are co-creators of the culture it will be easier to implement. 

In summary:

• Experience fosters beliefs
• Beliefs influence actions
• Actions produce results

Great Leaders Move People: Powerfully, Passionately, and Purposefully.

According to a global study conducted by the Harvard Business Review, only 15% of companies in North America andAsiabelieve they have enough qualified successors for key positions. The picture is slightly better inEurope, but even so, fewer than 30% of European companies felt confident about the quality and amount of talent in their pipelines.

In regions where companies are focused on growth strategies or emerging markets, they found the supply of experience managers is even more limited. This shortage is expected to continue for another two years. It is therefore critical for companies to develop their future leaders. Developing leadership  skills will make the difference in creating very successful and very profitable companies.

There are a number of traits of outstanding  leaders and it would be difficult to highlight all of them. I categorize them in five primary areas: 

Sets the Challenge

•  Creates and communicates a vision or goal that compels others

Engages People in the Possibilities

•  Speaks to the possibilities in a clear and concise fashion

Creates Trust

•  Encourages others to take risks through honesty, integrity, openness and reliability

Distributes Power

•  Values innovation

Celebrates Successes

•  Recognizes performance, rewards results

Ideally, through these behaviors a leader helps others be the best they can be.

Dianne Durkin is president and founder of Loyalty Factor, a specialized consulting and training company that enhances employee, customer and brand loyalty for some of the nation’s most prominent corporations and many smaller businesses. Dianne’s proven expertise lies in helping companies quickly get to the core issues and outlining their impact on the organization’s profits, productivity and people.  www.loyaltyfactor.com