Leadership Flagship

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.~ John Quincy Adams

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  • The 5-Hour Rule Used By The World’s Most Successful People

    The 5-Hour Rule Used By The World’s Most Successful People

    Think of someone who epitomizes a successful career. Bill Gates? Oprah? Elon Musk? A healthy chunk of the names that come to mind are people who abide by one common principle: the five-hour rule. We’re not saying this will make you the next Warren Buffett, but, hey, it’s definitely the place to start.

    Success, In One Hour A Day

    The rule itself is pretty simple: Carve out one hour from each weekday (one hour + five weekdays = five hours) to devote to deliberate practice and learning. Insert any bit of reading, studying, or practicing here that is applicable to the greater goal of advancing in your field. That’s it. Ta-da. Watch out, Mr. Buffett.

    The reason why the five-hour rule is so effective in priming the world’s most accomplished people for continued success comes down to two things. First, working harder and longer is not the same as working smarter. Not even close. Smart working includes taking a little time away to learn instead of do. This will help you focus on long-term self-improvement, rather than your current workload. Do you really think Bill Gates reading 50 books a year is directly tied to his daily projects?

    Secondly, nothing beats an expert. Jumping right into the deep end, figuring things out as you go is great and all, but there’s no substitute for good ol’ fashioned expertise. Billionaire entrepreneur Marc Andreessen points to Mark Zuckerberg as an example, saying in an interview, “I think skill acquisition, literally the acquisition of skills and how to do things, is just dramatically underrated. […] There’s a reason there are so many stories about Mark Zuckerberg. There aren’t that many Mark Zuckerbergs. […] The really great CEOs, if you spend time with them — you would find this to be true of Mark today or of any of the great CEOs of today or the past — they are really encyclopedic in their knowledge of how to run a company, and it’s very hard to just intuit all of that in your early 20s.”

    Five Hours, Three Ways

    An Inc. article picked apart the ways different five-hour rulers spent their daily learning hour, separating the trends into three buckets:
    1. Read. Besides Bill Gates, big-time bookworms include Oprah, President Obama, Mark Cuban, Nike founder Phil Knight, billionaire entrepreneur David Rubenstein, and self-made billionaire and owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers Dan Gilbert. Book club goals, anyone?
    2. Think. This can feel like an hour of doing nothing, but taking time to reflect has been shown to improve job performance. It’s critical for AOL CEO Tim Armstrong, who makes his senior team spend four hours per week thinking.
    3. Experiment. Don’t knock it till ya try it, literally. Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Edison were known to take risky experiments. Google and Microsoft have allotted time in the day for employees to experimentwith their ideas.

     

  • Frustrated at work? Take 4 steps before quitting

    Frustrated at work? Take 4 steps before quitting

    By Sharlyn Lauby | 

    Sometimes we don’t like our jobs. It might be the company, our boss, or the work itself. And sometimes, it’s important to realize it’s not anyone’s fault. The business world changes rapidly. Our personal goals and needs change as well.

    Whether or not to look for a new job is an individual decision. Ruchi Kaushik, director of talent acquisition at Colonial Life, points out the dilemma employees face when they’re frustrated at work.

    “Employees might really enjoy the work they are doing or the teams they are working with, making it hard to leave,” Kaushik said. “Other reasons that employees don’t quit jobs, even when they’re unhappy, have nothing to do with compensation but other benefit packages that might be harder to find elsewhere; such as 401(k) match, pension programs, dental/vision insurance, disability/life insurance, tuition reimbursement, child care funding, etc.”

    As liberating as it might sound to march into work and quit on the spot, sometimes that’s just not a practical option. But you can’t let your disappointment or frustration impact your work. Here are a few things you can consider in the meantime.

    1. Transfer to a different department.

    If you like the company but are frustrated with your immediate supervisor or the work itself, maybe transitioning to a different department would be a solution. You can do a different type of work and report to someone else. One thing to keep in mind is that, if you’re not doing good work in your current position, it could be difficult to get a transfer approved.

    2. Apply for a new role.

    Often frustration is a result of boredom. Maybe it’s time to ask for new or additional responsibilities. Talk with your supervisor about learning new skills. Consider taking a training class to enhance your knowledge and skills. This might also work with option one (above). Transfer to a new department and take on a new role.

    3. Create a side hustle.

     There’s nothing wrong with getting your professional needs filled in two places. Need a steady paycheck and benefits but would love the freedom to go out on your own?
    Take on part-time work. It might turn into full-time work later. Just be careful not to burnout. It won’t do you or your work any good.

    4. Talk to your manager.

    If these suggestions aren’t what you had in mind, Kaushik suggests just having a conversation with your manager. The key is staying calm. “Becoming highly emotional will only escalate things. Advocate for yourself, try to develop an action plan, and remember to focus on the future versus the past.”

    It would be wonderful to say that work never gets us frustrated. But that’s simply not true. Even the best jobs have their bad days. The decision you should make is whether your frustration is a short- or long- term issue. Understanding professional needs and goals can help individuals determine what steps they can take to temporarily curb their frustration.

  • 5 questions every job seeker should ask during an interview

    5 questions every job seeker should ask during an interview

    By Sharlyn Lauby | 
    A job interview is a two-way conversation where the company learns about you and you learn about the company.

    During the hiring process, some interviewers might interpret not asking questions as a sign you’re not interested in the position. And you might assume you can simply ask questions about the job responsibilities. But companies often provide a very thorough explanation of the job up front. In those instances, you should have handy a list of job-related questions. Here are 5 to get you started:

    1. “What do you enjoy about your job and the company?” The goal isn’t to ask personal questions, but to find out what the interviewer thinks of the company. You also might ask how long the interviewer has worked there. Experienced interviewers have been asked these questions before and shouldn’t struggle to give you a response.

    2. “Why is this position open?” There are two possible answers. 1) It could be a new position. The positive side of a new position is the company could be growing and expanding. The downside is the position might not be well defined because it’s new. 2) The opening could be to replace someone. If so, see if the interviewer will share why. It could be the result of a promotion or a resignation. Ultimately, the goal is to understand about jobs and careers in the company.

    3. “How does the organization measure success?” This will tell you what the organization values and how performance is evaluated. Does the interviewer talk about being quick or agile? Does the recruiter share any goals the organization has set? This is also an opportunity to ask how employees are trained and developed. You should understand what’s expected and how you’d be set up for success.

    4. “What’s a typical day in this job like?” Many organizations will respond to this question by saying, “There’s no typical day…” If that’s the case, then ask about the biggest challenges facing the position, or time of year that’s the most difficult. This might be a good question to ask each person you interview with to find common themes in their responses.

    5. “What’s the best way to follow up?” You’ll want to send a proper thank you after the interview. If the company doesn’t tell you, there’s nothing wrong with asking “Who should I stay in touch with after the interview?” Ask for the interviewer’s business card and find out the best way to contact him or her (phone or email).

    Remember the purpose of a job interview.
    One more thing about interview questions: Chances are the interviewer will be taking notes during your conversation. Don’t let that intimidate you. In fact, when the recruiter pulls out pen and paper, ask if you can do the same. Just let him or her know you want to make sure you remember some key points of the discussion.

    A job interview is a two-way conversation. Unless instructed to do so, don’t feel you have to wait until the end of the interview to ask questions. It’s possible your questions will allow you to get better information, which leads to better decision-making about your next job opportunity.

  • 5 steps to more productive mornings

    5 steps to more productive mornings

    By Melissa Gratias | 
    I wake up to music. My husband prefers the sound of crashing waves. My son likes woodland noises. My daughter needs someone yelling up the stairs as her buzzer sounds.

    To each their own, but how a morning begins is a personal choice.

    (more…)

  • THE TOP 50 COMPLIMENTS FOR TEAM MEMBERS

    THE TOP 50 COMPLIMENTS FOR TEAM MEMBERS

    by Justin Reynolds on Aug 24, 2016 10:00:00 AM
    In performance reviews, words of appreciation for employees consistently impacts the happiness of an organization and employee productivity.

    According to a CareerBuilder survey, 50% of employees indicated they believed turnover would decrease if managers simply recognized their efforts more frequently.

    From a productivity standpoint, 40% of employees said they were unlikely to go above and beyond if their bosses took their efforts for granted. (Curious to learn more about what motivates employees to go the extra mile? Check out some more facts and statistics from our 2017 Employee Engagement Report)

    Have you been recognizing your coworkers for good work? If not, don’t sweat it. It starts with having good base phrases to say or write on a performance review.

    Here are 50 examples of compliments for coworkers you can use express gratitude, appreciation and encouragement to your team for their hard work

    01. Having you on the team makes a huge difference.

    02. You always find a way to get it done — and done well!

    03. It’s really admirable how you always see projects through from conception to completion.

    04. Thank you for always speaking up in team meetings and providing a unique perspective.

    05. Your efforts at strengthening our culture are not unnoticed.

    06. Fantastic work!

    07. Even when the going gets tough, you continue to have the best attitude!

    08. It’s amazing how you always help new employees get up to speed.

    09. Wow! Just when I thought your work couldn’t get any better!

    10. I couldn’t imagine working without you!

    11. Your work ethic speaks for itself.

    12. There’s no other way to say it: we’d be lost without you.

    13. Thanks for always being willing to lend a hand.

    14. The pride you take in your work is truly inspiring.

    15. You’re so great to work with.

    16. I am continually impressed by the results you produce!

    17. Thank you for being so flexible.

    18. It’s incredible how thorough your work is.

    19. Your work ethic is out of this world!

    20. You have an extremely healthy perspective.

    21. You’re really good at cheering everybody up!

    22. Is there anything you can’t do?!

    23. You are one of the most reliable employees I’ve ever had.

    24. Thank you for setting a great example for your coworkers.

    25. Not everyone is as creative as you — I mean it!

    26. It’s amazing how you’re always able to overcome any obstacle thrown your way.

    27. Keep up the great work!

    28. I was blown away by your contributions this week.

    29. I really enjoy working with you.

    30. You’re awesome!

    31. Amazing job on that project — I really mean it.

    32. You are an invaluable member of the team.

    33. To be honest, I’m jealous of your talents.

    34. I can’t believe how lucky I am to have a great employee like you.

    35. You come up with fantastic ideas!

    36. What’s your secret? Your output is impressive, to say the least.

    37. Wow! Nice work.

    38. Your work ethic is enviable.

    39. I just wanted to let you know how much you mean to the team.

    40. How did this place ever operate without you?!

    41. I know I’ve been busy lately, but I just had to tell you what a great employee you are.

    42. You play a crucial role in our company’s success.

    43. It’s so obvious how you pay attention to detail.

    44. You are always so quick to show initiative.

    45. It’s honestly hard to explain how integral you are to this team.

    46. You are an awesome employee!

    47. It’s incredible how often you go above and beyond.

    48. Your work never ceases to amaze me!

    49. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t tell you how much you mean to this company.

    50. Things have definitely been crazy lately, but you’re crushing it!

     

    The caveat is that you can’t simply just blurt out these recognition phrases in hopes that they’ll feel valued.

    To show you are sincere, you need to make sure you specify why you’re certain appreciation words for employees that earned them.

    That way they will continue that same behavior in the future.

    What phrases have you found useful in recognizing employees?

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