Leadership Flagship

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

recent posts

about

  • 2023’s Top 60 Compliments for Team Members That Will Boost Morale and Productivity

    2023’s Top 60 Compliments for Team Members That Will Boost Morale and Productivity

    By: Margaret Wood 4/6/2023 7:22PM

    As a leader or a team member, it’s essential to show appreciation for your colleagues’ hard work and contributions to the team. Compliments can go a long way in boosting morale, improving team dynamics, and increasing productivity. Here are the top 50 compliments you can give your team members.

    Personal Attributes

    1. You have an impressive level of dedication to your work.
    2. Your sense of empathy and understanding makes you an excellent team member.
    3. You have a great sense of self-awareness, which helps you communicate effectively.
    4. Your problem-solving skills are truly exceptional.
    5. Your attention to detail and focus on quality set you apart.
    6. You have a unique and valuable perspective that adds to the team’s success.
    7. You’re always willing to learn and improve yourself.
    8. You have a natural talent for inspiring others to achieve greatness.
    9. Your reliability and dependability make you an invaluable member of the team.
    10. Your ability to remain calm under pressure is impressive.
    11. You have an innate sense of creativity that brings a unique perspective to every project.
    12. Your dedication to your work is inspiring.
    13. You have a great ability to work well with others.
    14. Your enthusiasm for your work is contagious.
    15. You have a positive attitude that helps to uplift the entire team.
    16. You have an excellent memory, which helps you retain important information.
    17. Your honesty and integrity are admirable.
    18. You have a gift for making complex tasks seem simple.
    19. Your sense of humor is always appreciated and helps to lighten the mood.

    Accomplishments

    1. You’ve achieved amazing results in your work.
    2. Your persistence and determination are truly impressive.
    3. You’ve taken on challenging tasks and exceeded expectations.
    4. Your ability to think critically and strategically has led to excellent results.
    5. You’re a natural problem-solver and have resolved many complex issues.
    6. Your achievements have contributed significantly to the team’s success.
    7. You’ve shown incredible growth and development in your work.
    8. Your initiative and drive have led to impressive accomplishments.
    9. You’ve demonstrated excellent leadership in your work.
    10. You’re able to work efficiently without sacrificing quality.
    11. Your ability to adapt to changing circumstances is commendable.
    12. Your high level of organization has led to impressive results.
    13. Your ability to prioritize tasks and manage time effectively is remarkable.
    14. Your innovative ideas have led to significant improvements.
    15. You’ve shown remarkable leadership in challenging situations.
    16. Your ability to work independently and take initiative is impressive.
    17. Your contributions have made a measurable impact on the team’s success.
    18. Your commitment to excellence in everything you do is truly admirable.
    19. Your work is consistently of high quality.
    20. Your ability to solve problems creatively is remarkable.
    21. Your work ethic is truly inspiring.

    Teamwork

    1. Your communication skills are excellent, and you make an excellent team member.
    2. You work effectively with others and contribute positively to the team.
    3. You’re able to collaborate with team members with different personalities and work styles.
    4. You’re always willing to lend a helping hand to your colleagues.
    5. You have an exceptional ability to build and maintain relationships with colleagues.
    6. Your leadership in team projects is outstanding.
    7. You have a unique ability to motivate and inspire the team.
    8. You’re able to bring different team members together to achieve a common goal.
    9. Your positive attitude and approach help to create a supportive team environment.
    10. Your respect for your colleagues and their opinions helps to foster trust and teamwork.

    Leadership

    1. Your leadership skills have led to significant accomplishments for the team.
    2. Your strategic thinking has led to successful outcomes for the team.
    3. Your ability to make tough decisions is commendable.
    4. You’re able to provide guidance and mentorship to team members to
    5. Your ability to inspire and motivate team members is truly impressive.
    6. You have a talent for identifying and nurturing the strengths of team members.
    7. Your ability to delegate tasks effectively has contributed greatly to the team’s success.
    8. Your leadership style promotes open communication and collaboration within the team.
    9. You’re able to make difficult decisions while maintaining a positive and supportive team culture.
    10. Your leadership has given the team direction and purpose, leading to outstanding results.

    In conclusion, feedback is a vital component of any organization. It provides employees with valuable insights into their work, helps them improve their performance, and fosters a culture of continuous learning and growth. Employees receiving feedback are more likely to feel engaged and invested in their work, leading to increased buy-in and cooperation.

    Feedback helps employees understand how their work impacts the organization’s goals and objectives and how they can align their efforts with the company’s mission. By providing feedback, managers and colleagues can help employees identify their strengths and areas for improvement and provide support and guidance to help them grow and develop.

    Moreover, when employees feel that their contributions are recognized and valued, they are more likely to feel a sense of ownership and commitment to their work. This can lead to increased productivity, better quality work, and a more positive work environment.

    In short, feedback is a powerful tool for increasing employee buy-in and cooperation. By providing regular and constructive feedback, managers and colleagues can help employees reach their full potential, leading to greater success for both the employee and the organization.

  • 7 Ways to Minimize Change Order Frustrations 

    7 Ways to Minimize Change Order Frustrations 

    By: Margaret Wood 4/6/2023 7:23 P.M.

    Change Orders Are Not Always A Bad Thing

    As the project manager, it’s important to establish clear expectations and limitations with the GC or owner. This can be accomplished through a clear statement of work (SOW) that addresses the scope of work to be performed, location, timeline, deliverable schedule, quality control, change orders processed, authorization, and payment process.

    Here we provide 7 ways to minimize change order frustration, confusion, and delays.

    1. Provide a Clear Statement of Work (SOW); Establish CO Processes. It’s important to stress that material costs cannot be guaranteed after a certain date and that labor costs increase significantly with change orders. You can prevent misunderstandings and unauthorized changes by establishing clear processes for change orders in advance.
    1. Reduce the Number of Change Orders. During the pre-construction phase, it’s important to conduct due diligence by reviewing plan pages and all drawings for any irregularities or lack of clarity. Communicating your concerns with the GC or owner can help clarify ambiguities and resolve issues in advance, which can help minimize the number of change orders and interruptions to the project. By being proactive, you can also provide more accurate estimates.
    1. Prioritize Change Orders. As a project manager, you should be ready to address changes and communicate them to the teams, contractors, estimators, and principals. By prioritizing change orders, you can save time and money and cut down on the number of change orders. Integrated products can help you build a comprehensive pre-construction platform to track each project site, perform new takeoffs, recalculate estimates, and create new proposals quickly.
    1. Coordinate All Project Elements. Coordination, collaboration, and transparency are key to reducing the number of change orders. If the contract documents do not include sufficient details, it’s difficult to price the project properly. Uncoordinated designs among contractors can also lead to problems. Reviewing reasonable assumptions and considering other contractors before submitting plans for bidding is important. Without proper coordination, structural components may impede the installation of ductwork for the HVAC, leading to change orders.
    1. Managing Quality Control. To help minimize change orders, quality control, inspection, and verification processes should be defined for all stages of a project, including the design process, engineering changes, inspection reports, specifications, technical documentation, testing, and other processes within the contract.
    1. Contractor Compliance with the SOW. It’s important to determine early in the process that all goods and services provided by subcontractors meet or exceed contract requirements and that all federal contractor and subcontractor legislative requirements are met. If not, contract termination could result.
    1. Fostering Collaboration. Frequent meetings are one of the most effective ways to minimize change orders. By keeping the channels of communication open and addressing issues weekly, you can handle them before they become delayed. Project management software is also a good investment for a construction company, allowing for the digital sharing of data, photos, and reports among all stakeholders. While these precautions may not eliminate all change orders, following these guidelines will reduce the number of change orders and make handling the ones you get much easier.

    By following these guidelines, construction project teams can work together transparently to identify and resolve problems before they lead to costly change orders. This will help minimize frustrations and keep the number of COs to a minimum.

  • What Makes a Person Unique? Personality!

    What Makes a Person Unique? Personality!

    By: Bethany Wood 4/4/2023 12:42AM

    Personality refers to the unique set of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that characterize an individual. It is influenced by a combination of genetic and environmental factors and can develop and change over time.

    There are many different models of personality, but some common traits include extraversion/introversion, openness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and agreeableness.

    Early childhood experiences, relationships, cultural background, and personal interests can all shape a person’s personality. For example, a person who grew up in a household with strict rules and expectations may develop a strong sense of conscientiousness, while someone who grew up in a more relaxed environment may be more open and laid-back.

    Genetics can also influence personality, as certain traits may be more likely to be passed down from parents to children. However, it’s important to note that genetics provides a starting point and is not the sole determinant of personality.

    Environmental factors can also influence personality development, and some researchers believe that the interaction between genetics and environment is what ultimately shapes personality.

    In addition to shaping a person’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, personality can also influence their relationships with others. For example, someone who is highly agreeable may be more likely to prioritize harmony in their relationships, while someone who is more neurotic may be more prone to conflict and stress.

    Identifying a single or a few factors that contribute to our uniqueness is challenging since there are numerous elements at play. However, some of the most apparent factors that shape an individual’s identity include:

    1. Genetics: Every person has a unique genetic makeup, which determines physical traits such as eye color, height, and skin color, as well as personality traits such as temperament and predisposition to certain behaviors. While genetics provide a starting point, it’s important to note that environmental factors can also influence gene expression, so the influence of genes on personality is not straightforward. For example, a person may have a genetic predisposition towards anxiety, but this may not manifest unless triggered by certain environmental factors.
    2. Life experiences: Every person has unique life experiences that shape who they are. This includes their upbringing, education, career path, relationships, and more. Life experiences can shape a person’s beliefs, values, and attitudes. For example, a person who grew up in a conservative household may have different beliefs and values than someone who grew up in a liberal household. Life experiences can also influence a person’s behaviors and actions. For example, a person who has experienced trauma may have difficulty forming healthy relationships.
    3. Personality: Each person has a unique personality, characterized by their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Personality is shaped by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. There are many different models of personality, but some common traits include extraversion/introversion, openness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and agreeableness. Early childhood experiences, relationships, cultural background, and personality can influence personality. Overall, personality is a complex and multi-faceted construct that plays a significant role in shaping who we are as individuals.
    4. Talents and skills: Every person has their own unique set of talents and skills. Talents are innate abilities that a person may be born with, such as a natural aptitude for music, athletics, or artistic expression. On the other hand, skills are abilities that a person develops through practice and experience, such as proficiency in a particular academic subject or trade. Genetics, environmental factors, and personal interests can influence talents and skills.
    5. Perspective: Each person has their own perspective on the world, shaped by their beliefs, values, and experiences. Perspective can influence a person’s behavior, decision-making, and relationships. For example, someone who values honesty may be more likely to speak their mind, while someone who appreciates harmony may be more likely to avoid conflict. Perspective can also be influenced by cultural and societal norms.
    6. Relationships: Every person has a unique set of relationships, including family, friends, and romantic partners, that shape their social interactions and influence their development. Relationships can provide emotional support, social validation, and opportunities for personal growth. They can also be a source of stress or conflict. The quality and quantity of a person’s relationships can significantly impact their mental health and well-being.

    All of these factors interact with each other to create a unique and complex individual. For example, a person’s genetics may influence their natural talents, which may lead to certain life experiences and perspectives. Similarly, a person’s life experiences may shape their personality and influence the relationships they form. Understanding the different factors that contribute to individuality can help us better appreciate and understand the people around us.

    The interaction of these factors, among many others, creates the complexity and individuality of each person. While some of these contributors are innate, others are shaped by external factors, and all contribute to the uniqueness of each individual. Ultimately, the combination of these and many other factors make us who we are as individuals.

  • Agile Software Development: A Collaborative Mindset

    Agile Software Development: A Collaborative Mindset

    By: Margaret Wood 04/04/2023 11:217 PM

    Agile’s popularity and acceptance for software development have increased exponentially due to its emphasis on how programmers collaborate. By applying their respective skill sets, team members can be flexible and define approaches before testing; the end product is deemed more robust and functional. Agile software development is most successful in those environments that foster cohesiveness.

    Centered on iterative progression, software development teams often use the Agile framework and mindset to collaborate and develop project requirements. The Agile Software Development Manifesto describes the base values for Agile software development: Agile framework and mindset to collaborate.

    • Customer collaboration takes precedence over contract negotiation
    • Functioning software trumps comprehensive documentation
    • Interactions and individuals have precedent over processes and tools
    • Timely response to changes has precedent vs. following a plan

    Agile Planning for Roadmaps and Backlogs

    Software development positions require code writing for front-end, back-end, and mobile apps. Developers have a multitude of frameworks and libraries from which to choose.
    The Agile software development process begins with discussions of goals, priorities, and requirements with the product owner, the development team, and other stakeholders. Several collaboration capabilities are built into Agile tools like Jira, Azure DevOps, and Asana that facilitate communication.

    Innovative software solutions typically require multiple planning sprints. As part of the process, stakeholders need visibility into the roadmap and release plan to effectively plan digital transformation change activities, i.e., employee training and marketing for customer-facing applications.

    If software development teams only have backlogs for one or two sprints, it becomes challenging to plan and organize planning meetings and is less productive for remote development teams.

    Best Practices Develop Sound Solutions

    One of the key elements for remote teams is not just learning but also sharing information.

    Sharing with software development teams and applying what’s learned stimulates an organization’s growth. Encourage learning, experimenting, and knowledge sharing. Help your teams stay connected and reinforce an always-learning culture.

    Groups that engage in these best practices develop architecturally sound solutions, have more time to engage stakeholders and work through dependencies.

    Here are some ideas:

    • When teammates complete courses, encourage them to present a virtual update to the entire software development team on what was learned and how they can apply it.
    • Explore learning opportunities in Agile, data science, DevOps, or cloud certifications.
    • Choose one software development team to conduct an Agile POC (Proof of Concept) of their choice and share the findings with other software development teams once a month.
    • Review future features ordered by the product owner; create spikes on the backlog to test new technologies or validate implementation options.

    Benefits of an Outside-in Culture

    Software developers are problem solvers, innovators, and craftspeople. Different implementation options often lead to new capabilities; high-quality deployments are more important than speed.

    Here are just three benefits when adopting an outside-in culture.

    • Maintain a health-first mindset (e.g., flexible schedules, good ergonomics, breaks, and create a culture that promotes digital sharing.
    • Avoid digital distractions and remain visible on collaboration tools.
    • Focus on the obstacles and allow “in the zone” developers to miss meetings if possible.

    Development teams seeking outside advice and opinions gain insights into innovative brainstorming and solution-building that can be applied to broader challenges. They learn best practices and can take advantage of other people’s ideas and solutions to overcome remote working challenges. creating a healthier workplace culture and promoting collaboration and the importance of teamwork. 

  • Effective Solutions for Hiring and Managing Remote Development Teams 

    Effective Solutions for Hiring and Managing Remote Development Teams 

    By: M.Wood April 23, 2023

    Remote development teams—the new face of employment

    You may need to rethink your management approach if you are tagged with managing a dedicated remote development team that is 2,000 miles away.

    For managers, tracking progress on remote development teams, keeping them engaged and productive, and navigating time zones while running an organization are challenging. Hiring vetted top developers from reputable providers simplifies hiring and automates many of the associated processes, allowing you to direct your focus elsewhere.

    Once you’ve hired your remote development teams, it’s time to get both sides of the house working together. Here we’ve assembled some comprehensive guidelines and tips to help you manage your in-house and remote development teams more efficiently.

     Improving engagement and productivity

    ·        Structure is essential: following protocol is vital. Leadership must be open and demonstrate understanding, compassion, resilience, and support. Focus on engagement. Conveying these traits remotely can be challenging; it may require some ingenuity.

    ·        Compassion and understanding 

    •  Consider what your teams can contribute; acknowledge their accomplishments, expertise, experience, and skills. 
    •  Support your team members individually and as a team
    •  Outcomes over activity; their work should speak for itself.

    ·        Communicate—The best way to establish a smooth working process is by providing precise tasks.

    •  Create clear project guidelines; clarity is essential for remote workers 
    •  To form a cohesive unit, discuss your expectations so your team can start developing your product sooner and provide a more precise quote when they have a clear project vision.
    •  Discuss how you plan to manage projects – remain transparent. 

    ·        Be proactive: Remember, your teams are people first. Your support is essential.

    ·        Collaborate— Fostering ownership and minimizing miscommunication will organically build a more robust culture. Find agreements and resolutions from within the teams. Solve that which can be solved–your team will appreciate you all staying at peak performance.

    · Multi-channel communications are important

    •  Every type of e-communication has its place— help your teams understand when it’s appropriate for each one. 
    •  Encourage info-sharing among the teams. 
    •  Respond promptly to emails from your project manager.

    ·        People embrace different communication methods—ensure there are multiple channels available. 

    ·        Public recognition is a powerful morale booster. Your remote development teams are motivated when they feel that their contributions are making a difference; recognize them in a public forum.

    ·        Track progress

    •  Set clear expectations and goals; ensure the team understands your strategy.
    •  Have team members provide work schedules with tasks and due dates.
    •  Keep all workers accountable, productive, efficient, and satisfied. 

    ·        Cultivate and encourage independence

    • Avoid micromanagement; ask for your team member’s input.

    ·        Use apps with checklists, templates, and flow charts to organize and facilitate collaboration.

    ·        Set weekly meetings (15-30 minutes) with your development teams-ensure all developer team members attend

    •  Address issues openly to find a resolution.
    •  Discuss work-related issues quickly, then get back to work.
    •  Set up one-on-one face time for those not comfortable discussing sensitive issues in a group setting to clear the air.
    •  Leverage face-to-face meetings

    ·        Encourage consensus decision-making

    • It brings more value to the development team’s culture, creating a favorable atmosphere within the group. 

    ·        Patience and empathy— Develop strategies to best deal with each team member; change is easier for some. 

    · Problem-solving

    • Occasional disagreements among teams or team members are inevitable. The key is to ensure they are adequately addressed and resolved promptly. 
    • As leadership, consistently monitoring the team atmosphere and acting as a mediator whenever the need arises helps maintain a healthy environment. 

    Hiring vetted remote developers from trusted online talent acquisition platforms 

    A talent acquisition industry leader helps startup founders and forward-thinking companies looking to hire remote developers to find, engage, and manage the best-vetted top developers from around the world. We provide the most effective solutions for hiring and managing remote DevOps teams.

    Additionally, the talent acquisition industry helps you hire from a platform of thoroughly vetted developers to build your DevOps teams quickly and efficiently, providing remote-ready talent and making it hassle-free.

    Qualified candidates should be self-organized and dedicated, demonstrate above-average self-motivation levels, and possess the desired soft skills to work independently. These would include:

    • Excellent communication skills
    • Honesty and integrity
    • Independent and self-motivated
    • Organized and reliable

    Top developers worldwide are dedicated to your project and committed to helping you grow and move your organization forward. 

    Most platforms include:

    • Fast-track hiring and delivers intelligently matched talent within 72 hours.
    • Clients can hire vetted remote developers effortlessly with zero upfront hiring or placement fees.
    • Automated payments and remote team management let clients focus on growth.

    Summary

    Simply put, the talent acquisition industry makes it easy to access the world’s talent at scale – all through an automated, data-driven talent platform. Why not get the talent you need when you need it?