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Hi everyone, we’re back after a few weeks off. Here’s what we have for you:
Do you have the courage to speak up with something seems off at the workplace? In this week’s episode of The Everyday Leader, we hear from Cassandra Kiereini from Shortlist about how she learned to speak up early on in her career. Listen here.
It can be frustrating when the goals or expectations set by your leaders keep changing. We share 3 strategies to keep motivated and focused. Read more here.
In today's fast-paced business world, companies must adapt their professional development strategies to stay ahead of the competition. Learning themes must align with your company’s short-term business goals. Read more here.
Read on for more details…
Cassandra Kiereini is a professional with over 12 years of experience in project management, expansion and growth management, and senior management. She is currently the Director at Shortlist, where she runs several employment programs that connect youth and women to jobs in clean energy, climate tech and digital work. Previously, she held several management roles at companies such as Shara Technologies, Twiga Foods, and d.Light Solar. At Twiga Foods, she was the Expansion Planning and Project Manager responsible for strategic planning and project management for expansion into new geographies. Cassandra is also a Board Member at Cohere.Org, where she provides advisory support to the senior management team.
In a recent podcast episode, Cassandra shared her insights on leadership and management in project management. With experience working with diverse teams across various sectors, Cassandra has encountered numerous challenges and opportunities in her career. In this article, we will highlight some of the key takeaways from her conversation.
The Role of a Leader
According to Cassandra, understanding the mission of the organization and how it connects to the work of the team is crucial for being an effective leader. As a leader, it is important to create a safe and inclusive work environment where team members feel comfortable expressing their personal and work-related concerns. Empathy is a key skill that can help leaders connect with team members and drive collaboration. By being empathetic, leaders can better understand the needs of their team members and provide support where needed.
Challenges of Management
One of the biggest challenges in management is knowing when to let go of team members who are not meeting expectations. Giving feedback throughout the employee's time at the company is important, but it can be tough to separate the personal emotions from the professional responsibilities. Cassandra shared that she sometimes struggles with this aspect of management. It is important for managers to provide constructive feedback and support to employees, but also to recognize when it may not be a good fit and make the tough decision to let them go.
Power Skills
Cassandra highlighted the importance of "power skills" (also known as soft skills) in the workplace, specifically for young people trying to get their first jobs or in their first jobs. Power skills refer to skills like communication, teamwork, and presentation skills that are necessary for success in the workplace, but that are not always taught in formal education. Cassandra is currently working on a project to help young people develop and showcase their power skills to potential employers. By helping young people develop these skills, they can better position themselves for success in the job market.
Remote Work
The rise of remote work has brought about new challenges for team management. Cassandra discussed the challenges of working remotely and shared some strategies used by her team to stay connected and engaged. One strategy that stood out was the implementation of an internal pairing system, where team members are randomly matched with each other monthly to catch up informally. This has helped to create a sense of community within the remote team. It is important for managers to find ways to keep their team members engaged and connected, even when working remotely.
Cassandra's insights emphasize the importance of empathy, communication, and collaboration in leadership and management. Understanding the mission of the organization and the needs of team members is crucial for creating a safe and inclusive work environment and driving success in project management. By recognizing the importance of power skills and providing support to help develop them, managers can better position their team members for success in the job market. Finally, in a remote work environment, it is important for managers to find ways to keep their team members connected and engaged. By implementing strategies like coffee chats, managers can create a sense of community within the remote team.
How Managers Can Handle Shifting Goalposts
As a manager, it can be frustrating when the goals or expectations set by your leaders keep changing. It can be demotivating to work towards a target that keeps moving, and it can be challenging to keep your team motivated and focused. This blog post will explore three ways that managers can handle situations where the goalposts keep shifting.
1. Communicate with Your Leaders
When the expectations set by your leaders keep changing, it's essential to communicate with them. Open communication can help you understand why the goals are changing and what you can do to meet them. You can schedule a meeting with your leader to discuss the changes and how you can work together to achieve the new objectives. It's vital to ask questions to clarify the new expectations and ensure that you and your team are on the same page.
Example questions a manager can pose to themselves or others:
What are the specific changes in expectations or goals?
What is the reasoning behind these changes?
How can my team and I meet these new expectations?
2. Reassess Your Strategy
When the goalposts keep shifting, it's essential to reassess your strategy. Your original plan may no longer be relevant, and you may need to pivot to a new approach. Take the time to review your current plan and identify areas where you need to make changes. Involve your team in the process and get their input on what they think needs to be modified. Once you have a new plan in place, communicate it to your team and ensure that everyone understands their role in achieving the new objectives.
Example questions a manager can pose to themselves or others:
What parts of our current plan are still relevant?
What parts of our current plan need to be modified?
What new approach can we take to meet these new expectations?
3. Focus on What You Can Control
When you're working towards a goal that keeps changing, it can be easy to get frustrated and lose focus. However, it's essential to focus on what you can control. You may not be able to control the changing expectations set by your leaders, but you can control how you and your team respond to them. Focus on the things you can do to make progress towards the new objectives. Celebrate small wins along the way, and keep your team motivated by reminding them of the bigger picture.
Example questions a manager can pose to themselves or others:
What specific actions can we take to meet these new expectations?
What resources or support can we leverage to achieve our goals?
How can we stay motivated and focused on the bigger picture in the face of changing expectations?
Conclusion
In conclusion, when the goalposts keep shifting, it can be challenging for managers to stay focused and motivated. However, by communicating with your leaders, reassessing your strategy, and focusing on what you can control, you can overcome these challenges and lead your team towards success. Remember to stay positive, celebrate small wins, and keep your team motivated along the way.
Adapting Your Learning Plan
In today's fast-paced business world, companies must adapt their strategies to stay ahead of the competition. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is by aligning learning themes with short-term strategic business goals. HR managers play a critical role in ensuring that their company's employees have the skills and knowledge necessary to support these goals. In this blog post, we will discuss three ways HR managers can align learning themes with their company's short-term strategic business goals.
Create a Learning and Development Plan
Creating a learning and development plan is the first step towards aligning learning themes with short-term strategic business goals. This plan should identify the skills and knowledge areas that employees need to develop to support the company's goals. HR managers should work with department heads and team leaders to identify these areas and develop a plan to address them. The plan should include a timeline for when each skill or knowledge area will be addressed and how it will be addressed.
For example, imagine a company has a goal of increasing its online sales by 50% in the next six months. The HR manager would need to create a learning and development plan that includes training on digital marketing, e-commerce platforms, and customer service skills required for online sales. The plan should also include a timeline for when each skill or knowledge area will be addressed and how it will be addressed.
Use Data to Identify Learning Needs
Another way HR managers can align learning themes with short-term strategic business goals is by using data to identify learning needs. HR managers should collect data on employee performance, customer feedback, and industry trends to identify areas where employees need to improve their skills and knowledge. This data can be used to develop targeted learning programs that address these specific needs. By using data to identify learning needs, HR managers can ensure that their company's employees have the skills and knowledge necessary to support short-term strategic business goals.
For example, imagine a company's customer feedback shows that customers frequently complain about the lack of product knowledge among the employees. The HR manager can use this data to identify the need for a training program that focuses on product knowledge. By addressing the specific needs identified through data analysis, the HR manager can ensure that the company's employees have the skills and knowledge necessary to support short-term strategic business goals.
Develop Customized Learning Programs
The final way HR managers can align learning themes with short-term strategic business goals is by developing customized learning programs. These programs should be tailored to the specific needs of each department and team within the company. HR managers should work with department heads and team leaders to identify the skills and knowledge areas that are most important to their team's success. By developing customized learning programs, HR managers can ensure that their company's employees have the skills and knowledge necessary to support short-term strategic business goals.
For example, imagine a company has a goal of expanding its market to a new geographical area. The HR manager would need to work with department heads and team leaders to identify the specific skills and knowledge areas required for success in that area. Then, a customized learning program can be developed that includes training on cultural differences, language, and marketing strategies specific to the new market. By developing customized learning programs, HR managers can ensure that their company's employees have the skills and knowledge necessary to support short-term strategic business goals.
Conclusion
In conclusion, aligning learning themes with short-term strategic business goals is critical for companies that want to stay ahead of the competition. HR managers play a critical role in ensuring that their company's employees have the skills and knowledge necessary to support these goals. By creating a learning and development plan, using data to identify learning needs, and developing customized learning programs, HR managers can ensure that their company's employees have the skills and knowledge necessary to support short-term strategic business goals.