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Opportunities & Insights from Across Our Community
Hi everyone, here’s what we have for you this week:
Take your professional development into your own hands. In this week’s episode of The Everyday Leader, we hear from Judy Komen from TryKe about how she has harnessed the power of our peer coaching network alongside several other out-of-office professional pursuits. Listen here.
When teams fall behind on their targets, managers must be there to get their teams back on track. But there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Read more here.
Identifying which managers will benefit most from leadership development support can be challenging for HR staff. We identify 5 strategies for identifying high-potential staff. Read more here.
Read on for more details…
The Everyday Leader: Judy Komen
Judy Komen is a seasoned professional with over 10 years of project management experience. She holds a Bachelor's in International Business Administration and is a PMP certification holder. Over the years she has developed sector expertise in a variety of industries, including e-commerce, IT, interior design, event planning, and electric mobility. She is presently the General Manager of Tryke Group, formerly Solar e-Cycles, a Nairobi-based electric vehicle venture that is changing the mobility landscape across the country. During her spare time, Judy likes to go hiking, read, and mentor others.
Judy shared her insights on leadership and the electric mobility industry in Kenya in a podcast episode of The Everyday Leader. Throughout the conversation, Judy emphasized the importance of emotional intelligence and empathy in managing teams, highlighting how these traits allow leaders to better understand and work with their team members.
Judy described how her journey had led her to develop emotional intelligence and empathy as key skills for effective leadership. She explained how it has been crucial to understand the unique working styles and motivations of her team members to improve their performance and ensure their well-being. As a manager, Judy has prioritized fostering open and honest communication with her team members, which has allowed her to create a work environment that is both supportive and productive.
In addition to discussing the importance of emotional intelligence and empathy in people management, Judy went on to outline the need for upskilling and training in the electric mobility sector. She explained that the industry is still relatively young in Kenya and that there is a significant need for training and apprenticeships in areas such as maintenance and infrastructure. Judy noted that some organizations are already offering training to their employees and other interested parties, but there is still a significant gap in the market that needs to be addressed.
Judy also discussed the value of continuous learning and peer coaching. She highlighted how taking online courses, joining a project management group, and even joining a Toastmasters Club had helped her improve her presentation skills and learn from other professionals in her field. She emphasized the importance of learning from others and understanding different perspectives, as well as the need to continuously improve oneself to stay up-to-date with industry trends and best practices.
Judy also shared her experience with CoffeeChat's peer coaching network, emphasizing how it has supported her as a manager. She explained that through the platform, she was able to speak with other professionals on her level and even gained a customer. She also highlighted how the platform helped her develop her active listening skills, which she believes is essential in providing support to her team members.
Moreover, Judy talked about the challenges of people management in remote working environments and how trust plays a critical role. She explained that in a remote working environment, it is essential to trust that employees are doing their work and to provide them with the tools and support they need to be successful. She emphasized the importance of communication and setting clear expectations to build trust between managers and team members.
Finally, Judy spoke about the importance of understanding individual personalities to effectively lead a team. She shared examples of how different team members have unique working styles, and how understanding these styles can help leaders adapt their management approach to each individual. Judy emphasized that being empathetic and adaptable as a leader is crucial in creating a work environment that is conducive to growth and success.
Overall, Judy's insights shed light on the evolving nature of leadership in the electric mobility industry in Kenya, as well as the importance of continuous learning, trust, and empathy in effective leadership. Her experiences demonstrate the value of understanding individual personalities and motivations, fostering open and honest communication, and prioritizing the upskilling and training of employees in the electric mobility sector.
5 Strategies for Managers to Help Their Teams Meet Performance Targets
In any organization, performance targets are crucial for achieving business goals and objectives. However, when teams fall behind on these targets, it can be challenging for managers to get their teams back on track. Fortunately, there are several strategies that managers can employ to help their teams catch up with their performance targets. In this article, we will explore some of these strategies in detail.
Identify the Root Cause of the Problem: The first step to helping your team catch up with their performance targets is to identify the root cause of the problem. Often, there are underlying issues that are preventing your team from achieving their targets. As a manager, you need to identify these issues and address them. This could involve anything from providing additional resources to redefining goals.
Communicate Effectively: Effective communication is critical in any team environment. As a manager, you need to communicate with your team regularly and provide them with feedback on their progress. Make sure that your team understands the goals and objectives of the organization and how their work fits into the bigger picture. This will help them stay motivated and focused on achieving their targets.
Set Realistic Targets: One common reason why teams fall behind on their targets is that the targets are unrealistic. As a manager, you need to set realistic targets that are achievable for your team. This will help them stay motivated and focused on achieving their goals.
Provide Support and Resources: If your team is struggling to achieve their targets, it may be because they don't have the resources or support they need to succeed. As a manager, you need to provide your team with the resources they need to succeed. This could involve anything from providing additional training to investing in new equipment.
Celebrate Successes: Finally, it's essential to celebrate successes along the way. When your team achieves a goal or milestone, make sure that you recognize their hard work and celebrate their success. This will help keep your team motivated and focused on achieving their targets.
In conclusion, helping your team catch up with their performance targets requires a combination of strategies, including identifying the root cause of the problem, effective communication, setting realistic targets, providing support and resources, and celebrating successes. As a manager, it's your job to provide your team with the guidance and support they need to succeed. By doing so, you can help your team achieve their targets and ultimately contribute to the success of the organization.
Selecting Managers for Leadership Development
Effective leadership is critical to the success of any organization. Investing in leadership development can help high-potential managers acquire the skills they need to lead their teams effectively. However, identifying which managers will benefit most from leadership development support can be challenging for HR staff. In this article, we will discuss different methods that HR staff can use to identify high-potential managers who would benefit from leadership development support.
Talent Reviews: Talent reviews are an excellent way for HR staff to identify high-potential managers who would benefit from leadership development support. Talent reviews involve a comprehensive assessment of an organization's talent pool to identify employees with the potential to take on more significant roles in the organization. HR staff can use talent reviews to identify managers who have demonstrated the potential to become effective leaders.
Behavioral Interviews: HR staff can use behavioral interviews to identify high-potential managers who would benefit from leadership development support. Behavioral interviews focus on asking questions that allow the candidate to provide examples of how they have handled specific situations in the past. This approach allows HR staff to assess the candidate's leadership potential, such as their ability to communicate effectively, delegate tasks, and handle conflict.
Skills Assessments: HR staff can use skills assessments to identify high-potential managers who would benefit from leadership development support. Skills assessments are designed to evaluate a candidate's skills and knowledge in a particular area. HR staff can use skills assessments to evaluate a manager's leadership potential and determine where they need improvement.
Managerial Potential Assessment: A managerial potential assessment can be used to identify which employees have the potential to become effective leaders. This type of assessment evaluates a candidate's personality, cognitive abilities, and leadership potential. HR staff can use this information to determine which employees are high-potential managers who would benefit from leadership development support.
Nominations from Senior Leaders: Senior leaders may have firsthand experience working with managers who have demonstrated exceptional leadership potential. These leaders may nominate managers for leadership development support. While nominations from senior leaders can be valuable, HR staff should be aware of the potential for favoritism. Nominations should be checked against objective criteria, such as performance reviews or skills assessments, to ensure that they are based on merit rather than personal relationships.
In conclusion, identifying high-potential managers who would benefit from leadership development support is crucial for the success of any organization. By using a combination of talent reviews, behavioral interviews, skills assessments, and managerial potential assessments, HR staff can identify high-potential managers who would benefit from leadership development support and provide them with the training and development they need to become effective leaders.