Joyce Weiss

I work with organizations and individuals who want to kick conflict and chaos to the curb - Communication Strategist and Master Coach

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October 23, 2018 By Joyce Weiss Leave a Comment

Toolbox Alert #3: A Code of Conduct Really Works!

This post is the 3rd article of a series called Creating Your Own Code of Conduct.

Toolbox Alert #1 covered the following topics:

  • The importance of a Code of Conduct
  • Challenges you may face while creating the Code of Conduct
  • An important reality check about the Code of Conduct

You will find the link to Toolbox Alert#1 HERE

Toolbox Alert #2 covered the following topics:

  • Knowing the priorities of the Code of Conduct
  • The Code of Conduct is the police officer
  • What to do when someone breaks the Code of Conduct

You will find the link to Toolbox Alert #2 HERE

This week’s article will cover the following topics:

  • Examples to get you started to create a Code of Conduct
  • Joyce’s thoughts about creating a Code of Conduct

Examples to get you started to create a Code of Conduct

The following are examples of ideas created by clients during past training sessions: code of conduct | career coach | improve meetings

  • Eating before meetings in order to focus on important issues
  • Total engagement of the entire team – no silence
  • Talkative team members sticking to the point
  • Finger pointing and blaming will not be tolerated
  • Sidebars won’t happen during meetings in order for everyone to listen to the speaker
  • Company values will be followed.  If there is a breach of the code, we need to confront others
  • Treat people how you want to be treated
  • Bullying will not be tolerated
  • Harassment will be addressed especially with sexual orientation, minorities, women, and new team members
  • Discipline will be consistent with all leaders

Joyce’s thoughts about creating a Code of Conduct

  • Everyone has to agree to the Code of Conduct or it will not work. code of conduct
  • When there is a breach the person needs to be called out.
  • We need to ask,  Is what you are doing aligned with our values? 
  • Retaliation is never part of the code.  People need to feel safe in order to respectfully tell team members when
    they break the code.
  • The entire team needs to create the Code of Conduct

I want to hear from you

Add a comment to my blog on how you created a code of conduct in your workplace. You will receive a response from me because I enjoy connecting with my readers! 🙂  You are always welcome to send me a private email with concerns that you are experiencing at work.

Please share this and any article that speaks to you or your company.

Loyal readers like you help us find more people who could benefit from these posts. Help us help them reduce conflict and improve leadership skills and quality of life.

This is Joyce Weiss
Corporate Communications Strategist and Career Coach

Have a great week.

Until next time, Remember…”You Get What You Tolerate!”

 

Filed Under: code of conduct, Trust and transparency
Tagged With: team building, trust

March 5, 2017 By Joyce Weiss Leave a Comment

Team Building Strategies to Create Open Communication

Team building is successful when employees feel safe to share ideas on how company policies can be improved. Communication issues are uncovered when I interview both leaders and their direct reports on what is working and not working with the team.  I take this information and create a personalized training for the company.  This only works with companies whose leaders are open to constructive feedback.  Team Building training will backfire when employees feel it’s the program of the month for appearance sake only.  Morale and trust are deflated when employees “know” that nothing will change after these sessions.

  • Are you a leader who wants to hear what your employees are talking about at the water cooler and use this information constructively?
  • Are you an emerging leader who wants to know how to create successful team building strategies during meetings?
  • Are you tired of the status quo and want to see positive change and results at work?

This article contains  3 team building strategies to help you create some interesting and productive conversations with your team.  All of these ideas are team building strategies that my clients use successfully during staff meetings.

Team Building Strategy #1:  Make the meeting safe

Everyone in the room is told that the feedback that I share is anonymous since all departments and job functions were interviewed.  Only patterns are shared.  There are usually negative or cynical employees who don’t trust this system. They have attended other training and nothing seems to change. This elephant in the room is addressed immediately.  All I ask is for everyone to give the training a chance before they judge the process.  If you decide to take these ideas and use them for your own training be prepared for these necessary and tough discussions!

team building

Team Building Strategy #2:  Share patterns from the interviews

The patterns are revealed.  The most important part of the training happens when employees and leaders answer the following questions in small groups:

  • What do we need to be talking about?
  • Let’s now beat around the bush.
  • What issues haven’t we been talking about?
  • How is this currently impacting you and how will this impact our future?

Another important “rule” is to make sure names are not used and blaming is not the purpose of the team building program.  It’s all about change, openness, trust, and results.  

Team Building Strategy #3:  Be specific when giving feedback

Take time to choose your words wisely so that you convey exactly what you mean – you can’t assume that people know what you want.

When giving feedback use the following 2 strategies:

  • Don’t use vague communication such as, “We need to sell more products.”
    Suggest that, “We need to create at least 2 new products in order to keep up with the competition.”
  • Don’t use hazy messages by saying, “Everyone needs to be to work on time.”
    Tell others, “We begin working with members at 8:00 am each day.”

This one team building strategy will improve communication within the entire company.  Hopefully, people will stop mind reading what others need from each other.

Team Building Strategies #3:  Ask important questions to change the status quo

The results from the phone interviews are shared after employees are face to face in the training and discuss their important feedback.
The following questions are asked during the phone interviews:

What if you were the CEO or President and had your own set of rules to keep your customers/clients?

  • What would you do differently?
  • What restrictions would you remove?
  • How would you treat your star employees?
  • How would you handle poor behavior?

So Joyce, what are your thoughts about creating successful team building training?

There are a couple of ways to conduct the important training sessions.  You can have both management and employees together depending on the trust level in your company.  You can also divide the training so management and employees work separately.  Once the training is complete the results are given to both management and employees.  I conduct an executive debriefing to discuss what changes will be made as a result of the research and employee input.  The real magic comes when employees are included in the last part so they feel that they were heard.  Of course, some of the ideas will not be used but being listened to is the #1 factor to improve your morale.  These team building strategies work!

I want to hear from you

Send me your questions or comments on what team building strategies you use.  What works and what challenges do you still experience with your team.  I will answer all comments.  Feel free to email your questions or concerns that you don’t want to share with others. 

Learn how Joyce Weiss can leverage her 30+ years of communication and leadership consulting and coaching experience to help your organization address team building strategies here.

 

This is Joyce Weiss, Communications Strategist and Coach
Until next time, Remember…”You Get What You Tolerate!”

PS Read more articles and listen to podcasts at our Team Building Strategies Knowledge Base 

 

 

Filed Under: Collaboration Strategies, Team Synergy
Tagged With: team building, trust

February 19, 2017 By Joyce Weiss Leave a Comment

Executive Coaching Strategies for Leaders

Executive Coaching is a powerful tool for leaders to learn.  Do any of the questions below keep you up at night?

  • Do you want to start empowering employees to divide the workload evenly and fairly?
  • Are some of your teams working harder than others?
  • Do generational or cultural differences get in the way?
  • Are you getting in the middle of communication challenges between employees and acting more like a referee?

If so continue reading!  This article will give you Executive Coaching Strategies and case scenarios for you to share with your team.  Leaders who use coaching skills are great role models for their employees. 

  • They encourage team members to resolve their own conflict. 
  • They know how to hold others accountable for their actions.
  • They set boundaries so that their team understands their expectations.

Executive Coaching

 

Executive Coaching Strategy #1:  Encourage others to resolve their own conflicts

The next time you have a meeting let your team know that they need to start resolving their own conflicts. Communicate that you want them to meet with each other first before they include you.  This Executive Coaching Strategy will allow you to do the things you want and need to do and stop being the company referee!

The following are 2 case scenarios to give to your team:
How would you resolve conflict when 2 people have an issue with each other if you were a leader? 
What patterns have you witnessed concerning generational or cultural issues?

These questions will start your team thinking how they would resolve personality conflicts if they were in charge. They will also bring forward important topics that need to be addressed.

Exectutive Coaching

Executive Coaching Strategy #2:  Hold team members accountable for their actions

Leaders need to coach their team about job performance or attitude adjustment or else these negative qualities and behaviors will continue causing stress for the company.  Use your favorite coaching stories to describe the culture you want at your organization.  Share your philosophy how negative attitudes or mediocrity will not be tolerated.  Some leaders may not discipline because they fear a backlash from employees.  This one Executive Coaching strategy will help leaders and their teams discuss how things need to change and how to move forward.

I want to hear from you

Send me your questions or comments on what is and what is not working with your organization’s communication.

Read More on Executive Coaching Strategies.

Visit our knowledge base for more articles and podcasts on Executive Coaching 

This is Joyce Weiss, Communications Strategist and Coach

Do you want to add Exective Coaching to your Leadership tool box to give you the time to do what you want and need to do?
Visit our Executive Coaching services page 

Until next time, Remember…“You Get What You Tolerate!”

Filed Under: Coaching as a Leader, How to Improve Communication in the Workplace
Tagged With: Coaching as a Leader, personal accountability, trust

January 15, 2017 By Joyce Weiss Leave a Comment

Collaboration Solutions for Strong Leaders

Collaboration solutions in the workplace are necessary more than ever before because it saves time and effort for the entire team.  Strong leaders need to know if their communication is causing barriers for the team.  They will be respected as a leader who is able to give and most importantly receive constructive feedback.

Collaboration Solutions #1:  Take the time to ask yourself:

  1. Am I the catalyst for more open and effective communication?
  2. Do my expressions convey respect in every way?
  3. Do I genuinely help others without getting in their way?
  4. Am I a role model to motivate the team during good times and challenging moments?

These questions will help you when and if your team is not open with you.  I’d strongly suggest that you conduct a 360 with your team and direct reports.  Give them a survey to fill out anonymously with the above questions.  You will be able to uncover blind spots if they exist.  When you do this exercise you can always email me with questions about the results at Joyce@JoyceWeiss.com

Collaboration Solutions#2:  Explore your team’s openness with you

  1. Do they feel comfortable to give you constructive feedback?
  2.  Is the environment open where people feel comfortable having tough conversations?
  3. Do they ask you for support when they are overwhelmed?

The answers will be telling if you are open to their comments.  If no one gives you constructive feedback it may be time to have a meeting on the importance of having a 2-way conversation to improve processes and communications. If your environment is tense and people are not collaborating with each other you need to find out why.  They need to find collaboration solutions if one department is stressed and another department is not as busy.  Create a meeting and set the tone that it is necessary for an open dialogue.  If no one talks that is an indication that trust is an issue and you need to speak to individuals to ask the tough questions.  This isn’t easy to do and it’s important to let your team know that you need their support to move forward.  Remember that some of your team may have had negative experiences with prior leaders.  You need to express your expectations about having an open culture.

I want to hear from you

How have you built trust with your team?  What challenges do you have with open communications?  
CLICK HERE to send me your questions or comments.  I enjoy responding to all of my loyal readers!

Until next time,

This is Joyce Weiss, Communication Strategist and Coach

You can start tackling tough conversations with bullies, different generations, and even narcissists once you learn the powerful strategies. I will do whatever it takes to help you improve your quality of life.

Feel free to call me (800.713.1926) concerning your own team/executive retreats, workshops, and on-line professional growth coaching.

VISIT our team building services page to see how we can help you and your leaders learn new strategies how to collaborate

READ MORE articles and listen to podcasts about collaboration strategies on our team building knowledge base page

Remember…You Get What YOU Tolerate!

See YOU Next Week.

PS I will let you know when we launch our new site.  You will find new videos and resources on how to improve your work and home life.  Stay tuned!

Filed Under: Collaboration Strategies, Great Leaders, How to Improve Communication in the Workplace
Tagged With: employee morale, Respect in the Workplace, trust

June 19, 2016 By Joyce Weiss Leave a Comment

Strategic Communications: The Truth About Delegation

Are you a manager who wants to empower your employees and learn strategic communications?
Are you experiencing more pressure from your boss while attempting to manage your entire department?
Great!  This article will provide you with strategies to use to reduce YOUR stress at work and empower your employees at the same time.

Delegation Challenges

Delegation won’t work if your employees don’t trust you and if they don’t have the right skills.  This is a perfect time for you to coach certain team members who have the potential to help them grow professionally.  It may be a good time to have a realistic conversation about your expectations.  Make sure and share specific details on what will happen if the employee doesn’t improve by a certain time.  The rest of the article will help you encourage your skilled employees to grow which will improve the trust.

Strategic Communications Tip #1:  Delegation has Clear Options

Check out the list below.  Start with the top of the list – when you don’t trust an employee, and work to the bottom of the list – when you have total trust in an employee.  Once people learn responsibility, you can confidently stop micromanaging!

  1. Look into this problem.  Give me all the facts.  I will decide what to do.

      2.  Let me know the available alternatives.

      3.  Recommend a course of action for my approval.

      4.  Let me know what you intend to do.  Do it unless I say not to.

      5.  Take action.  Let me know what you did.  Let me know how it turns out.

      6.  Take action.  Communicate with me only if your action is unsuccessful.

      7.  Take action.  No further communication with me is necessary.

Strategic Communications #2:  Advantages of Delegation

You don’t need to do everything yourself.  When you’re able to delegate well, you’ll experience that delegation helps:

  • Save time
  • Build stronger staff
  • Motivate employees
  • Build mutual trust
  • Improve quality of work
  • Help overworked managers

Strategic Communications From Joyce

If you are a manager who recognizes that you are not doing the greatest job in the delegation area, believe me, you are NOT alone!  My executive coaching practice has shown me that many great leaders never learned how to coach others and develop their team.  This is a skill that must be taught and experienced.  Cicero wrote, “Where there is life, there is hope!”  🙂

I want to hear from you!
CLICK HERE to send me your questions on how to stop micromanaging and start delegating.
What tips have you learned on coaching your team and building trust? 

Until next time,

This is Joyce Weiss, Communication Strategist and Coach

I look forward to helping my loyal readers any way that I can.  Post questions or write me a private email at Joyce@JoyceWeiss.com

Feel free to call me (800.713.1926) concerning your own team/executive retreats, workshops, and on line professional growth coaching.

Remember…You Get What YOU Tolerate!

See YOU Next Week.

PS  CLICK HERE if you want more information on coaching your team.  “Coaching Others to Take Ownership” is another one of my articles that shares several leadership strategies. 

CLICK HERE to learn more about how Joyce can help your company create team synergy through team building consulting.

Read more articles and listen to podcasts at our Team Building Strategies Knowledge Base https://www.joyceweiss.com/resources/knowledge-base/team-building-strategies/

Filed Under: Coaching as a Leader, delegation, Professional Development
Tagged With: Coaching as a Leader, trust

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Email: joyce@joyceweiss.com
Phone: 248-681-5831

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