| Possibly, the greatest untapped resource in any | | | | "star performers." Emotional Intelligence is defined |
| organization lies in its employees. These days, | | | | as each staff member and leader having a set of |
| "giving 100 percent" is not enough to get ahead; | | | | competencies to develop and apply their "people |
| you need to become more effective in unlocking | | | | skills" effectively. There are several emotional |
| your staff's potential strengths, creativity, and | | | | intelligence skills that affect all aspects of work, |
| resourcefulness. The best companies have the | | | | and they include: self-confidence, self-control, |
| best people, and the top people are those who | | | | conscientiousness, adaptability, innovativeness, |
| think and act faster and better than others. | | | | commitment, initiative, optimism, understanding |
| According to Gallup Research, organizations make | | | | others, conflict management skills, team |
| use of less than 20% of their employee's | | | | capabilities, communication, and the ability to |
| potential. | | | | initiate or manage change. Team members clearly |
| The following seven tips are what I believe are | | | | understand reactions and how to channel their |
| the specific ingredients in bringing the leader and | | | | energy into more productive results. |
| his or her staff to their full potential: | | | | 6. Recognition - Give your staff praise and |
| 1. Leadership - Being an effective leader helps you | | | | positive feedback when it is appropriate. Through |
| and your staff as they look to you for all of the | | | | genuine appreciation, recognize the positive |
| specifics in getting their work done, as with items | | | | behaviors and achievements of your employees. |
| that follow and more. Allow your staff to think on | | | | Look for ways to increase employee motivation |
| their own, have trust in them for accomplishing | | | | by recognizing excellence in the workplace. |
| the tasks assigned to them, and in return you will | | | | Celebrate the successes with your team |
| find that managing your employees will help them | | | | members when they complete a job "well done". |
| perform at their optimum level. The job of the | | | | 7. Team Work - Creating an effective team is a |
| leader is to help increase their staff's | | | | challenge to many leaders. Besides the fact that a |
| effectiveness and to recognize and work to | | | | team player is valued, your staff contributes to |
| improve whatever limitations affect individual's | | | | the success of the whole team as well as to the |
| performance. | | | | project or task, and even to the success of the |
| 2. Communication - As a leader, talk to your staff | | | | organization as a whole. For the team to |
| and share with them how best to get the task or | | | | accomplish what they need to, the leader must |
| project done. In doing so, use optimism to | | | | get the right resources to the team. This goes |
| motivate and inspire your staff and most | | | | along with your team members communicating |
| importantly, ask your staff for suggestions on | | | | with each other, problem solving on their own, |
| how they would get the task accomplished. | | | | being flexible and adaptive, and most importantly, |
| Having clear expectations and direction from the | | | | working together. |
| leader is important so the staff can understand | | | | Your team members typically will have a variety |
| what they are expected to do. The leader is then | | | | of unique styles that are significantly common and |
| able to give support to their team to get the job | | | | compliment each other. These are (source: Honey |
| done more efficiently and with less stress and | | | | P., 1994, Teams and Leaders): |
| strain on the leader or their staff. | | | | The Doers - those who make sure the job gets |
| 3. Empowering Employees - Allowing your staff to | | | | done and gives the team drive. Doers are |
| take responsibility and make decisions on their | | | | prepared to get involved to help others. Also, |
| own is what many consider as a boost of | | | | Doers want to see progress and hate wasting |
| self-confidence to employees. Getting your staff | | | | time. |
| more involved in the work they do gives them a | | | | The Achievers - Achievers become impatient with |
| sense of accomplishment and helps them build up | | | | delays, and also want to succeed and strive for |
| their self-esteem. Recognize their limitations and | | | | results. |
| assign them tasks where they can use their | | | | The Thinkers - Thinkers have good ideas and |
| strengths. | | | | reject bad ones. Typically, they think the problem |
| 4. Talented Employees - Attracting and retaining | | | | through and see solutions. |
| talented people with exceptional skills is necessary | | | | The Carers - Carers keep the team together, |
| for any organization and is a problem for many. | | | | ease tensions, promote harmony, and are |
| The demand of hiring talented employees is | | | | sensitive about relationships within the team. |
| extremely competitive. In finding new employees, | | | | Carers are concerned that everyone is fitting in. |
| or even in keeping the employees you already | | | | In optimizing the full potential of you the leader |
| have, evaluate each person to see if it is worth | | | | and your staff, incorporating a number of the |
| your while and theirs in training them for | | | | ways we have discussed to develop your staff |
| challenging tasks that they will be required do. | | | | for job satisfaction is essential. If this does not |
| Developing untapped employee potential is a key | | | | take place, there will be no staff cooperation. As |
| competitive advantage for any organization. As a | | | | a result, miscommunication will be dominant, |
| return-on-investment, developing your staff's skills | | | | teamwork will fall apart, deadlines for any |
| motivates them toward job satisfaction, as they | | | | projects or tasks will be missed, and you will end |
| prefer job challenges to performing the same | | | | up with high employee turnover. Take full |
| functions week after week and year after year. | | | | advantage of your biggest asset - your |
| 5. Emotional Intelligence - You can easily stick with | | | | employees. Using what has been outlined here will |
| the way you have done things in the past. But | | | | attract the best people to your organization, |
| having your staff members shift gears in using | | | | create the team any company would admire, and |
| their "emotional intelligence" skills assists them | | | | will take you and your organization to the next |
| when it comes to excelling in their job or being | | | | level and beyond. |