self-development

Are You a Manager or a Leader? Here’s How to Tell the Difference.

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Within any organization, systems and structure is required to ensure that all the trains run on time. Having an applied universal system in which all members can follow and abide by is a great way to uphold standards, increase accountability and promote unity. You need people whose responsibility is carrying out these systems and assuring that they are implemented properly. Throughout time, these people have held many different names and titles — chief, official, lord and duke, just to name a few. In today’s day and age, we have added new positions to the list, such as supervisor, CEO or manager.

While the names attached to these positions of power are constantly shifting and fluctuating, there is one title that has transcended the years and remains the same — leader.

The reason for this is that a leader can accomplish things that none of these other positions can. Leaders possess unique qualities and traits which prevent them from being molded or classified as simply a supervisor or manager. Here are a few of these qualities.

 

1. Followers versus subordinates

Managing those below you means overseeing your subordinates. Delegating responsibilities, designating tasks and expecting results in return is the way in which a manager operates. Those working under a manager will do what they are told, not because of any blinding devotion, but in expectation of a reward, be it money, accolades or a possible promotion.

In contrast, the most obvious and apparent indicator of a leader is one who has followers. A leader does not have people below them but rather people behind them. Those who work for a true leader are constantly encouraged and inspired, and this is the driving factor behind their work. When you have followers instead of subordinates, they will strive to go above and beyond to achieve a goal, will stay loyal to you through the ups and downs, and will, most importantly, place their trust in you.

 

2. Sustainer versus grower

When a manager is considering how best to achieve their goals, they are usually concerned with sustaining whatever it is they are managing. That is to say, they think of the best ways to maintain the system in which they find themselves. While there is not necessarily anything wrong with this, it does not leave much room for advancement or expansion.

If you are only concerned with how to keep things running the same way, you will become stagnant and, consequently, invite others to surpass you. A leader is someone who is constantly looking forward. They are innovators who possess a growth mindset and are not comfortable with simply performing at the same level.

Marshall Goldsmith says it best in his book, What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful. Sometimes the systems and strategies that got you to where you are will not take you to the next level. Managers sustain what they have, and leaders shift and change to take their team to the next level. Each day we get older, we become less flexible. Leaders who grow people and organizations know that and try to become more agile each day. When a leader is in charge, they will strive to venture into uncharted territory and reach heights that others may not even think possible.

 

3. Systems versus people

A good manager knows how to work within a system and ensure that others are doing the same. With that being said, their main concern is to perfect the system and then to work different people into it. On the other hand, leaders put people first and create systems to support the people themselves. Leaders have the ability to relate with and understand people. This skill means that they can get the best out of those that they work with, and adjust the system accordingly.

Focusing on the team members who are actually doing the work gives you access to a wealth of knowledge and potential that a set of rules, company policy or handbook, could never provide.

Looking at these traits, it is easy to understand why the title of leader stands in a category of its own. A manager serves an important role and is vital to organizational success, but a true leader is invaluable. Knowing the difference between the two is imperative. If you can recognize and understand what it takes to be a leader, you can then use that knowledge to develop your own leadership skills as well as the skills of the people around you.

It is also important to realize that although these traits can and should be found in every leader, there is no universal handbook to leadership. We are all individuals with our own backgrounds, strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, it is inevitable that everyone’s leadership style will be different. Herein lies the beauty of leadership. To be a proper manager, you must follow the rules and keep the order as best as possible. To be a leader, however, you have to think creatively, add your own personal flair and inspire as many people to join you as possible along the way.

Sources: Entrepreneur.net

4 Ways to Be a More Collaborative Leader

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There are two types of leadership—“me” and “we.” Where do you fall? Do you like your office door closed, no distractions allowed? Or do you prefer your door open, interruptions welcome?

Beware that by tucking yourself away in the corner office, you are isolating yourself… and successful leadership requires collaboration, the opposite of isolation. So if you’re about to lock the door behind you, think instead about leaving it open, literally and figuratively—shift from that detrimental “me” space to the more effective “we” space.

Effectively connecting with your team is more than paying lip service or showing your face on your way in or out of the building. Working in a truly collaborative way means understanding why you need to be a part of your team, rather than being apart from it.

If you are used to operating from a place of “This is my idea, my project, outcome, my result and my credit,” it can be incredibly difficult to switch your mindset. But the business landscape has, and will, continue to change at a rapid rate—and you are only one person. You would need to be superhuman to be able to grasp every aspect of what is necessary to survive. Your team is absolutely essential to continuing success. As a team, you have the complete skillset to turn average work into expert work—to turn threats into opportunities.

Try taking these small steps to make the transition:

 

1. Fix the working environment.

Don’t set yourself up in a cushy corner office with closed walls. Studies have shown that working within a collaborative physical environment actually improves team engagement and drives results. Why? Because collaborative workspaces engender a sense of belonging and a feeling that nobody is excluded from the big decisions that will affect the whole team.

(This doesn’t mean that there isn’t a need for thoughtful “outspaces,” which allow for privacy and quiet and the chance to create and reflect.)

 

2. Be vulnerable.

Allowing yourself to show weakness in front of your team is not weak—it is strong. It can and will lead to reconnection.

If you are able to admit when you have made a less-than-stellar decision or that you are having trouble reaching a successful solution to a problem and need assistance, you will create trust. Opening up gives your team an assumed “permission” to speak up and admit if they need assistance, too. It also opens the opportunity for them to showcase skills you might not have recognized or acknowledged in the past.

 

3. Give credit where it’s due.

Too often, it is easy for a leader to stand solo in the spotlight, leaving the team in the shadows. That attitude creates an internal disconnect—and therefore a lack of trust and an unwillingness to give 100 percent to future projects.

Make sure that you are adequately acknowledging when your team members are the ones responsible for a result, whether that is an idea or a product. When someone adds value, it is essential to acknowledge that contribution—and to do it publicly.

 

4. Be brave.

Be willing to take risks for the benefit of your team—even if they may not necessarily benefit you in the short-term. Your team will see not just a leader but someone who has their collective interests at heart.

This requires a degree of business bravery. Think about this: How does your team currently view you? As someone who stands up for their best interests, or as someone who pushes everyone out of the way for the lifeboats?

Take a leap—not for those lifeboats, but for your team.

Resources: success.net

How social media has become increasingly integral to content marketing strategy

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The use of social media within content marketing strategies is set for a rapid increase according to new research from the Content Marketing Association (CMA) which says that 80% of companies plan to increase its use with nearly half  (47%) looking to increase use by up to 50%.

This is set to lead to increased investment as a result, with three quarters planning to invest more in owned social media as part of its growth within their businesses.

The conclusions are from a study of 100 senior level marketers, across companies such as Barclays and Experian and media and creative agencies such as Carat and Ogilvy & Mather, by the CMA as part of a wider report The Role of Social in Content Marketing.

The growth comes as content marketers increasingly believe social media to be integral to their growth strategies. More than two thirds (69%) said that social media was very important part of their content marketing strategies. Almost 90% said that social media had had a positive influence on content marketing strategies.

More than half (57%) are using it for amplification of their brand messages whilst one in five (21%) are using it to build a fan base amongst existing and potential customers.

However the study also shows that brands can do more with their existing use of social media. More than half (55%) said that brands were not experimental enough with what they were doing whilst a similar amount (56%) said that brands were not authentic enough on social platforms.

Facebook was shown to be the most effective social platform for B2C content marketing at 55% whilst for B2B content marketing LinkedIn performed best with two thirds (67%) saying it was the most effective channel.

However respondents were less confident about assessing the value of social media measurement, with less than a third (28%) confident of their ability to accurate measure the return on investment and 42% saying they were unsure that an accurate ROI measurement of social media was possible.

Clare Hill, managing director of the Content Marketing Association, said the new report showed the value of social in content marketing today and said brands should keep up. “The pace at which social media is growing in power and influence is remarkable. There are many opportunities for brands to use this to their advantage to make their voices heard,” she said.

Resources: marketingtechnews.com

Are You the Sheep or Sheepdog? 6 Lessons for Crisis Leadership

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We often say there are sheep and there are sheepdogs, and while both are needed for a community to survive, only one can be the leader. So when a small group is placed under stress, many look for that sheepdog to step forward, to provide guidance and take charge to help ensure the endurance of all involved.

Under pressure, people revert to their basic needs, realizing that the group is stronger than the individual. They form bonds based on that need to rely on one another—bonds that aren’t as great when everything is going right.

People who are forced through the toughest times of their lives—natural disasters, military combat tours, health crises—bond in relationships that typically last a lifetime and are far more meaningful than those relationships made during normal circumstances.

So although we don’t necessarily welcome crisis, it does offer lessons we can use to build stronger teams—in difficult and normal times.

Are you the sheepdog of your group? Consider doing the following the next time you’re caught in chaos:

1. Use times of crisis to evaluate and take notes about your personnel. Look to see who is performing, who is withdrawing, who is setting themselves up to survive at the cost of others, and who is working to promote and ensure the success of the team.

 

2. When the stressful period is over, go back and have mentoring or counseling sessions with individuals and the team as a whole to discuss what you observed and what everyone needs to do in the future to promote the advancement of the team during difficult periods.

By providing individual counseling to each member and talking about their observed strengths and weaknesses, you will probably engage them in talks and reflection that they typically wouldn’t have, prompting them to see themselves in a new light.

 

3. Ensure that as a manager, after a stressful period, you take the time to provide an after-action review with your team. Sit down and talk about what worked, what didn’t and what the team sees as the best chance to do better in the future. Do this within a week of the event, take notes and implement changes based off the feedback.

 

4. During normal times, take the opportunity to push people outside of their comfort zones by giving them responsibility and projects that are more challenging. See how they perform. They may surprise you, and if they don’t, that’s fine; you’ll know where their limits are.

 

5. Don’t always choose the same leaders for these greater responsibilities and projects, but use them to mentor others, or completely remove them and let others take the leadership role. Don’t tell them how to do these tasks; just tell them what you want done and let them surprise you with their ingenuity and creativity.

 

6. Make sure people know that you will defend their honest mistakes and will not punish them but will look at these experiences as opportunities for growth and improvement. Build a team by fostering a go-for-it attitude, not one of fear that’s afraid to fail.

 

We grow the most—as individuals and as teams—when we push ourselves through our toughest times. Ask a group of people when the hardest times of their lives were and then ask them at what times in their lives did they grow the most, and will bet you those times match up. No one grows in times of comfort. We learn and grow when we are tested, stressed and forced to perform to survive.

Resources: success.net

7 Reorganizational Strategies for Work and Life

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Do you know someone juggling a million different projects, yet looks fit, healthy, happy and is somehow reliably there to tuck their kids into bed? They have day jobs, yet they’re always looking to the next thing. They go on vacations, or run successful businesses on the side, or have heavily demanding jobs that they love.

The key is no big secret once you dig in, they’re still living to the same clock as you or I; we all have he exact same hours and minutes in a day. These people simply have amazing time management skills and are focused on the things they want to accomplish. I’ve learned in studying 1000’s of successful entrepreneurs that most of this success comes from being extremely organized.

Here are a few things to get a healthier and more organized life:

1. Organize with a realistic goal in mind.

People who try to make a significant change in their lives with only an abstract idea of their goal find themselves falling back to their old habits. There are thousands of reasons why people may want to organize or re-organize their lives. Perhaps you want to be a better boss or just have a little bit more time at night with your kids. Whatever your goal, it should be fully visualized and attainable with small, actionable, day-to-day steps.

 

2. Refocus your schedule on your most important daily priorities.

Your schedule reflect your goals. Right now, my goal is to be more fit. I mark everyday from 11-12 to go to the gym. I have to schedule this time so that I go. It’s the same with dinner time at home or going out with your spouse. If you don’t prioritize it, it generally doesn’t happen.

Cal Newport, who runs the Study Hacks Blog, recommends scheduling every minute of the day the night before (what he calls Time Blocking) to maximize your productivity by avoiding time wasted time between tasks. That puts you in control of the time you dedicate to creative endeavors.

 

3. Automate whatever possible.

Some things some of us do daily or weekly don’t deserve our time. Updating your computer, planning meals and even household shopping can be automated, depending on how much you’re able and willing to pay for the convenience. Setting up an automated payment plan for your bills is a no-brainer, and you’ll save money by never paying late fees!

 

4. The KonMari method is a huge overhaul and a new frame of mind.

For an organizational overhaul there’s no better guide than The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, by Japanese “organizing consultant” Marie Kondo. The has swept over the world with a wave of joy-sparking decluttering ideas.

The KonMari method is elegantly simple: get rid of anything you own that no longer sparks joy in your life, from items in your wardrobe to kitchen gadgets. Once that’s out of the way, reorganize your items to fit your most practical life. The KonMari method includes respecting your belongings by teaching you to properly thank the items to be discarded for their service and giving more respectful treatment to the items you keep (“Never, ever ball up your socks… They take a brutal beating in their daily work”).

Regardless if it sounds a little dippy, those who have committed to the Konmari treatment are overwhelmingly supportive about its results.

 

5. Pursue one ambitious organizational goal at a time.

After applying the method above, give yourself a little break. I recommend a day. This allows you to settle into your new decluttered environment, get familiar with your newly re-empowered items, and learn to live with a cleaner home and office. Then, try to implement organizational goals one at a time.

It takes at least 21 days for a new habit to form, whether it’s as small as making your bed every morning to working out every day, so go slowly and don’t overwhelm yourself.

 

6. Don’t interrupt important work looking at your smartphone.

Anyone, even the most organized, laser-focused worker bee is susceptible to FOMO (fear of missing out), Internet addiction, and mobile rabbit holes. The insidious nature of smartphones befall all who bow at the altars of the Android and Apple gods, which is why the key to a focused workday is a hard and fast rule: put away your phone.

Don’t even look at it. Nothing that can be transmitted in a pop-up notification can’t be checked later, and you risk derailing ten minutes to checking it, checking your feeds, clicking on a catchy headline, commenting on it, then waiting for a response. Stay socially active by scheduling time to check your Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram. Keep a timer running — in the next room, if you have to.

 

7. Talking remains the most efficient way to communicate.

The fewer emails you send out, the fewer emails you have to check! It’s much more efficient to pick up the phone or walk down the hall to talk with coworkers and clients whenever practical. By getting the answer you need on the spot, you waste less time waiting for a response.

Resources: Success.net

6 Things Effective Leaders Always Say

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Too often we forget our most basic goal in business—to create relationships with clients, customers, prospects, colleagues, shareholders and, at the center of it all, employees. Everyone at every level needs appreciation and meaningful feedback about their work. If you think that’s an obvious and practiced element of leadership, think again. Nowadays, leaders are prevented from being effective by not showing appreciation to employees.

 

Communication is the fundamental element of an organization, and the pattern is established by leaders. Healthy communication requires trust, inclusion, recognition, clear directions, meaningful interaction and feedback at the nerve center of the company.

The most effective leaders understand that clear communication helps a company’s bottom line and can increase productivity. They are diligent about building a sense of connectedness with their teams and appreciation of their employees by saying and asking:

 

1. “Here’s what I appreciate about you and your contribution.”

The basic “atta-boy” or “atta-girl” doesn’t satisfy people who put their heart and soul into their work. Instead, say something specific like, “I appreciate the way you pull in people from other departments to reach your team goals—you’re a connector.” Leaders need to notice employees’ unique, specific contributions.

 

2. “Thank you.” (personal and public)

From the elevator to the parking lot, daily interactions represent opportunities for leaders to engage in dynamic interactions and show appreciation for their employees’ efforts. Public recognition at a staff meeting, or a thoughtful “thank you” in a newsletter, are also meaningful.

 

3.“What do you think?”

Employees often withhold their best ideas from leaders who always have the “right” answer or take credit for others’ ideas. Ask questions such as, “What have you noticed?” “How do you think we could improve?” “What is keeping us stuck?” and “What do you love about it?” Establish a safe environment in which people have the opportunity to express themselves and be recognized for their ideas and they will take ownership of the results.

 

4. “Here’s what’s happening and what you can expect.”

Companies today often operate in a state of change, and all too often, information is withheld until the last minute. This is a huge distraction for employees who need “real speak” about their futures. Leaders often underestimate employees’ ability to accept “why” if it is shared in an honest way. Leaders will gain deep respect when they share as much as they know as soon as they can share it. Explanations are better than no explanations.

 

5. “I have some feedback for you.”

Don’t wait for a performance review to tell people how they’re doing. A culture of continual feedback is healthy and nimble.

 

6.“Let me share a time I got it wrong.”

Smart, capable leaders who know their stuff are well respected, but employees like and trust leaders who are not only smart but can occasionally lean back and laugh at their own mistakes and who are generous with what life has taught them. The effective leader says, “Let me tell you about something I learned the hard way,” instead of dictating the course to take.

Resources: Success.net

How to reach today’s B2B buyer: A hybrid sales and marketing model

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Today’s buyer wields more power than ever before. They enjoy access to more information and are better informed about your company and products. Not only this, but they are more knowledgeable than ever before because they spend more time doing self-guided research.

The art of the cold call is dead to today’s buyer – they have fortressed themselves from intrusive sales tactics. They expect salespeople to have some knowledge of what they are interested in, and looking for.

It’s amazing to think that more than half of buying decisions are made before a sales team even gets involved. However, that doesn’t mean sales can step back and let marketing handle it all on their own. In order to win the hearts of buyers, sales and marketing must work hand in hand.

 

Sales and marketing learn to play nice

In the business world, marketing professionals and salespeople often struggle to collaborate or agree on anything. They question each other’s methods and love to play the blame game around the quantity and quality of leads versus the timely and professional follow-up on those leads. That doesn’t need to be the case. In fact, there’s a relatively simple solution to get everyone on the same page. The key is a new hybrid model that blends marketing and sales.

 

What is ‘hybrid’?

In science, hybrid refers to anything derived from heterogeneous sources, or composed of elements of different or incongruous kinds.

That simply means creating something by combining two different elements. This is what marketers and sales professionals must do. It’s time to blur the lines separating these two functions and have them learn from the other’s strengths.

 

The convergence of sales and marketing

So how does this merger of sales and marketing manifest itself? Well for one, sales professionals these days have to develop super-human senses. They must be tuned in to social channels, email opens, website visits and any other potential buying signals.

Sounds an awful lot like marketing, doesn’t it? Your potential buyers are a powerful force and they won’t wait around for you. That means marketing and sales teams have a very short window when it comes to responding to engagement. Potential buyers will visit a website, download content, and move on. Their interaction is recorded by marketing and passed on to sales.

The problem is that currently this process takes a couple of days…or longer! Would you still be interested in purchasing something from a department store if a sales attendant said they’d get to you in a few days? Not likely.

Sales and marketing must work closer together to make sure the way leads are handed over is as fast as possible.

 

Recipe for sales and marketing alignment

The need for a hybrid sales and marketing team is evident, but the real question is how can these teams work together to meet and exceed customer expectations and deliver on business objectives?

Here are a few simple steps to follow:

  • Listen intently to buying signals and personalise messaging to suit the buyer profile and the stage of their buying journey
  • Plan and build common objectives and compensation models as a team and make performance against those objectives highly visible
  • Specialise your lead qualification, prospecting and sales teams
  • Add structure and accountability into the lead management process – be sure to “mind the gap” for handoffs between marketing and sales teams

The era of functions operating independently in separate silos has ended. Engaging immediately and intelligently with qualified leads is more important than ever, which is why organisations need an intersection of sales and marketing.

Resources: marketingtechnews.com

Content marketing: How do you get value from it in email marketing?

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“Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.”

It is all well and good developing programmes to drive sales and revenue, after all that’s what most brands are looking at as ROI from email. However, in this day and age where email is the most widely used form of communication with customers and prospects, is that enough? In my opinion it’s not.

What are you doing to differentiate yourself from everyone else in the inbox? What’s going to make you stand out?

There was a reason a subscriber took the time to sign up to your brand, why was that? They wanted something from you – were they interested in your proposition or product? Or was it all about your brand? Probably the first right?

So how do you get them interested and engaged in your brand? With content, that’s how.

There are different types of content you can use, so where do you start? Answering the question as to why the subscriber signed up and what they want is a great place.

What expectation does the sign up box/page on your website give?

  • Regular updates/tips
  • Member only information
  • Exclusive deals
  • Offers and discounts

If you’ve incentivised someone to signing up, or promised certain content, then you’d better follow through on that or you’ll find they’ll quickly be hitting that unsubscribe button.

In my mind subscribers sign up based on what you’ve offered, and that would be what they want from you. However, how can you be sure what you’re sending them is what they want? Lets not forget how fickle we humans can be and how often we change our minds. The best way I’d say you can qualify this is by simply asking them.

Very soon after someone new has subscribed to your email list, you’ll want to reach out to them to begin building your relationship. This is the perfect time to start with some valuable content, setting the expectation for what they’ll be receiving from your brand and collecting preference information through a well-designed Welcome Programme andPreference Centre.

Be mindful when collecting preferences – make sure you can actually deliver the different types of emails and content. The last thing you want are subscribers that have told you what they want and then don’t get it; a sure way to increase your unsubscribes.

Now that you know what your subscribers want from you, how are you going to deliver this? I have seen many brands use a hybrid approach and combine a newsletter with a sales email. Personally I believe these should be kept separate; once you combine these two types of email you are taking away from one CTA or the other. To me, it’s best to send a newsletter that contains news, with the main CTA being to drive traffic to the website and build a brand affinity – this is where your best valuable and relevant content should go.

Depending on your brand and industry, like travel or fashion for example, you may find that you have an abundance of content to share, and that’s great. There’s inspirational and informative content about where next to take your holiday or what’s trending right now with the latest A-lister wearing this winter’s coat.

For some though, this can be seen as challenging. What if you don’t have lot of engaging content? What if your product is more functional? For brands like this, user generated content (UGC) can be very useful. UGC can come in different forms – social posts, product reviews or customer forums for example. This content can be extremely valuable; who better than your customers and their peers to provide recommendations?

In summary, having a content strategy to go along with your sales and offer-led programmes can deliver great value to you. Receiving engaging and relevant content will keep your subscribers engaged with your emails, your brand in their minds and emails in their inboxes. Therefore, you have greater opportunity to get the right offer in front of them at the right time so they make the purchase.

Resources: marketingtechnews.com