Tag: people development

Upskilling: A Program of Continuous Development to Meet Changing Needs

Posted on November 22, 2023 by Rachel Burr

Upskilling is an ongoing process of learning and development designed to meet current and future workplace requirements. It leverages the talents of the existing workforce to improve business outcomes and increase employee retention.

What is Upskilling?

The simple answer is that upskilling is the current buzzword for a program of continuous and long-term employee development. Upskilling is distinct from the equally buzzy term “reskilling,” which is the process of moving employees from redundant or outmoded positions into new roles.

Upskilling seeks to provide learning opportunities to an organization’s existing workforce in their current positions, not merely to fill gaps but to keep pace with the increasing rate of change in the world today.

What Are the Benefits of Upskilling?

Keeping ahead of the innovation curve is one of the main challenges for organizations large and small. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has predicted that technology will transform over 1 billion jobs in the next decade, while the World Economic Forum anticipates that upskilling will add $6 trillion to global GDP by 2030.

Let’s take a look at a few of the benefits of the approach.

Upskilling increases employee engagement and retention. In today’s tight labor market employee retention is more important than ever. Employees are looking for more than a paycheck. They want to know that the organization is committed to helping them reach their full potential.

Providing training and development opportunities is a tangible investment in their future careers. When employees see a path to career growth, they are more likely to stay than look elsewhere.

Upskilling is a cost-effective use of resources. Training and development can be costly, but it should be thought of as an investment. The alternative is new recruitment.

There are drawbacks to recruiting people to bring skills to an organization. One is the labor market. People who already have the latest, most in-demand skills are a scarce resource. They will be highly sought after and may command a premium.

Another drawback is the time and expense of recruiting and integrating new hires into the existing workforce. While training and development have costs, the cost of recruitment is greater.

Upskilling improves business outcomes. A final benefit is to improve the organization’s ability to achieve its business goals. That applies regardless of industry.

In one case, that may mean more effective customer outreach. In another, it may mean completing transactions more efficiently. Wise organizations set business goals into the framework of their development efforts, providing a metric for effectiveness.

What Goes Into A Successful Upskilling Program?

Here are some guidelines for developing an effective program.

Survey the organization’s needs. The first step is to identify existing skills’ gaps and future needs. The organization should review its business plans and the challenges it faces in achieving its goals.

It is equally important to ask: What training and development opportunities do employees want? That may not have an obvious answer. Many employees will not know what particular skills they would like to develop.

A better way of getting the information may be by asking, “Where would you like to take your career in the next year? In five years?” By framing the question more holistically, the employee and the organization can begin to take steps towards the desired goal.

Develop individualized programs. Having considered both the organization’s needs and the employees’ goals, the next step is to develop individualized plans.

The survey process is likely to have uncovered recurring themes – both in terms of business needs and employee desires. These themes can be subjects for broader training efforts across teams or departments.

Individuals should also be encouraged to explore subjects that interest them. That may mean pursuing a software certification or other credential. It may mean an introduction to another functional area or mentoring by an expert within the organization.

Develop metrics to measure progress toward goals. Finally, the organization needs to measure progress, both individually and as an organization.

Individuals will want to know how they’re progressing – and how much farther they have to go to reach specific goals.

The same applies to the organization as a whole. The more specific business goals can be measured, the more likely for upskilling to be seen as an investment in the future.

If you would like to know more about upskilling, please contact us.

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Rachel Burr is an executive and leadership coach with over 20 years of experience working with CEOs and the C-suite across all industries, in organizations of from 200 to 10,000 employees. Rachel holds dual master’s degrees in Organization Development and Clinical Psychology, and numerous certifications in the field of executive coaching. Rachel is a “people expert” who works with clients to unleash their leadership potential.

People Development: Closing the Skills Gap With a Culture of Learning

Posted on October 12, 2023 by Rachel Burr

People development is the process of identifying the skills needed to achieve organizational goals, and designing learning, coaching, mentoring programs to meet those goals.

People development has become a critical need for organizations big and small. The tight labor market means that vacant roles involving critical skills are harder to fill, while business and technological changes mean that existing roles will need constant updating.

According to McKinsey & Company, the great majority of organizations will face a “meaningful skills gap” in the coming years. The causes are both technological and demographic. The upshot is that organizations wanting to “future proof” their business success need to make consistent, ongoing people development a priority.

Organizations need to not only develop their existing talent pool, but to “think outside the box” in terms of attraction and recruitment. That will include:

· Hiring for Potential: Finding candidates with the ability to master new skills will be as important as finding candidates with existing skill sets.

· Considering Non-Traditional Candidates: People with more circuitous career paths may be more adept at learning new skills and thriving in different environments.

· Looking for a Growth Mindset: Organizations will benefit from candidates who view personal development with a positive, open attitude.

People development will be key both in advancing the skills of an organization’s existing workforce and in bringing in new employees. This blog will examine several aspects of the process.

Creating a Culture of Learning to Spark People Development

Whatever development model an organization chooses, creating an environment in which learning and development are priorities – a “culture of learning” – is fundamental.

· Having top leadership and management on board is the first condition needed to create a culture of learning. Without advocacy at the top, learning and development is unlikely to gain traction.

· Setting organizational goals for people development is another way to cultivate a culture of learning. According to McKinsey, “best-in-class” organizations provide an average of 75 hours of training per employee annually. Some set “aspirational” goals well above that figure. Hours dedicated to development is a critical first step. More important, however, is assessing the impact of development on people and the business goals. Measuring the number of hours is easy. Measuring the impact is far more difficult, but also more critical.

· Setting aside a dedicated time and place for people development is another useful step towards creating a culture of learning, and making organizational follow-through more likely.

Organizational support and advocacy are the foundations for creating a culture of learning. By taking specific, practical actions, like those mentioned above, the organization demonstrates its commitment to people development.

Choosing Effective People Development Methods

The methods of providing learning and development opportunities include everything from online self-study, to formal classroom work, to on-the-job training and mentoring. Circumstances may dictate which methods are practical, but the organization will have choices to make in every case.

In Person v. Online Study: Studies show that in person learning is more effective than online or virtual courses, leading to better outcomes and greater retention. It is also the most costly training method, but may be appropriate to develop highly technical skills where the extra expense is more cost effective.

In many cases, due to the number of people to be trained or geographic challenges, online learning or self-study courses are the only practical solutions. Even in this situation, the organization has a choice in how to present the material.

“Segment of One” v. “Cohort-Based” Courses: Debate continues whether group (“cohort-based”) or individual (“segment-of-one”) courses are more effective.

According to the Academy to Innovate HR, employees prefer to study on demand, at their own pace, and show positive outcomes from that approach. The Harvard Business Review disagrees. According to the HBR, “cohort-based” group learning, with set schedules and milestones, produces better outcomes – partly as the result of group support and reinforcement.

Each organization will have to make its own decisions based on its unique circumstances. A combined approach may be best, but knowing the options available is the first step.

Practical and Experiential Methods: People development often comes through on-the-job training, mentoring, and coaching. Some other, less frequently mentioned development tools include:

· Job Rotation: A temporary assignment in a different functional area or business division to gain experience and perspective. Job rotation may be particularly helpful before a promotion to a senior management position.

· Peer Coaching: A process in which two or more colleagues work together to build new skills, or to consider solutions to problems in the workplace. Peer coaching is a special-purpose hybrid of the “cohort-based” and “segment-of-one” approaches.

· Targeted Training and Micro-Mentoring: Both of these are short duration, high effort approaches to solve specific problems or fill specific knowledge gaps. They require a short time commitment and can be an effective stopgap remedy where needed.

Designing an Effective People Development Program

Organizations have unique circumstances and needs. Each will benefit from different approaches to people development. In some cases, the organization may have a dedicated learning and development team to facilitate the process. In other cases, the organization may seek outside help to design a people development program.

However the process proceeds, each organization should regularly assess its business goals. The organization should then consider the skills needed to reach those goals, and the best way to close any “skills gaps” it finds.

Once the organization has decided on a course of action, the key to any people development program is regular monitoring and assessment, to find out what’s working, and to improve or discard things that aren’t working. Conducting follow-up assessments 30 to 60 days after the conclusion of a course or training session is especially useful in making that determination.

Developing an effective people development program with an overall people strategy will only become more critical as time passes. To “future proof” their business goals, organizations need to ensure they are taking specific, practical steps toward creating a culture of learning.

If you would like to learn more about people development, please contact us.

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Boosting Employee Morale is Good Business

Posted on August 18, 2023 by Rachel Burr

Ways to boost employee morale include giving employees autonomy, recognition, appreciation, avoiding burnout, respecting work-life boundaries, etc., per Catamentum leadership coach Rachel Burr.

Happiness and fulfillment is what we all want, in life and at work. Work forms a big part of our individual identities – our sense of who we are and what we contribute to the world. Work is also an important source of social contact.

Being happy at work is good for business too.

Research consistently shows that high employee morale is associated with higher revenue and profitability. High employee morale is also associated with higher productivity and lower use of sick time.

This article will consider three simple strategies to boost employee morale to create a happier, more productive workforce and increase your organization’s bottom line.

Increase Employee Morale by Fostering Autonomy and Agency

People generally like to feel a sense of being in control of their lives and destinies, not a powerless bystander. A simple way to boost employee morale, then, is to provide opportunities for employees to exercise autonomy and agency in the workplace.

Autonomy and agency can take many forms. The American Psychological Association suggests several simple steps, such as

· Giving employees some control over their schedules and working hours;

· Allowing employees to manage how assigned tasks are accomplished; and,

· Giving employees a voice in decisions that affect them.

Another important way is to allow employees to use their natural strengths and talents at work. An easy way to find out what captures an employee’s passion and interest is by having a conversation. The next step is to support that passion and interest with career development and training, as needed.

Recognition, Appreciation, and Pitfalls Thereof

As the Harvard Business Review points out, recognition and appreciation are very different animals. Both can be beneficial. Each offers a different way to connect with employees to boost morale.

Employee recognition is essentially transactional. It rewards a job well done, a goal achieved, or a milestone met. The reward may be financial but not necessarily so.

Employee appreciation is the acknowledgement of a person’s inherent value, regardless of goals or milestones achieved. It can be formal or informal, public or private, according to the circumstances. It can be as simple as remembering a person’s birthday or giving a note of thanks.

Celebrating both outstanding performance and inherent value provides the organization with more ways to reach out and interact with employees – to show them you care. As Maya Angelou says, that’s what they’ll remember.

Paradoxically, some studies have shown that financial incentives can backfire as a reward for performance. For example, an analysis by the London School of Economics found that financial incentives can reduce an employee’s natural desire to complete tasks, and the pleasure they feel in doing so.

An article by the American Psychological Association also found that competition to achieve unrealistic performance goals can lead to cynicism and disengagement.

While we like to receive financial rewards, organizations should handle them with care.

Addressing Employee Morale by Dealing with Structural Issues Leading to Burnout

Organizations have been hit with a number of challenges over the past several years. We’ve been through the COVID lockdown, the “work-from-home” and “return-to-the-office” disruptions, and now a tight labor market.

These stressors and disruptions can lead to exhaustion and burnout among employees – which requires a look at deeper, structural issues, with people strategies. The Harvard Business Review emphasizes the effect on middle managers, but any employee can feel the burden of being stretched too thin.

When demand on employees outstrips their resources, here are some steps to take:

· Re-assessing the work assigned – ask whether each employee has the resources to keep up;

· Re-prioritizing the work – make a list of the top three priorities and consider removing outdated issues, or putting them on the back burner;

· Re-distributing the work – ensure that the burden is equally shared and that no individual is bearing more than their share. If budgets allow, consider bringing in outside help, whether temporarily or permanently.

Respecting work-life boundaries

Another issue is to look at working culture and working boundaries. If the work intrudes on employees’ personal lives, it can add to stress and contribute to burnout. Consider reinforcing the boundaries between working life and personal life.

For example, implement a “no email on the weekends” rule to make sure employees get some real downtime to recharge. Another possibility is to make vacation time mandatory. If vacation is required, employees may feel less inclined to skip taking time off because they’re “too busy.”

These are just some of the ways organizations can build employee morale for the good of both their employees and their bottom lines. The key is communication. If you would like more ideas to keep your employees motivated and engaged, please reach out.

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Click here to book an appointment.

Creating Effective Teams and Managing Personalities in Teamwork

Posted on July 10, 2023 by Rachel Burr

Diversity in both skills and personalities in teamwork relies on team members’ psychological roles based on personality and functional roles.

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

– Helen Keller

Organizations are built on teamwork. A large organization can include many different teams. A small organization can be a team itself. It follows that building better teams can lead to better outcomes for any size organization.

This article will look at the elements of effective teams, the benefits of having different perspectives, and the effect of individual personalities in teamwork.

The Benefits of Teamwork

Research has shown that teams have several advantages over individuals, including:

Better Problem Solving: Teams of three to five people consistently outperform the best individuals. Researchers say teams generate correct responses to problems, reject incorrect responses, and process information more effectively than individuals.

Greater Innovation: Teams push and pull each other to new thoughts and insights. A healthy clash of perspectives provides just enough discomfort to spur growth and new ideas.

Happier Employees. Employees in well-functioning teams are much more likely to report a sense of well-being, and happier employees are much more productive than unhappy ones.

Diverse Perspectives Make More Effective Teams

Just as teams outperform individuals, diverse teams outperform non-diverse ones. As we’ll see, diverse teams tend to check each other’s assumptions and keep each other on track.

The case for diversity in the workplace has been made repeatedly, including studies published by McKinsey & Company in 2015, 2018, and 2020. Diverse workplaces consistently report better financial results and are more profitable than non-diverse ones. Credit Suisse found a similar association between better financial results and including women on corporate boards.

And, according to the Harvard Business Review, diverse working teams also perform better than non-diverse teams. For example:

Focus on Facts: Diverse teams have been shown to focus more on facts and make fewer factual errors than non-diverse teams. When errors do occur, they’re more likely to be corrected.

Information Processing: Diverse teams also have been shown to process information more carefully and deliberately than non-diverse teams, leading to more accurate decisions.

Greater Innovation: Finally, diverse teams have been shown to introduce more innovations into the market, and to develop more new products, than non-diverse teams.

Diversity pulls people out of the comfortable, well-worn patterns of thinking that occur in non-diverse contexts. Getting out of that comfort zone is vital to making better decisions and driving innovation.

The Effect of Personalities in Teamwork

Individual personalities also have a major impact on teamwork, no matter what kind of group is involved. Team members’ personalities can affect cooperation, problem solving, and overall performance.

The Harvard Business Review has proposed one way of looking at personality in the workplace:

Results Oriented. Team members who are leaders, socially confident, and energetic.

Relationship Focused. Team members who focus on the feelings of others and fostering group cohesion.

Process and Rule Followers. Team members who pay attention to details, rules, and process. They tend to be organized, responsible, and conscientious.

Disruptive Thinkers. Team members who focus on innovation and shaking things up. They tend to be adventurous and open to new experiences.

Pragmatic. Team members who are practical and skeptical. They tend to challenge ideas and to be prudent and level-headed.

None of the personality traits above is “better” than any other. Teams with a mix of personalities and approaches result in better overall performance.

If the majority of the team are disruptive leaders, but the team lacks relationship builders, group cohesion will suffer. If the majority are relationship builders, but the team lacks leaders and disruptors, innovation will suffer.

Managing Personalities in Teamwork

One way to maximize team effectiveness is to recognize that team members play both a functional role and a psychological role. The functional role of each individual is based on their position and technical skills. It is usually the main focus when putting together working teams. Equally important is each team member’s psychological role, based on their personality.

The goal is to create a balance of personalities so the mix of different styles and approaches will optimize the team’s success.

If your organization would like advice on building better teams, we are happy to assist.

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To book an appointment visit: https://catamentum.com

Authentic Self at Workplace: Why & How

Posted on April 18, 2023 by Rachel Burr

Bringing your authentic self to the workplace is integral to career success and growth, and it increases job satisfaction. Leadership needs to create a safe environment and encourage the practice of empathy.

Being Your Authentic Self

“The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.” – Joseph Campbell

What Does It Mean to be “Authentic?”

We’ve all heard them: Media figures, motivational speakers, and other “influencers” urging us to be our “authentic selves.” We’re told that being “authentic” will allow us to lead happier, more fulfilling lives, but what does that really mean? Is it only for close personal relationships? Can we be our authentic selves at work? Are there risks? Are there limits? This post will take a look at these issues.

Authenticity, at its core, means that our words and actions consistently align with our values. That means having a strong sense of who we are and what’s important to us. But there’s more to it.

Authenticity also means we’re aware of our feelings and emotions in the moment, and that we’re able to acknowledge them as we go through our day. In other words, authenticity isn’t just one state of mind. It includes being present and aware of what’s going on in the moment. That makes authenticity a process, and a practice we can develop as part of our lives.

Being our authentic self comes with some risks. We’re more vulnerable when we’re being true to ourselves than we are when we’re playing an expected role. It takes courage to break free: Will we be judged? Will we be rejected? The risks mean that we’re more likely to be authentic in safe environments and in close personal relationships.

But what if we could expand that horizon? Research has shown positive links between authenticity and higher self-esteem, greater psychological well-being, and increased job satisfaction. Can we allow authenticity to move from our private lives to our public lives? Let’s take a look into what it means to be authentic in the workplace.

Bring Your Authentic Self to Work

Writing in the Harvard Harvard Business Review, author Susan McPherson urges us (as the headline gives away) to: “Bring your ‘authentic’ self to work.” She writes, “Being yourself is the best way to form meaningful relationships, which are integral to career success and growth, no matter what field you work in.” McPherson advocates forging deeper human connections in the workplace, not just practical or “transactional” ones.

Mike Robbins, author of Bring Your Whole Self to Work, says that without authenticity, “[w]e aren’t able to do our best, most innovative work, and we spend . . . too much time trying to look good, fit in, and do or say the ‘right thing.’”

Robbins has defined authenticity as “honesty, without self-righteousness, and with vulnerability.” We might rephrase that more simply as “honesty with empathy and vulnerability.” The last two qualities let us relate to each other more easily as human beings, to recognize a bit of ourselves in another person.

Being Authentic Self Takes Practice

How do we start? Small steps are best. We don’t have to tell our life story, or to weep an ocean of tears, to be authentic and vulnerable. It’s best that we don’t! Keep in mind that authenticity can be seen as a practice, something to be cultivated through deliberate effort over time.

Mike Robbins uses the “iceberg” metaphor (that is, the bulk is hidden). He suggests that we “lower the water line,” just a bit. In other words, that we take courage and reveal just a little bit more about ourselves than may be comfortable in that moment. With attention and practice, we can become more open to authentic moments as they arise.

We might, for example, begin by adding a personal detail or two to the general small talk before a meeting. Susan McPherson suggests listening for personal details from others and following up when we feel a connection.

Creating a safe space for people to share a little more about themselves is a great start to foster a sense of belonging. Businesses and organizations can help the process by having a coach or facilitator work with groups. Discussion and group exercises can break the ice and set the process in motion.

Are There “Authentic” Limits?

Any idea can be taken too far, or applied in the wrong way. Authenticity is no exception. “Authenticity without empathy is selfish”, says Wharton professor Adam Grant. He warns that too much authenticity can appear “self-serving and self-absorbed.”

A key to avoiding these issues is to keep empathy for others firmly in mind. The goal of being authentic is to build closer human relationships, which also includes respecting the boundaries of other people. Small steps are another key.

Authenticity isn’t automatic. It’s a practice that we build with intention and deliberate effort. With practice, we become open to making personal connections in more areas of our lives, which brings both greater success, better motivation at work, and greater satisfaction.

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Rachel Burr is a leadership coach with over 20 years of experience working with CEOs and the C-suite across all industries, in organizations of from 200 to 10,000 employees. Rachel holds dual master’s degrees in Organization Development and Clinical Psychology, and numerous certifications in the field of executive coaching.

Rachel is a “people expert” who works with clients to unleash their leadership potential and catalyze growth momentum for teams and organizations.

To book an appointment

Visit: https://catamentum.com

Leadership Communication, Workplace Engagement, Building Future Leaders

Posted on March 6, 2023 by Rachel Burr

Leadership communication can be improved upon coaching for better employee engagement, team dynamics, and organizational leadership bench, says Rachel Burr, Catamentum leadership Coaching.

The “telling”, or command-and-control style of leadership communication

Among many ways of miscommunication, under communication, or complete lack of communication, perhaps the most common is “telling people what to do”, instead of engaging, guiding, coaching, and inspiring people to participate and contribute.

This article will focus on the harms of constantly telling team members or subordinates what to do, a/k/a command and control, and what to do instead.

What leaders lose from micromanagement

When leaders micromanage, they undermine their team’s performance. Employees do not bring their own skills, ideas, or passion to the work. They often give up voicing their opinions and observations due to a lack of psychological safety and fear of being criticized. As a result, employees don’t feel they “own” the work or the results. They become disengaged and wait passively to be told what to do. When leaders do not value employees’ input, they not only encourage “quiet quitting,” but they fail to recognize new ideas, incorporate diverse perspectives, and they lose valuable insights required for innovation.

Leadership communication is truly about how to coach teams

A 2016 survey by the Harvard Business Review found that two-thirds of managers are simply not comfortable communicating with employees. Ineffective communication can be costly, or even destructive for the leadership, teams, and the organization.

To change leadership communication, leaders must first respect, trust, and value the people on their teams. Upon this foundation, the following actions improve communications, build teams, and create healthy organizations:

* Encourage Discussion and Feedback. When leaders create a safe environment, employees will more openly share information, ideas, and insights.

* Communicate Purpose. Communicate more than “what” needs to be done, communicate the “why.” When people understand the purpose of their work and how they contribute to that purpose, they feel more engaged and empowered to take action to achieve their goals.

* Listen. Effective leaders actively listen to others. They engage with genuine curiosity and the intent to understand the ideas and perspectives of others. Beyond the work, effective leaders listen to and get to know who their employees are as people–their lives, families, and what matters to them. When people feel heard, seen, and understood, they feel a greater sense of connection and commitment with their leader and their team.

*Demonstrate Integrity. Trusted leaders walk the talk. Leaders’ statements explicitly communicate their vision, values, and goals. Their behaviors implicitly communicate their commitment to those things. Integrity is how closely a leaders’ words match their behaviors. When it comes to communicating integrity, actions speak louder than words.

* Communicate Clearly. Effective guidance is clear, concise, and consistent. Whether communication is verbal or written, in person or virtual.

These actions are a good starting place for leaders to improve their communication, but developing great leadership communication skills is a process, not a checklist. Great leaders invest the time and attention to put these actions into practice.

Good communication and coaching can foster the next generation of Leaders

Moreover, the “telling” or “ordering” style of communication will hinder the development of the “bench” – bringing up the future leaders in the organization.

Leadership communication isn’t just announcing plans to employees. Open dialogues, active listening, and regular feedback can be used to spot and elevate leaders from within the organization.

However, a 2023 survey by the consulting firm DDI found that just 40% of leaders said their organizations had high quality leadership, and only 12% had confidence in the strength of their bench.

The leaders of the future also need to develop the psychological safety to take risks and try new things. Using effective leadership communication in this way can also have the added benefit of creating a virtuous cycle of open, clear, and honest communication at all levels of the organization.

No leader can afford to be an island. Whether an organization is planning for growth or succession, having a good bench of future leaders is a must. The home-grown new leadership will have been instilled with organizational knowledge and values, not easily replicated from the outside.

excellent leadership communication can increase engagement across the organization.

To book an appointment visit: https://catamentum.com

Use Executive Coaching to Tap Into Your “People Power”

Posted on February 22, 2023 by Rachel Burr

Executive coaching by Rachel Burr, Catamentum Leadership Coach, empowers individual leaders, teams, and organizations with people skills.

In these often challenging times, leaders and executives may wonder how to motivate and empower their employees. They want to improve employee engagement, encourage employees to take ownership, and help drive the organization’s success. Leaders want the best for and from their teams, but achieving that goal can be challenging.

Surveys show that employees want both greater empowerment and support from leadership.

According to a 2008 study by Google, employees said two of the most important qualities/skills in a manager were (1) being a good coach, and (2) empowering their team, rather than micromanaging.

In 2020 Gallup surveyed 1.2 million employees from nearly 50,000 businesses across 45 countries to understand what employees wanted from their managers. First and foremost, employees said the best managers are coaches. The Gallup survey found the best managers: (1) focus on team engagement, (2) leverage the unique talents of each employee, and (3) set clear expectations and goals. One big takeaway from the survey is that “The best managers talk to their employees and teams. A lot.” In other words, people skills are invaluable.

The question is how to turn the reciprocal wants and needs of both leadership and employees into shared success.

Executive Coaching Empowers Leaders with Functional Skills and People Skills

Good leaders develop their skills overtime, both through experience and by leveraging resources. Executive coaching is a key resource that can be a catalyst to enhance leadership, both through developing functional skills and people skills.

A newly promoted leader, or a newly onboarded executive, may have outstanding talent and drive. Managers may be promoted for their extraordinary technical skills and capabilities. Nevertheless, if leaders and managers lack the necessary people skills, they will struggle in their new roles.

In these situations, executive coaching helps leaders and managers close the gaps. Coaching helps a leader navigate the challenges of a new role, or helps established leaders navigate ongoing challenges, particularly related to people management, mindset, emotional intelligence (EQ), and skill development.

While executive coaches don’t have all the answers, they are trained to ask good questions and guide leaders through their development process.

People Skills Can Transform Leaders and Organizations

As the Google and Gallup surveys suggest, going beyond functional skills requires excellent communication and people skills. A leader may have superb functional skills and business sense, and may have achieved considerable success, without mastering people skills. To reach the next level, even successful leaders may need to scale up.

Developing better people skills can be as simple as learning to listen and giving constructive feedback. It can encompass examining mindsets, developing greater emotional intelligence, and nurturing connections among employees and teams across the organization.

When blind spots and limiting mindsets come up, executive coaching can lead to a process of self-discovery and transformation. Personal transformation can translate to organizational transformation, and form the building blocks for the next level of success across the organization.

Leaders who Learn People Skills Help Themselves, Their Teams, and Their Organizations

When leaders develop the skills and traits to empower those around them, everyone wins. Leadership is a team sport. Successful leaders ultimately serve their teams and work toward a shared goal. In short, leaders who learn people skills help themselves, their teams, and their organizations.

Rachel Burr is an executive and leadership coach with over 20 years of experience working with CEOs and the C-suite across all industries, in organizations of from 200 to 10,000 employees. Rachel holds dual master’s degrees in Organization Development and Clinical Psychology, as well as numerous certifications in the field of executive coaching. Rachel is a “people expert” who works with clients to unleash their leadership potential.To book an appointment visit: https://catamentum.com.

PICA Member Spotlight of Rachel Burr

Posted on December 15, 2022 by Rachel Burr

The following is an interview of Rachel Burr by PICA, Professional Independent Consultants of America.

Q&A with Rachel Burr of Catamentum Leadership Coaching & Consulting on creating the consulting career of her dreams, and how to “Catalyze Momentum”.

PICA Member Spotlight of Rachel Burr of Catamentum Coaching & Consulting on creating the consulting career of her dreams, and how to “Catalyze Momentum”.

https://www.successfulindependentconsulting.com/rachel-burr-spotlight

Q: Please introduce yourself and tell us about your business.

A: My name is Rachel Burr, and my company is Catamentum Coaching and Consulting (“Catalyze Momentum”). When we Catalyze Momentum, we can Unleash Potential. I’m an executive coach, leadership development consultant, and overall “people expert.” A big part of what I do is to help leaders step into their authentic potential. The way I see it, a lot of leaders may feel forced into a cookie cutter of leadership, either by what they think leadership is supposed to be or what they see modeled around them. My consulting approach is focused on getting leaders to explore who they are at their core, including their strengths and weaknesses, their values, and what they want to do as a leader. Then we look how they bring that core to their current role or the role they’d like to have.

Q: Do you do a blend of coaching and consulting work or primarily just the coaching?

A: I do both. I do individual leadership coaching, I work with teams, and I facilitate tailored workshops. I also work with executives as a thought partner. I help them think through their people strategies, challenges, and opportunities. Leaders will often have ideas and questions about their people and overall organization, but they may not be sure how to put these ideas into action. Leaders may not yet be ready to talk about these ideas with their boss, and it may not be appropriate at that point to talk with their team. I help leaders unpack their ideas and examine their options so they can make better decisions.

Q: How long have you been independent now?

A: Four years, but it seems like so much has happened.

Q: How did you make the leap to independent consulting?

A: It’s funny because I resigned from my corporate job without knowing what I was going to do next. There were a lot of things I appreciated about corporate, but I was also spending a lot of time on things that weren’t really leveraging my talents. I was comfortable but not happy. I’m a big believer that we have to make ourselves uncomfortable to catalyze change. So, I quit.

I left not knowing what I was going to do, but I knew I wanted to explore the possibilities. Granted, I had the benefit of my husband being very supportive, and having good health insurance. So, that made the leap into the unknown a little easier.

Initially, I stared to look at other corporate jobs. I wasn’t even thinking about consulting. I applied for a job, and I didn’t get it, which turned out to be a good thing. Then, I agreed to do an interview for a second corporate position, but it just didn’t feel right. A friend who had her own consulting business asked me why I didn’t try going independent. Then, she hired me to work on a small consulting project to help me “dip my toe in the water.” I remember the first day I met with the client. We were discussing their objectives and needs, the outcomes they wanted, and brainstorming ideas. I loved it! 30 minutes into our meeting, I thought, “Why have I never done this before?” That was it. I finished the project, and that summer, I started my own coaching and consulting company.

Q: What’s one thing you wish you would have done differently?

A: I would have asked for help earlier. I think when you go out on your own you feel like you have to do everything yourself. But you have people around you who are really good at what they do. They’re talented and they’ve got their own work that supports the business you want to grow. So, reach out. Build your village.

Q: Once you decided to really go for it how did you get your own clients?

A: I had a number of strong relationships with people I had worked with and whom I greatly respected. The people I knew in HR, talent management, and consulting were natural conduits for connecting me with leaders to help them address needs in their organizations. One by one, I had people take a chance on me. I continued to build relationships, and as people get to know and trust you, building your business begins to come more naturally. It’s important to connect with folks in a way that’s genuine and authentic. Understand their pain points, what they are managing or struggling with, and figure out how you can help them.

Q: You make it sound very easy, Rachel. What’s your secret sauce?

A: It is not easy. There were so many times I was just overwhelmed because I had no idea how to run a business. Someone recently told me that you have to have a business plan before you jump in. I didn’t even know what a business plan was! I had moments that were these little highs from my wins. I also had moments of thinking I have no idea how I’m going to do this.

I specifically remember a friend of mine who had also decided to leave corporate. She left before I did, and I had been there to help her when she was figuring things out. After I had been out on my own for about six months, she called and said, “Hey, I’m going to this business accelerator program. Do you want to come with me?” I didn’t even know what that was. We both signed up for the program, and as I went through it, I started to see all the things I didn’t realize. I didn’t know what I didn’t know.

I also remember being overwhelmed worrying about money, which is totally normal, but then you have to learn to invest in yourself to move forward and get to that next level. I remember calling my husband before I signed up for the program, because we are very good about making financial decisions together. I told him, “I really need help. I think this program could help me but it’s a lot of money.” I told him how much it cost. He was completely supportive and said, “If that’s what you need to do, that’s what you need to do.” I think it’s really important to tell people there’s no magic formula. Some days it was really a struggle and I wanted to give up. Those were the times I had to pick myself back up, reflect on what I learned, identify what I was going to do differently, and also identify those things I would never do again. I think it’s important to recognize that it’s going to be a journey.

Q: Four years in, what has changed or gotten easier?

A: One thing was that when I first started I had a really negative misconception of what it meant to sell my services. The word “sell” was a real hang up for me. I had this idea that I was pushing someone into something or getting them to do something that maybe they didn’t really want to do. After talking with a number of consultants, coaches, and other people I trusted and respected, I realized selling isn’t about pushing. It’s about listening, understanding a client’s challenges and pain points, and hearing what they want to achieve. Then, we can talk about how I can support them to address their problems. With that new mindset, my idea of selling shifted from feeling like a push to feeling like a partnership, and I love that.

Q: What’s next for you and Catamentum Coaching & Consulting?

A: I love that I am continuing to figure out the kind of work I really want to do, that place where passion and talent intersect. I’m also figuring out what I don’t want to do. To say Yes to some things, you have to say No to others. We only get 24 hours in a day, so we have to figure out how to prioritize that time.

I want to expand my executive coaching and team coaching. I also love tailoring and facilitating workshops for teams and other groups. I’m not one to just pull something off the shelf. I want to adapt the approach to each group.

I also want to do more guesting on podcasts. I’m an extrovert at heart, so being able to get out there and talk with others about people, leadership, and unleashing our potential, that really fuels my passion.

Q: If people want to learn more about you and or what you do, what would be the best way to do that?

A: They can reach out on my website and of course I’m on LinkedIn.

How to Reduce Cross-Cultural Disconnects

Posted on October 7, 2022 by Rachel Burr

Three ways to help leaders & teams navigate cross cultural disconnects to manage challenges & appreciate the benefits of today’s diverse workplace.

Culture is a big, hairy topic. Even more challenging is that we each belong to more than one culture. There’s country culture, corporate culture, family culture, and beyond. We’re each a unique cultural mishmash of all of these. So, how can we prepare ourselves and our teams to manage challenges and appreciate the benefits of our diverse cultural backgrounds?

Here are three simple ways (that often feel very complex) to help us navigate cultural dynamics:

Educate ourselves on cross-culture fundamentals.
Recognize different communication styles.
Prepare to expect and explore differences.

Educate Ourselves on Cross-Culture Fundamentals

Before we dive in, let’s acknowledge the obvious. There is no way to fully dissect all the complexities of cross-cultural interactions. It would be overwhelming, not to mention impossible. So, what can we do, and where do we begin?

A great place to start is “The Culture Map: Decoding How People Think, Lead, and Get Things Done Across Cultures,” by Erin Meyer. Meyer looks at eight facets of culture and how they may relate across countries: Communicating, Evaluating, Persuading, Leading, Deciding, Trusting, Disagreeing, and Scheduling. These cultural factors offer a compass to navigate familiar complexities. When we explore and apply these insights, we begin to understand our similarities and differences more clearly.

Personally, I’ve found these insights extremely helpful, not just in my work but at home. My husband (French) and I (American) navigate our own cross-cultural microcosm of connects and disconnects. These range from funny to pull-your-hair-out frustrating. We usually reach a détente through active listening and patience. Also, a nice bottle of wine never hurts.

Recognize Different Communication Styles

Communication ranges from what Meyer describes as high-context (implicit) to low-context (explicit). High-context communication is more frequent in cultures with long, rich histories, which create context for a shared understanding of nuanced communication. Meyer uses Japan as an example of a country with high-context communication. Alternatively, the US is a relatively new country that has been populated by global immigrants from different cultures who speak different languages. As a result, communication in the US tends to be more direct to help assure clarity without depending on shared backgrounds, culture, or language. Of course, we still experience disconnects and misunderstandings even within cultures. Looking at possible roots of these challenges benefits us no matter what cultural factors may be at play.

Prepare to Expect and Explore Differences

Team members from different cultures may hold different assumptions about how to communicate. Each of us may enter a conversation with the best intentions, but it can easily be derailed because of disconnects in implicit assumptions. We walk away feeling confused, frustrated, and sometimes even offended. When we explore and understand these differences, we can consciously work to bridge gaps to improve communication and achieve better collaboration.

Engage the Human Fundamentals

Culture influences how we communicate with others around the world and even in our own communities. Navigating cross-cultural differences can be challenging, but it can also offer great benefits. We each bring different experiences and perspectives to help us tackle challenges and achieve success. Beyond culture, we share a lot of human factors, including our desire to build trust, feel respected, and be understood. In the end, we’re more alike than we are different, and our common ground is a great place to start building bridges.

Three Tricks to Managing Virtual Teams

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Rachel Burr

Virtual teams’ management requires leadership to use people skills and communication technology to build trust, teamwork and relationships.

Leaders want to know the “tricks” to managing virtual teams. We want better tools, systems, and processes that will take groups of people spread around the country, or even the world, and transform them into well-oiled high-performing teams. Here’s the secret: There are no tricks or shortcuts to building a team (virtual or otherwise). Even with the best processes and technology, virtual teams are still made up of people who need to build relationships, create trust, and collaborate to be a successful team. I know the blog title was a little misleading (a clickbait and switch), but now that you’re here, let’s move beyond the illusion of “tricks” to real people-focused ways to address virtual challenges: build relationships, communicate as human beings, and optimize time together.

Build Relationships

We may respect titles or acquiesce to hierarchy, but we build a relationship with a person, the whole person. We’re often encouraged to separate our personal life from our work life, which is a lot like asking us to cut off our right arm to fit through the office door (and I don’t type well one-handed). When we bring our whole self and connect with someone else as a whole person, we find more in common, build better connections, and increase trust. As virtual teams, we don’t bump into each other in the halls, or at the coffeemaker, to help us build these connections more casually. Our interactions are more limited and more formal, occurring mostly during meetings and…well…more meetings.

In a virtual team, we have to create opportunities to make more informal connections. It sounds ridiculous to work that hard to create “natural” interactions, but when we don’t plan and protect this time, our attention will be hijacked by some fire-of-the-moment, and what’s “urgent” will consume what’s “important.” So, how do we purposefully create opportunities for connection?

Use Existing Meetings

Carve out time at the beginning of team meetings to connect as human beings: share what we did over the weekend, discuss a favorite hobby, or talk about anything other than work. We can also use virtual meeting tools to create smaller breakout groups for more intimate interactions, and then come back together to share important points or a new tidbit we learned about a teammate.

Create Virtual Cafes

Meet 1:1 or in small groups for an online coffee break or happy hour. –Even if we work in different time zones, it’s 5 o’clock somewhere.

We need to build in those human moments to stay connected even when we’re thousands of miles apart.

Communicate as Human Beings

Continuous communication over technology does not mean communication is clear or effective. It just provides a digital trail to prove messages were sent. I won’t call out specific tools because I might get sued, but you know the ones. The tools that allow us to constantly ping each other with emails, instant messages (IM), texts, etc. What we often forget is that even when we use these tools, we still need to communicate with the brains of human beings. Ongoing distractions interrupt our concentration, limit our focus, and reduce productivity. We need to use the right tools in the right way:

Email

Email is best used to confirm information (that has already been discussed), and share information that is clear, concise, and not inflammatory. To make emails more effective try some of the following: Use the subject line as part of the message– “FYI,” “Response Requested,” “Action Required” or even “Action Required. Otherwise, will send X by Y date.” (That last one usually gets a response. Whether or not it’s a “good” response, depends on your audience). Call attention to due dates in emails by putting them in red. Keep emails short and summarize key points. Short emails take more time to write, but long emails take more time to read. So, if we want emails read, we should keep them short.

The above examples are focused more on US corporate cultures. We may need to adjust our approach to the team, company, or country cultures in which we operate. Regardless of the approach, our goal is to be effective.

IM

IM is good for a quick back and forth chat or to align schedules for a meeting. When either email or IM goes on too long, stop the thread. Summarize the text and identify next steps, or jump on a video conference to discuss.

Video

Video is better than both email and IM when we want to communicate more complex ideas. Only about 25% of communication is made up of the words we use. The rest is tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language. That means text-based tools leave out 75% of our communication. So, we shouldn’t be surprised when our meaning isn’t always clear.

Unplug

Technology tools are not just about sending information, but managing how and when we receive it. To improve our focus, we can block time on the calendar to turn off our email, IM, and phone. The book “Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World” by Cal Newport offers great insights and tips to help us improve our concentration and get work done. If you are really struggling to focus, then stop reading this post, and go read Cal Newport’s book instead.

We can’t let technology dictate how we communicate. We need to use the tools in ways that will improve our communication. When we assume communication has been read and understood just because we click “Send,” that’s when things fall through the cracks (and often fall apart).

Optimize Time Together

The goal is to meet in person as often as schedules, pandemics, and fuel prices allow. Once face-to-face, we don’t want to squander our time, squeezing too much content into back-to-back meetings or doing work we could have done remotely. We want to use this precious in-person time to connect with each other and build stronger relationships. Of course, work has to get done, but spending time on people is also essential. When we know and trust each other, communication is easier, collaboration is more effective, and our work will be more productive long after the in-person meeting is over.

No Shortcuts to Building Teams

There are no magic “tricks” to leading virtual teams. Virtual or not, we work with people, and that requires focus, communication, and intentionally building relationships. When we align our approach with how people “work” (inside and out), our communication and collaboration will be more successful. No tricks required.