How Leaders Can Ensure Team Safety and Goal Attainment

Image Source: Unsplash 

As a business leader or manager, it’s your job to ensure that your team can meet and exceed their goals and milestones and to do so as safely and stress-free as possible. Yes, feeling a bit on edge can help some employees to drive results, but they shouldn’t be so uneasy that it affects their work and well-being. You can combine safety and goal attainment in many ways and bring your company to the next level, by starting with these tips.

Set Reasonable Goals And Cut Out Unnecessary Tasks

It’s natural for a business to want to set lofty goals and expect work to be done as quickly as possible to maximize profit. However, while that strategy might work for the short term, at some point, your employees will get burned out, and you’ll find more errors in the work. Too many errors can cut down on your company’s success over time, and once your reputation takes a hit, it can be tough to come back.

With that in mind, one of the most straightforward strategies to reduce human error is setting reasonable deadlines. Bring in your team, see if they feel rushed, analyze if it affects their work, and make the proper adjustments. If you must adjust your corporate guidelines and extend deadlines a few more days, but errors become practically nonexistent, then you’re on the right track. Another idea is to create an overall long-term goal but then add numerous short-term goals that are easier to meet along the way. Then you’ll know everyone’s on the right page.

While you’re analyzing the workflow, look at the tasks that make up the overall project and find the repetitive assignments that bog down the employee’s days. When workers are forced to spend time doing monotonous, repetitive tasks, they can tend to get burned out. If they don’t think what they’re doing is making a difference, they may stop putting forth the same effort or showing up altogether. Burnout is not only bad for business but also for the employee’s well-being. Plus, it can lead to issues down the road, including depression.

If you still need to complete these repetitive tasks as part of your business, then a solution may be automation. Computers can do monotonous tasks and do them well. They never get tired or complain, so it’s a worthwhile investment if it makes sense within your industry.

Take Stress Out Of The Equation

The burnout we’ve discussed begins as stress and often accompanies feelings of being overworked or underappreciated. The solution is to create a positive work environment so everyone is happy, and in turn, they’ll be more productive.

Stressed workers can put themselves and others at risk. Stressed employees may be so distracted that they can accidentally cut corners or forget to take the proper precautions to keep themselves safe, like failing to wear a hard hat or misusing electronic equipment. Stress can also lead to poor decision-making under pressure.

To reduce stress and increase productivity, managers can allow employees to take stress management training sessions. You can also host team-building activities so they feel more comfortable at work and with each other. The best way to ensure that the team is safe and productive is to be transparent and have open communication across the board.

As a leader, you need an open-door policy and allow the employees to come to you when they need help or have suggestions. Keeping communication channels open and providing employees with different ways to check in can also be a good way to boost team morale, especially if this feedback is used to refine workflows and give everyone the chance to participate.

Training And Recognition

Once you streamline a solid and safe workflow, you must keep up with it by having ongoing training sessions throughout the year. Train on the best methods to avoid burnout, the ways to complete the most work without stress, and the signs of excess anxiety, so an employee can ask for help when needed.

If your employees are hurt on the job, your team may never meet your goals, so it’s also important to have general safety training once a day or annually, depending on the dangers in your industry. During the training, touch on safety and health policies, emergency procedures, workers’ rights, and how to report hazards. In addition to the general training, provide safety training for specific roles that deal with unique hazards. If your industry is particularly dangerous, then hold regular safety every morning to cover all bases and ask for questions.

You can drive home the importance of safety and goal attainment by implementing one or several employee recognition initiatives to show appreciation for adherence to the rules. There are many safety recognition programs online that you can borrow, such as Safety Bucks, where you provide pretend currency whenever an employee does an act correctly or spots a safety violation. They can turn them in for prices or office perks. Another idea is to hand out safety certificates or host an awards ceremony.

On top of that, you can also publicly recognize employees who find a way to streamline their work, hit deadlines, and provide exceptional quality in their work. Mention them during a group huddle or in the company newsletter. The employee will be thrilled that they received attention, and they will continue to impress. Plus, the other team members will see the recognition and want to work at that level so they can also receive praise.

Conclusion

A company with a strong culture of safety and the right processes in place has a great chance of succeeding and doing so with a happy and driven workforce. Always find ways to prioritize your employee's safety and mental health. You’ll have a satisfied team and they’ll thank you through their work.

About the Author: Luke Smith is a writer and researcher turned blogger. Since finishing college he is trying his hand at being a freelance writer. He enjoys writing on a variety of topics but technology and business topics are his favorite. When he isn't writing you can find him traveling, hiking, or gaming.

Labor Day 2023

Labor Day is so much more than a Monday off and the unofficial end to summer; here are some fascinating statistics about the holiday’s history, past and present.

Labor Day, which is celebrated on the first Monday of September, falls on September 5 this year. While many people know it simply as the reason for a three-day weekend or the unofficial end to summer, the holiday is actually meant to symbolize and pay tribute to American workers, giving many a much-needed day off.

The holiday was created by the labor movement, which fought to regulate American work schedules and other worker rights, in the late 19th century during the Industrial Revolution in the U.S.

The national holiday has quite the decorated history from its origins to now, when millions use it as an opportunity to travel, party, and shop for holiday deals. Here are some fascinating statistics and fun facts about the holiday’s past and present.

1. The 40-hour workweek didn’t become law until 1940

Today, we know the 40-hour workweek and 8-hour workday as standard, though people in some professions do report working much more than this. However, that standard didn’t come to fruition until 1940, despite the fact that labor unions asked Congress to pass laws limiting workday hours nearly a century earlier.

In 1938, as pressure was mounting on Washington, Congress passed a Fair Labor Standards Act that limited the workweek to 44 hours, or 8.8 hours per day. That was later amended to 40 hours in 1940. However, this move was first requested all the way back in 1866, when the National Labor Union asked Congress to make the 8-hour workday law.

(Source: CNBC)

2. In the 1800s, many Americans worked 12-hour days

In the 19th century, the workers of America had good reason to protest. Many were working six, or even seven, days per week and they’d often be working 12-hour days. Some reports say these employees worked up to 14 hours per day.

Before federal laws were put into place, children as young as five and six could also be found working in mills, factories, and mines across the country. Just to make ends meet, these employees — who were often very poor and had recently immigrated to the U.S. — faced incredibly unsafe working conditions that didn’t provide access to clean air or breaks throughout the day.

(Source: History.com, Chicago History Museum)

3. Oregon was the first state to recognize Labor Day in 1887

New York was the first state to introduce a bill recognizing Labor Day, however, Oregon was the first to officially pass a law creating the holiday in the state in February 1887. Later in 1887, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York all passed laws to make it a holiday as well.

 

By the end of the 1880s, Connecticut, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania had also passed laws to make Labor Day a holiday. Twenty-three other states followed suit before Congress made it a federal holiday in 1894.

(Source: U.S. Census Bureau)

4. Other parts of the world celebrate on May 1

Other countries celebrate International Workers’ Day or Labor Day on May 1. May 1 was chosen because it was the anniversary of the Haymarket Affair in Chicago, which was a violent confrontation between labor protestors and the police.

(Source: Britannica)

5. 53% of Americans planned to travel for Labor Day in 2022

As Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer, many try to get one more trip in over the long weekend. This year is no exception.

This year’s survey by The Vacationer found that 53% of Americans plan to travel at some point over Labor Day Weekend. Among those traveling, most (36%) said they would be traveling by car. About 14% of respondents said they would travel by plane, and 3% planned to use public transportation.

About half of the survey respondents said that high gas prices would not affect their Labor Day travel plans.

(Source: The Vacationer)

6. Nearly 55% of people said they’d be attending a BBQ or cookout

In The Vacationer’s 2021 Labor Day survey, 54.6% of respondents said they’d be attending a barbecue or cookout for the holiday — the most popular response by a longshot.

Some other popular responses were going to the beach (26% of respondents) or going to see fireworks (23.3%). Some of the less popular activities on the list were attending a sporting event (6.65% of respondents), going to the movies (10.33%), and attending some sort of parade (12.43%).

7. The average American full-time employee works 8.5 hours a day

According to estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American full-time employee works about 8.53 hours per day. The numbers vary a bit depending on how much education a person has and if they work more than one job.

Those with just one job work about 8.07 hours per day on average and those who work multiple jobs work about 8.40 hours, according to the bureau. By contrast, those who are employed in a part-time capacity work about 5.62 hours per day.

(Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)

8. 57% of Americans left vacation days unused in 2020

According to a survey from WalletHub, more than half of Americans (57%) left vacation days unused in 2020. While it’s entirely possible that some of that unused time off was due to the pandemic and the fact that the travel industry came to a screeching halt in March 2020, Americans left plenty of paid time off on the table in 2021 as well when COVID-19 vaccines were widely available and travel restrictions were loosening up.

On average, Americans left about 4.6 days of paid time off unused in 2021. Those numbers will, hopefully, drop a bit this year, as the U.S. Travel Association predicted that Americans will spend 3.5% more on travel in 2022.

(Sources: WalletHub, Fortune)

9. In 2021, 57% of Americans had also gone more than a year without a vacation

At the time of WalletHub’s 2021 survey, 57% of Americans had also said that it had been more than a year since their last vacation of any sort — and not all time off is being used for relaxing or leisurely activities.

This comes despite the fact that research has found that the large majority (79%) of full-time employees in the country believe that taking time off is important for job satisfaction and overall health and well-being.

(Source: WalletHub, Fortune)

10. 818 hot dogs are eaten per second between Memorial Day and Labor Day

To conclude our Labor Day stats on a tasty note, WalletHub’s 2021 survey found that about 818 hot dogs were consumed per second in the unofficial summer season — between Memorial Day and Labor Day. That’s a whole lot of summer BBQing.

Americans reportedly spent a whopping $7.5 billion on hot dogs and sausages in supermarkets during 2021.

And if you’re wondering which U.S. city consumes the most hot dogs, Los Angeles takes the number 1 spot, beating out other major contenders like New York and Chicago. LA residents consume about 30 million pounds of hot dogs per year.

(Source: WalletHub, National Hot Dog and Sausage Council)

So, whatever your plans are this Labor Day weekend — whether you’re planning a big end-of-the-season beach getaway, attending a parade and fireworks show, or simply planning to spend a quiet day off at home, make sure you say thank you to those who do have to go into work. It’s one small way to keep the original spirit of the working American’s holiday alive.

Lean Quote: How to Relax This Labor Day

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us."   —  Maya Angelou

It seems like just yesterday that we were reuniting with loved ones during Memorial Day Weekend and the 4th of July. Even though summer days are longer, they somehow go by faster. Though summer technically doesn’t end until a couple of weeks after Labor Day Weekend, the holiday often marks the unofficial end of the season.

Soon, we’ll back to the busy fall season. Many people won’t get another day off until Thanksgiving. That makes it all the more important to spend the three-day weekend in a way that helps you feel relaxed and happy. Here are a few ideas for what to do on Labor Day.

Consider Some Off-The-Grid Relaxing

Since many consider Labor Day the end to the summer season, typical summer getaways, such as beaches and lakes, are likely going to be packed. If relaxation is what you’re after, it may be better to consider a more off-the-grid weekend away. That may mean looking into more out-of-the-way camping spots or maybe even taking a bit of a “staycation” and indulging in some “me time” at home.

Volunteer in the Community

Use your day off to give something back to your community. So many of the jobs that are still part of unions are in public service. You can plan a little something to give back to the teachers or nurses in your life. Put together care packages and little thank you cards. The entire family can get involved. This may not seem like the most relaxing activity, but the feeling you’ll get from giving back and helping out your community will bring you lots of joy on the holiday weekend. Spend a few hours doing something that will make you feel good and help someone else out in a big way.

Get out of Routine and Be Spontaneous

Be inspired to get out of the routine and discover something new about where you live. Find a parade, go see a movie, find a pool: in short, do something you wouldn’t normally do on a regular weekend. Take a hike. Explore a museum in your city you’ve always wanted to go to. Have a picnic in the backyard.

Celebrate With A Labor Day Cookout

The most common way to celebrate any summer holiday is with a cookout. So, fire up your grill, and instead of just hamburgers and hotdogs poolside, add ribs and chicken wings to the menu along with other staples of a great cookout. Make it a potluck by asking your guest to bring easy-to-make dishes like potato salad, baked beans, grilled corn, or pasta salad.

Consider Bringing the BBQ to You

Americans love grilling season (clearly, if you look at the sheer amount of hot dogs the country consumes every year). But putting together a menu for you and your loved ones may feel like an unnecessary hassle at the end of a long, hot summer. Your local eateries may be offering great Labor Day deals as well.

Gathering for a Labor Day party is all about chilling out, reminiscing, and making new memories. Whether you go all out with a big theme or just hang in the backyard, the important part is the quality time together. Enjoy the long weekend with your friends and family!

Lean Roundup #171 – August, 2023

A selection of highlighted blog posts from Lean bloggers from the month of August 2023.  You can also view the previous monthly Lean Roundups here.  

 

The First Shingo Prize – Behind the Scene – Bruce Hamilton shares his experience from the first Shingo Prize 35 years ago.

 

Ten Truths Lean People Need to Embrace About Lean – Bob Emiliani shares 10 harsh truths about Lean that Lean Practitioners need to embrace for the tough road ahead on your Lean journey.

 

Implementing 5S in Your Company – John Knotts provides some telltale signs to look for to assess if you should implement 5S.

 

The Seven QC Tools, Part 4 – Pascal Dennis discusses the relation of the seven quality tools and process of reflection.

 

Continuous Improvement vs Lean: What's the Difference? – Maggie Millard explains the difference between continuous improvement and Lean manufacturing.

 

What's the Importance of Technology in Continuous Improvement? – Danielle Yoon says technology plays an increasingly vital role as a powerful enabler for continuous improvement initiatives.

 

When to Use Standards…and When Not – Christoph Roser talks about when standards are helpful, and when maybe they are not.

 

When a CEO Falls Down on Their Gemba Visit — The Leader Behaviors That Matter – Mark Graban shares insightful clip from Dr Sean Paul Teeling on leadership behaviors.

 

 

The 10 Rules of Continuous Improvement

The most successful companies are never satisfied with the status quo. They constantly have their eye on the next innovation, the next level of performance. They know the importance of continuous improvement in all areas of the business.

Even if things are going really well, people at successful organizations are looking at what could be improved upon so that they can perform better. They are finding ways to work smarter, not harder, in order to be more efficient and profitable. The most successful companies are always innovating and developing new ways to deliver top-notch quality to their customers.

But this kind of behavior doesn’t just happen. Sure, some people have a natural drive to keep improving their skills and the results they produce at work. But many people prefer to stay in their comfort zones, never questioning the way things are done.

Continuous improvement is an ongoing process of identifying, analyzing, and making incremental improvements to systems, processes, products, or services. Its purpose is to drive efficiency, improve quality, and value delivery while minimizing waste, variation, and defects. The continual improvement process is driven by ongoing feedback, collaboration, and data.

Let’s look at 10 rules for effective continuous improvement:

1. Be Open Minded

An open mind leads to new possibilities. New possibilities lead to new thoughts and experiences. To have an open mind means being flexible and adaptive to new experiences and ideas.  Having an open mind doesn’t mean accepting everything as truth, but rather being open to new possibilities. New thoughts and experiences lead to growth.

2. Start with the 3 “Actual” Rule

Continuous improvement starts with the three “Actual” Rule.

        Go to the actual place where the process is performed.

        Talk to the actual people involved in the process and get the real facts.

        Observe and chart the actual process.

All too often, attempts are made to solve problems without knowing anything about or are not being familiar with a particular area or process -- resulting in a misdiagnosis or failed solution. Answers come from the floor, from the Gemba, where the condition occurs. You need to go to the real place and experience these conditions for yourself before being able to take the next steps.

3. Focus on Process Over People

The most successful organizations understand that the problem is not people failing to deliver, but that their organizational processes or systems need to be improved. If an organization really wants a continuous improvement effort focused on improving its business, it must celebrate the mistakes and errors that result from inadequate processes or systems so they can be analyzed and corrected. Enlightened organizations don’t look for someone to blame; they identify the problems that inevitably arise and encourage their people to expose these issues, rather than cover them up.

4. Don’t Seek Perfection, Try-storm

Don’t spend too much time talking about a solution, try it!! Try-storming encourages the rapid development and test of an idea rather than merely thinking about the possible solutions. It allows people to visualize, touch and further improve on an initial idea. It also models action rather than talk. Often in our desire to design the perfect Future State we forget that the best way to build a process that works is through the iterative process of trying, adjusting/correcting, and trying again.

The process is built on three basic principles:

• It is not important to create perfect solutions.
• Be action-oriented.
• Keep solutions simple.

5. Creativity Before Capital

Don’t substitute money for thinking. In other words, before spending money on a typical solution (buying equipment, hiring staff, working overtime), try using existing equipment and employees.

In reality, even creative solutions may require some investment. Yet, often that investment is quite small in comparison to more traditional approaches. As Lean practitioners, it is our job to minimize waste in all that we do – and that includes the cost associated with solutions.

6. Problems are Opportunities

The workplace is full of problems and we are expected to solve them. Problems often stir up the emotions of everyone involved. When a problem occurs, instead of first exploring how to get the problem to go away, first stop and ask yourself: What is the opportunity here? This is the key to innovative problem solving. It’s understanding that the problems you face are opportunities — no matter how frustrating they appear to be at first. Innovative thinking on how to solve a difficult problem begins when you view problems as opportunities — when you break the barriers of limited thinking that we all have.

7. Focus on the Root Cause, Not the Symptoms

It’s very easy to get caught up in the symptoms of the problem and most problems are incorrectly attempted by suppressing these symptoms. We should resist this temptation! When we encounter a symptom, it should serve as a prompt to dig deeper to get at the real root causes for an issue. There are a number of methods of root cause analysis, including failure mode analysis, fault tree analysis, and fishbone diagrams. For diagnosing performance issues, one of the simplest and most effective methods is the "5 Whys," which is attributed to Taiichi Ohno and his Toyota Production System. This technique simply requires us to ask why repeatedly until root causes are uncovered.

8. Rely on Data, Not Opinions

As the legendary engineer W. Edwards Deming put it, “Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion.” Without insight into data, people make decisions based on instinct, speculation, or prevalent theory. People are at risk of acting on biases or false assumptions. Now, data driven decision making involves collecting data, performing analysis, and basing decisions on insights derived from that analysis. This provides for accountability and transparency. Basing decisions on data allows the logic behind determinations to be transparent and provides stronger evidence to support those decisions. Data provides context and knowledge.

9. Practice Respect

Show respect” is perhaps the most valuable rule, as people are the goal, not simply the means to an end. Improvements are accomplished by people, not processes. Processes ought to be designed to support people in their accomplishment of specific objectives. Ultimately this means developing people to be who they can be. One tremendous side effect of that development is greatly increased capability in fulfilling their roles, which leads to greater efficiency in accomplishing improvement.

10. There is no destination on the road to improvement

Continuous improvement is a journey that never ends. There will always be a gap between where you are (current state) and where you would like to be (True North). Since there will always be a gap, there will always be an opportunity to improve. The road to continual improvement can be a rocky one with many ups and downs. Failure will occur. It’s ok, the purpose is learning, and we learn through experimentation. Trying new approaches, exploring new methods and testing new ideas for improving the various processes is exercise for the mind.

Adopting a culture of continuous improvement can benefit both you, your team and your business. Finding a suitable way to begin your never-ending quest toward it doesn’t need to keep you awake at night. Why don’t you start by implementing these 10 rules in order to set yourself up for all the benefits that come hand in hand with improving continuously!

Lean Quote: 5 ways To Develop Future Leaders in Your Organization

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"We need to foster curious minds with a desire to learn and a passion to discover new and better ways of doing things."   —  Simon Brown

Leadership development has become a necessary focus for any organization that wishes to separate itself from the pack and become established in markets that are always changing the rules.

Companies need to invest in leadership development, but more importantly, they need to make sure it’s part of their culture. There’s nothing wrong with a one-day seminar, but it’s not a leadership development plan. Creating a culture takes more than a single rah-rah meeting.

Creating an intentional strategy for developing employees is one of the most important things you can do as a leader to impact the culture of your organization. This is especially true for those you would categorize as future leaders.

If you want to be intentional about developing future leaders in your organization, here are a few keys to consider:

1. Communicate Your Vision to Employees

Every successful business has a vision. Maintain regular communication about the company’s vision and request your employees and other people to help you to achieve it. Sharing your business motives with your employees allows them to set their mission and the future leaders see their future in your company and work towards attaining it. Therefore, it is imperative to have a common goal with your employees. Keep them on track each day to ensure that they do not lose focus. Always remember that the future of leadership in your company is determined by the manner that you handle your current workers.

2. Show Employees You Trust Them

If you want to help employees develop, trust them to do their jobs by getting out of the way. Let them know what your expectations are by modeling the behavior you expect—show them you trust them. This not only lets employees know what they need to succeed and gives them greater ownership, but it also shows them that credibility and trust are important in your organization.

3. Use Job Rotation to Broaden Experience

Give your workers a chance to broaden their expertise by working in different parts of the company. This will allow you and them to discover both their strengths and the areas where they need additional training. It will also give them an appreciation of other roles that will be beneficial in managing others in those areas.

4. Create Coaching and Mentoring Opportunities

One of the best ways to develop future leaders is by having them learn directly from other successful leaders. Once you’ve identified candidates that could potentially be great leaders, match them up with a great leader to mentor them, coach them, and consistently provide feedback. A mentor can provide customized guidance that helps prepare junior employees to become more effective leaders in the future. Building these strong relationships early creates opportunities for open, honest lines of communication throughout the leadership development process.

5. Provide “Stretch” Assignments for Employees

Offer a chance for your employees to prove themselves while also cultivating new talents. Providing assignments that stretch them outside of their comfort zone will force them to learn to better manage stress and tap into their creativity and problem solving abilities. Even failure can provide valuable lessons that can better your team.

These are just a few of the ways organizations can develop leadership potential in the workplace. By keeping communication open, incorporating leadership into regular professional development, and giving emerging leaders opportunities to grow, organizations can begin to build their leadership pipelines from within.

Seven Leadership Principles That Will Get Results

Leadership principles give us ideas on how we can lead ourselves and our team to encourage high levels of performance and greater chances for learning and growth.

Here are just seven principles that will help you achieve more as a leader with your team. See if they could work for you:

Principle 1: Kindle Passion

People will work for money, but they’ll die for a cause. Strong leaders engage people’s hearts. They build ever-deeper passion and commitment.

Passion is the driving force that enables people to attain far more than they ever imagined. Without passion there is no drive to succeed. It is the fuel of the will, and everything you do as a leader must express your passion. Passion is contagious and is easily shared. Passion will bridge moments of weakness, and will drive you past your failures while reaching for your goals. Passion radiates from you and is easily detected by others.

Principle 2: Maintain Good Communication

Communication can make the difference between a highly engaged team and a highly disengaged team.

A leader’s ability to clearly articulate expectations, consistently communicate culture, and regularly exchange meaningful feedback with their team members will determine how well they are able to motivate employees.

And remember, listening is the most important part of this. Leaders who engage in active listening are able to build real connections with employees and develop an understanding of what they need to succeed.

Principle 3: Fosters Accountability

You can’t expect employees to take accountability for results if they aren’t being given the clarity they need to take ownership and do great work. When leaders provide this clarity through frequent feedback, they are demonstrating their own accountability for expectation-setting and inspiring their employees to hold themselves accountable for meeting expectations.

Rather than punishing employees for not achieving expected results, focus on ensuring there is clarity in job expectations, clearly communicate the organization’s goals and the role employees play in achieving those goals, and don’t just react when teams fall short of expectations—make sure you are giving employees recognition when they do achieve the expected results.

Principle 4: Cultivate an Improvement Mindset

Leaders should never stop growing. No matter how well a leader thinks they are leading, they should always strive to do better. They should also learn to view mistakes as opportunities for growth and encourage employees to do the same. 

When leaders treat mistakes as learning opportunities, they are demonstrating their capacity for growth and helping their employees develop an improvement mindset that keeps them always moving forward.

Cultivating an improvement mindset not only helps leaders hone their leadership skills, but also inspires their team members to continuously develop their skills when they model this principle. Leaders can also help their teams continually improve by providing regular constructive feedback and coaching and mentoring employees.

Principle 5: Encourage Collaboration

When you have an inclusive team of highly engaged employees, it can achieve great things through collaborative efforts, but it’s important for leaders to create a harmonious work environment where team members work well together for this to happen.

Leaders who encourage collaboration and give their teams the tools they need to work together successfully are helping their employees learn the true meaning of teamwork. This means ensuring there’s no place for toxic behaviors within the organization. 

Encouraging employees to work together keeps engagement and trust high and can lead to work environments where high performance is the norm. It can also keep employees from working in silos.

Principle 6: Set the Example

Your actions as a leader speak much louder than your all company meetings, corporate communications, or motivational speeches at team meetings. This is why it is a fundamental principle that leaders walk the talk of vision, values, and purpose if they are to maintain the trust, respect, and credibility of those they are attempting to lead.

Leaders are continually raising the bar and driving their teams to deliver high quality products, services and processes. Leaders ensure that defects do not get sent down the line and that problems are fixed so they stay fixed.

Principle 7: Adaptability

Great leaders help their teams thrive, even during difficult times, and even during times of change. As constant change is the only thing any of us can be sure of in the business world, adaptability plays a significant role in determining how successful an organization will be in the future.

Agility in adapting helps us not only survive, but flourish in times of change. Leaders are better able to do this and help their teams do this when they bring employees into the process because it provides them with a variety of viewpoints and approaches to adapting.

When leaders embrace change and demonstrate an ability to adapt quickly, but also in an intentional way that doesn’t lose sight of long-term goals, it can help employees feel a much needed sense of stability in potentially challenging times and can help them adapt more easily.

The best way I know how to consistently exceed expectations for your customers, employees, or investors is to do the things I’ve talked about. Lead, stay focused on what you and your organization do best, set high standards, empower others, give others a reason to believe deeply in what you and they are doing, never compromise your standards, and give more than expected.