News
Mid-Year Reflection on Leadership, Goals
Jul 31st
We are past the half-way point. Mid year. Well into the third quarter. How are you doing? Often times we begin the year with fresh perspectives and aggressive goals and dreams for the upcoming twelve months. Now, at the year’s halfway point, you may find that your focus on goals has slipped. You’ve neglected or even forgotten some of your goals, perhaps many. Or events may have shifted in ways that require new or different goals. When this happens, instead of updating your goals, you may have simply dropped the idea of goal setting altogether.
Let’s utilize simple daily practices that will ensure your goals are kept alive throughout the year, and make it more likely you’ll achieve them. Let’s use this month to renew strategies and sharpen focus on goals for the remainder of the year.
As good leaders, it is our responsibility to keep our own goals in check and set an example for our team and colleagues. One good practice is re-visiting these goals daily. This process needn’t be long; it can be as simple a check-in where you ask yourself:
- Is this goal still valid?
- What has changed?
- How do I need to change?
This daily practice ensures you never lose sight of your goals as the months roll by. The daily reminder of your strategies and practices makes the formal midyear evaluation much easier because you’re clear about where you are and where you are going.
For a lucky few, the simplicity of this daily practice — evaluating and modifying goals — will come naturally. For most of us, it does not. We need a trigger or reminder system to ensure the daily practice becomes a habit. You can do this first thing in the morning before you start your day, or in the afternoon before you leave the office so you are clear about your plans for the following day.
A quick daily check-in also accommodates for an ever-changing load of responsibilities and priorities. Your initial goal and/or plan of action set on January 1st may need to be adapted as the year progresses. Staying on top of these goals ensures they are top of mind and more likely to be achieved!
Pre-Employment Assessments and Employee Development Boost Revenue, Confidence at Local Recycling Company
Jul 31st
Auto Recycling Magazine Features NorthStar360
“When it comes to businesses our size, you hear consultant and you think $60,000. Six months later, you’re broke and the consultant wasn’t much help,” describes Steve Dykstra, owner of Metro Recycling and Metro Auto.
NorthStar360 began a partnership with Griffith, Ind. based Metro Recycling and Metro Auto Recyclers last year. With humble beginnings, this family-owned recycling buy-back center and auto scrap service has achieved steady growth, carving out a very specialized niche in Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland. In Ind., the company also has locations in Valparaiso and Indianapolis in addition to its location in Blue Island, Ill.
But Dykstra wanted more. After much discussion and deliberation, the management team decided to bring in … that’s right, a consultant.
The consultant team worked with Dykstra to identify key business goals that were impeding growth. Susan Riddering, vice president for NorthStar360, explains that Employee Assessments are a smart first step for organizations. It helps them take a snapshot of where their company and employees are, and identify specific, measurable goals for the future.
The team agreed the employee assessments were the best first step. For Dykstra, the assessment process helped to accomplish two things: 1. Measure current employees’ strengths and areas for development and 2. Ensure new hires were a great fit for the position. Current employees have learned about their strengths and what they bring to Metro. For managers, skill gaps were identified and they attended concept-based workshops designed to bridge those specific gaps. After each seminar, managers worked with a business coach to talk about how they have implemented those new skills and concepts at Metro.
“The coaching requires follow-up and holds each person accountable. They have to think about what they learned and how to apply it day to day. It’s really a key component of the learning,” advocates Dykstra.
The pre-employment assessment is a useful tool for Metro as well and is now an integral part of the hiring process. When used in combination with the application and interview, the assessment helps identify candidates that are a good fit for a particular job.
“It is nice to have a tool that identifies candidates who are a good fit. It’s not just a gut-check anymore for us,” explains Dykstra. “The process also shows prospective candidates that our team is prepared and focused.”
Dykstra said the results for Metro have been business-changing, increasing employee productivity, retention and morale. Employees are happier and more fulfilled. “Our people see we’re trying to develop them so we can grow to new levels. We care about them, and we have created more credibility as a company,” he explained.
As for the bottom line, there are direct savings from decreased turn-over. “We all know turnover costs money; in searching for a candidate, training and day to day turmoil from having a vacant position,” said Dykstra. In addition, there are savings from indirect costs like productivity, retention and morale.
Metro owner Dykstra and CEO Neil Samahon are confident, the growth they have experienced would not have happened as seamlessly without hiring NorthStar360. “Two years ago I wouldn’t have wanted to grow to this extent. Now owners and upper management are ready. All the work we’ve done gives us the confidence to plan for growth,” cites Dykstra.
Dykstra admits; hiring a consultant can be scary because businesses associate it with a high cost. But for this family owned business, it was exactly what he needed to launch ahead, and Dykstra assures businesses there is a great return on investment. He recommends companies research area consultants. For Metro, NorthStar360 specializes in growing small to mid-size businesses with a niche for companies with 50-500 people, a perfect fit for Metro. “Rick and Susan at NorthStar360 are our experts,” said Dykstra.
Based in Dyer, Ind., NorthStar360 Business Solutions, LLC was founded to help businesses maximize their success through comprehensive hiring practices and in-depth employee development programs. The company customizes its training and tailors its development programs to meet the specific business goals of its clients. For more information on NorthStar360, please call (219) 864-1576 or visit www.northstar360.com.
Published in Automotive Recycling Magazine, March/ April 2013 issue. View article:
Supervisors Master the Management Essentials
Jul 31st
Managers from across Chicagoland attended NorthStar360’s Management Seminar last month held in Munster, Ind. The two-day seminar focused on key skills like self-awareness, management traits, and creating employee engagement. Well-trained, engaging managers have a positive impact and direct impact on things like employee performance, engagement, and retention… 50 percent more productive according to a recent Gallup poll!
The program included a hands-on experience for participants who could share and learn from one-another through case studies, activities and completing a personal plan of action. Utilizing real-life examples, supervisors can more fully implement their plan of action, contributing to a stronger and more successful organization.
“Investing in your new managers today is essential to build a strong organization for the future,” says Rick Riddering, president of NorthStar360. “Providing your managers the opportunity to participate in ongoing training will pay back your organization for years to come.”
Mastering the Management Essentials is one of many community business training events. To schedule an on-site seminar or customized program, please call (219) 864-1576 or visit www.northstar360.com
Top 10 Ways to Motivate Your Team This Summer
Jul 31st
Summer break is coming to a close for most school-age children in our communities. Although there is still plenty of time to bring the fun spirit of summer into your workplace, resulting in an engaging, motivating environment for employees. And we know motivated, engaged employees yield better, more productive and all-around happier work environments. So here are 10 great tips to maximize employee motivation and keep employees happy and productive this summer.
- Make work a game. Your people spend their free time golfing, surfing, hiking or fishing, so why not make work more of a contest. Set goals to sell more products, develop better processes, or meet more client needs, and then reward the winners with prizes. Another idea: Hold a lunchtime trivia contest with questions about company products and history—again with prizes for the champs.
- Take a break with your employees. One afternoon skip out to golf together or go bowling. Maybe take the team to ride go-carts or just throw a Frisbee around at the park. Or have a chili cook-off with employees bringing their best recipes. The bottom line: It’s your job to help your team feel like more of a … well … team, and summer is a great time to do just that.
- Institute a fun summer tradition. Play a great summer song way too loud each afternoon (and let a different person chose the music each day). Take a doughnut break Monday morning, or have a pot luck lunch on Wednesday, or wear your favorite team jersey day on Thursday, or keep a Scrabble game ongoing on Fridays with departments competing against each other.
- Conduct “previews.” Summer is a great time to conduct what we call “previews”—not a formal review but a chance to sit down with your direct reports and evaluate progress toward their goals and, more importantly for them, what their career ambitions are and what you can do to help achieve those goals. These don’t need to take place in a formal work environment either. Take them out to lunch or hit a bucket of balls while chatting.
- Recognize, recognize, recognize. Cultures that are effective at appreciating excellence are up to three times more profitable than their competitors. And recognition doesn’t have to be stuffy.
- Start a traveling trophy. Do you have a random piece of artwork, decoration, or office supply that has been around forever and no one has claimed? Turn it into a traveling trophy that magically appears on someone’s desk when they return from vacation or after completing a big project.
- Tidy Up the Office – Believe it or not, having a clutter-free environment is one of the keys to productivity and success. A clear desk equals a clear mind. Encourage employees to throw away or recycle documents they no longer need and replenish office supplies. If your budget allows, now is also a great time to update your technology and resources; outdated tools can be a major productivity blunders.
- Offer Flexibility – Studies have found that work weeks of more than 40 hours can be harmful for employees and the organization as a whole. Giving employees a reasonable and respectable amount of flexibility actually promotes productivity. Have you ever thought of a summer hours program? Organizations can give employees flexibility while keeping track of their productivity and making sure all demands are still met.
- Coordinate a Summertime Company Event – The weather is beautiful, so why not have a companywide leisure event? It’s a great opportunity to invite families, encourage a positive corporate culture and show employees they are truly valued for their hard work. Whatever the event, it’s a great way to show your employees you care and keep them motivated.
- Read for inspiration – With longer summer days, it’s the perfect time to sit back with a cup of lemonade and read a good book. There are some great books out this summer that inspire new leadership ideas, tools and techniques. Here’s a complete summer reading list from The Washington Post.
Research shows that higher employee motivation leads to greater creativity, productivity, effort and, as a result, better company performance – and that employment management practices have a direct impact on employee motivation. So it is essential that companies, no matter what their size, identify strategies to motivate employees, implement them, periodically check to make sure that they are working and make adjustments along the way.
Most companies overlook the power and possibilities of no-cost recognition and rewards. A personal thank-you note, public praise, a wall of fame, all go a long way in making employees feel valued and appreciated.
In great cultures, leaders keep productivity as high in summer as it is the rest of the year. The point is lighten up and keep things fun in the coming months, but also help your people focus and stretch to reach their goals. Who knows, you just might end up having the best summer ever!
The High Cost of Doing Nothing: Lack of Supervisor Training Results in Lower Productivity, Profitability
May 29th
June 13-14 Workshop Helps Managers to be More Effective, Engaging
Most business leaders understand that effective supervisors are essential for overall organizational success. However, in most organizations, there is a lack of urgency to improve and address training needs. Study after study confirms the direct link between development strategies such as training and coaching to improvements like productivity, profitability and employee retention. To summarize these studies, here are highlights from a recent Gallup study:
- Poorly managed workgroups are an average 50 percent less productive and 44 percent less profitable than well-managed groups.
- Ineffective or inconsistent leadership/management is the most common root cause of low morale.
- The immediate supervisor the number one reason why employees leave
Often times, people who do well at their jobs are promoted to a management position in which they lack the skills and experience to manage. And these new managers may not even realize they are doing a poor job. These bad bosses lead to financial losses for the company and employees with low morale.
The solution to creating effective front-line managers is providing training that is focused on self-awareness, management skills, and creating employee engagement. Managers who are trained for their position have a positive impact on things like employee performance, engagement, and retention. Up to 50 percent more productive according to Gallup!
NorthStar360 offers an opportunity for local businesses to provide training to their managers coming up June 13 & 14 in Munster, IN. This two-day seminar, “Mastering the Management Essentials” will help front-line managers and supervisors manage more effectively. It is an excellent seminar for both new and seasoned supervisors.
The program runs from 8:30am to 4:30pm both days. Registration for the 2-day session includes all materials, customized action plan, two breakfasts and one lunch.
For additional information, or to register, please contact NorthStar360 at (219) 864-1576, info@northstar360.com or visit www.northstar360.com.
10 Ways to Connect and Mobilize Your Team
May 29th
A leader values and engages others.
A leader takes the time to know people beyond job titles and responsibilities. They understand their strengths and weaknesses. They recognize what motivates their people. They say thank you!
A leader understands that in order for the team to perform most effectively, everyone must connect and engage. There are lots of things a leader should do, so we’ve compiled our Top 10 list of ways you can connect and mobilize your team.
- Highlight need – explain why things can’t go on as they are.
- Make them know they matter – show how they can help.
- Include everyone in crafting vision – engage people if you expect them to be engaged.
- Create channels for service – build organizational structure.
- Call people to rise up – great work isn’t convenient. Disrupt established patterns.
- Honor effort – express gratitude along the way.
- Rotate tasks and offer training.
- Track results – tell everyone what’s getting done.
- Celebrate success – dance because you’re making a difference.
- Identify and leverage forward looking leaders.
Keeping Your Talent in Your Company
May 29th
You’ve spent significant time and money hiring and training good employees. Now how do you keep them? If you are happy to have them, your competition would be too, especially since you made the initial and often costly investments of taking them from the “maybe” group to the “proven” stage.
Before you look up to see your treasured performer standing in front of you with resignation in hand you may want to ask yourself a few serious questions.
1. Would I want to work for me?
2. Do my employees feel appreciated?
3. Am I paying enough?
4. Do the people here feel they are part of a community?
5. Do my people feel they make a difference?
6. Are my employees proud to be part of my organization?
7. Would I want to work in this environment?
8. Does everyone here believe they have a future?
9. What am I not seeing?
10.Is the existing orientation process working?
People that are thrown into unfamiliar situations without clear expectations and understanding may never even begin the process of becoming part of your company.
Many times we fall into the rut of thinking that the way things worked yesterday will be fine for tomorrow. Meanwhile the people that want to take our spot in the marketplace are searching high and low for that added edge. Keeping the people we need to perform our tasks at maximum efficiency may be as easy as asking ourselves, “What would keep me here?”
Words of Wisdom Found in Commencement Speeches
May 29th
No matter how long ago you sat listening to your commencement speech, you can learn from the advice of these writers, thinkers and leaders. Click HERE for more quotes, videos and transcripts.
STEVE JOBS: Don’t settle.
From his 2005 commencement speech to Stanford:
“I didn’t see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.
“During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple’s current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.
“I’m pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn’t been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith. I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.”
Watch the whole speech here.
WINSTON CHURCHILL: Your greatest fears are created by your imagination. Don’t give in to them.
From his 1941 address to the Harrow School:
“You cannot tell from appearances how things will go. Sometimes imagination makes things out far worse than they are; yet without imagination not much can be done. Those people who are imaginative see many more dangers than perhaps exist; certainly many more than will happen; but then they must also pray to be given that extra courage to carry this far-reaching imagination.
“… Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never — in nothing, great or small, large or petty — never give in, except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”
CONAN O’BRIAN: Success is a lot like a bright white tuxedo. You feel terrific when you get it, but then you’re desperately afraid of getting it dirty, of spoiling it.
From his 2000 commencement speech to Harvard:
“I took a lot of criticism, some of it deserved, some of it excessive, and, to be honest with you, it hurt like you would not believe. But I’m telling you all this for a reason. I’ve had a lot of success. I’ve had a lot of failure. I’ve looked good. I’ve looked bad. I’ve been praised. And I’ve been criticized.
“But my mistakes have been necessary. I’ve dwelled on my failures today because, as graduates of Harvard, your biggest liability is your need to succeed, your need to always find yourself on the sweet side of the bell curve. Success is a lot like a bright white tuxedo. You feel terrific when you get it, but then you’re desperately afraid of getting it dirty, of spoiling it.
“I left the cocoon of Harvard, I left the cocoon of Saturday Night Live, I left the cocoon of the Simpsons. And each time it was bruising and tumultuous. And yet every failure was freeing, and today I’m as nostalgic for the bad as I am for the good.
“So that’s what I wish for all of you—the bad as well as the good. Fall down. Make a mess. Break something occasionally. Know that your mistakes are your own unique way of getting to where you need to be. And remember that the story is never over…I will go now to make bigger mistakes and to embarrass this fine institution even more.
“But let me leave you with one last thought. If you can laugh at yourself, loud and hard, every time you fall, people will think you’re drunk. Thank you.”
Watch the full speech: Part 1 and Part 2.
JK ROWLING: Failure is not fun. It can be awful. But living so cautiously that you never fail is worse.
From her 2008 commencement address at Harvard:
“I think it fair to say that by any conventional measure, a mere seven years after my graduation day, I had failed on an epic scale. An exceptionally short-lived marriage had imploded, and I was jobless, a lone parent, and as poor as it is possible to be in modern Britain, without being homeless. The fears that my parents had had for me, and that I had had for myself, had both come to pass, and by every usual standard, I was the biggest failure I knew.
“Now, I am not going to stand here and tell you that failure is fun. That period of my life was a dark one, and I had no idea that there was going to be what the press has since represented as a kind of fairy tale resolution. I had no idea then how far the tunnel extended, and for a long time, any light at the end of it was a hope rather than a reality.
“So why do I talk about the benefits of failure? Simply because failure meant a stripping away of the inessential. I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was, and began to direct all my energy into finishing the only work that mattered for all that it is painfully won, and it has been worth more than any qualification I ever earned.”
Watch the full speech here.
OPRAH WINFREY: The biggest difficulties in life come from not being present, from ignoring what life and others are trying to tell you.
From her 2008 commencement speech to Stanford University:
“Now I want to talk a little bit about failings, because nobody’s journey is seamless or smooth. We all stumble. We all have setbacks. If things go wrong, you hit a dead end — as you will — it’s just life’s way of saying time to change course. So, ask every failure — this is what I do with every failure, every crisis, every difficult time — I say, what is this here to teach me? And as soon as you get the lesson, you get to move on. If you really get the lesson, you pass and you don’t have to repeat the class. If you don’t get the lesson, it shows up wearing another pair of pants — or skirt — to give you some remedial work.”
“And what I’ve found is that difficulties come when you don’t pay attention to life’s whisper, because life always whispers to you first. And if you ignore the whisper, sooner or later you’ll get a scream. Whatever you resist persists. But, if you ask the right question — not why is this happening, but what is this here to teach me? — it puts you in the place and space to get the lesson you need.”
Watch the full speech here.
Gallup: “Immediate Supervisor is Number One Reason Why Employees Leave”
Apr 22nd
Upcoming Events To Help Managers Master Skills That Engage Employees and Build Productivity
We’ve all heard the expression, “People don’t leave jobs; they leave bosses.” Gallup concurs. In a recent study, Gallup found bad bosses are the number one reason employees leave. Ineffective supervisors are costing organizations turnover and productivity. Gallup found that poorly managed workgroups are an average 50 percent less productive and 44 percent less profitable than well-managed groups. Is this a surprise?
Often times, people who do well at their jobs are promoted to a management position in which they lack the skills and experience to manage. And these new managers may not even realize they are doing a poor job. These bad bosses lead to financial losses for the company and employees with low morale.
The solution to creating effective front-line managers is providing training that is focused on self-awareness, management skills, and creating employee engagement. Managers who are trained for their position have a positive impact on things like employee performance, engagement, and retention. Up to 50 percent more productive according to Gallup!
NorthStar360 offers a seminar to achieve these goals. The “Mastering the Management Essentials” seminars are being offered May 16 & 17 in Glenwood, IL and June 5 & 6 in Munster, IN. The two-day seminars will help front-line managers and supervisors manage more effectively. It is an excellent seminar for new and seasoned supervisors.
This two-day seminar will teach managers the skills essential to their (and your organization’s and your employees’) success; skills that will improve productivity, employee engagement, retention, and profitability.
“Investing in your new managers today is essential to build a strong organization for the future,” says Rick Riddering, president of NorthStar360. “Providing your managers the opportunity to attend this training session will pay back your organization for years to come.”
Participants may choose from the two sessions: May 16 & 17, located at Glenwoodie Country Club in Glenwood, IL or June 5 & 6 at the Hampton Inn in Munster, IN. The program runs from 8:30am to 4:30pm both days. Registration for the 2-day session is $695 per person and includes all materials, customized action plan, two breakfasts and one lunch.
For additional information, or to register, please contact NorthStar360 at (219) 864-1576, info@northstar360.com or visit www.northstar360.com.
Employee Engagement: Supporting Employee Development
Apr 22nd
Employee engagement affects every corner of your organization, from productivity and efficiency to quality and customer service. When you have engaged employees, it shows! And, unfortunately the opposite is true for disengaged employees. Nearly two-thirds of U.S. employees are not fully engaged in their work and are less productive as a result, according to a recent Towers Watson survey. Let’s put your organization in the engaged side of that equation.
As part four of this series exploring Employee Engagement, we are going to review the steps an organization can take to support employee development. Once your organization has assessed your environment, drafted a plan, created an environment that drives engagement, it’s time to support employee development.
One strategy to support employee development and create engagement is through empowered leadership. In traditional organizations, managers set goals, make decisions, establish and manage the budget, set policies, and control the flow of information. In these organizations, managers are the thinkers and planners and employees are merely doers. On the part of the employees, this sets up an attitude of compliance. People’s hearts are not in their work and they learn to get by, do the minimum required and watch the clock.
Within a highly engaged organization, leaders recognize the value and potential of their employees and want to get the most possible from them, so they create a culture and organizational design in which people participate in setting goals, making decisions and solving problems. Employees go way beyond compliance to commitment in their motivation. They want to be part of the organization and are excited to contribute to its success and improvement.
What would happen if your employees truly felt and acted like partners in the business? What if they saw it as their business instead of your business? Empowered leadership is the most important factor to make this happen. Transitioning your business from Traditional Management to Empowering Leadership can happen gradually. Moving from Directing and Doing to Developing and Leading can happen by reframing everyday leadership opportunities, such as the following examples:
| TRADITIONAL MANAGEMENT | EMPOWERING LEADERSHIP |
| 1. Solving the problem | 1. Facilitating problem solving |
| 2. Doing it yourself | 2. Effective delegation |
| 3. Over-directing and Micro-managing | 3. Helping others learn from mistakes |
| 4. Arbitrarily managing goals | 4. Providing leadership for goal setting |
| 5. Being the only expert | 5. Developing technical confidence |
| 6. Being the quality judge and jury | 6. Being a quality coach |
| 7. Playing the “God” role | 7. Supporting as a helpful resource |
| 8. Protecting turf | 8. Bridging barriers |
| 9. Over-dependence on detailed policies | 9. Being touch and clear about a few directives and principles |
Remember, we’re focusing on small changes which can yield big results. So, keep your organization moving forward. And stay tuned for next month’s newsletter as we delve into the next step in creating an environment for employee engagement: Coaching Employees.