Eliminating "Word Trash"

There are every day words that when used, clutter our written communication and make it more difficult to understand. These non specific words make it hard to connect with your audience in a meaningful way. Here's some examples of "word trash" that Will Jelbert, a writer, communications consultant and coach recommends avoiding: 

Just

Any

Everything

Honest

Always & Never

Should & Ought

Hate & Love

As you write e-mails or other communications, check yourself for these trash words. If you're tempted to use one, stop and think through what you're trying to say and consider using words that more precisely communicate your message. 

Avoiding Burnout

 As a leader the demands on you are substantial. There are guests needs, employee needs and overall business needs that all need your attention. Work burnout is a real threat, particularly as you get towards the tail end of a long, tough season. Work burnout can negatively impact your job performance in a number of ways. To help safeguard against burnout follow these recommendations: 

1. Take time off. It's hard to do sometimes but forcing yourself to take a day away from the demands of work can make a huge difference. 

2. Tune out. Create 20 to 30 minute mental breaks throughout your day. Go for a walk, listen to some music or do whatever you find relaxing. 

3. Go silent. Carve out times each day when you turn off the phone, the radio and the e-mail to give yourself time to stop trying to multitask. Use that time to focus on one important task or project.

4. Lighten your load. If you're stressed, share that stress with a trusted confidant. 

5. Recognize the signs. Know when you're reaching your limits and don't wait too long to address the situation. 

"That's a Leader"

Responding to New Ideas

How you as a leader respond to new ideas sets the tone for your team and your organization. If you want to build a culture that values and continually pushes forward with innovation, The Center for Creative Leadership recommends having a mindset that includes...

Curiosity - Be a leader who is always exploring new ideas, wanting to learn and asking why.
 

Ambiguity Tolerance - Work to embrace and not shy away from uncertainty and the unknown.

Affirmative Judgement - Focus first on the value and positive aspects of a new idea before jumping to the negative. 

Persistence - Be willing to invest the time and effort needed to explore and push new ideas forward, even in the face of substantial resistance. 

Slow Down to Speed Up

 As leaders we know that often times the speed with which we make decisions and act is critical. There are times when it is essential that we move quickly. Unfortunately we can find ourselves caught in the trap of always assuming that going fast is best. 

Sometimes in our rush to get things done quickly, the quality of the decisions we make and the actions we take suffer. There are times when hitting the brakes can actually save us time in the long run. Here are some times for slowing down to make better decisions. 

1. Slow down the decision making process. Act quickly once you've made a decision but take the time to really think through a problem, potential solutions and the consequences of those solutions. 

2. Rein in runaway group discussions. Often times in groups an idea becomes like a freight train, moving ever so quickly as people jump onboard and running down anything in its way. Don't be afraid to put up the stop sign and ask the group to slow done and look at other perspectives. 

3. Take time to assess not just the decision but the quality of the decision making. Ask yourself (and others in a group setting) did we consider all the facts? Did we look at all the alternatives?  Have we thought through all the consequences? 

4. Make sure the goal and parameters are clear before you say go. People implementing a solution need to understand the end goal of what your asking them to do. They also need to know what the boundaries are and what leeway they have. 

Slowing down to make well thought through decisions saves time in the long run because as we implement them we don't hit as many unexpected roadblocks and encounter as much resistance.