PRAXIS Consulting, Inc.

As the summer winds down, these are important reminders to help energize your team (and avoid burnout). ........ 1. Automate busywork - the repetitive, low-value tasks that clog up your days (social media, summarizing mtgs., drafting/scheduling communications). 2. Check in with employees - demonstrate the alignment between organizational values, employees' values, and the meaningful work of your organization 3. Build and maintain a sense of community, which is what helps employees feel excited about coming to work each day and doing good work. Additionally, it's important to help employees transition to and from vacation. This includes encouraging them to develop a plan, establish priorities, and execute self-care. Thx Fast Company and author Aytekin Tank, CEO of Jotform. #leaders #managers #reduceburnoutatwork #communityatwork #buildstrongteams #aimhigh #achievemore Brenda Wagenknecht-Ivey, Ph.D. https://lnkd.in/ekw7Qae2

When was the last time you held up a mirror and examined the effectiveness of your senior leadership team? Are you a true team radiating effectiveness throughout the organization? Or, are you a team in name only ....... .....spreading malaise across your organization, creating a powerful drag on productivity and engagement, and causing higher turnover? It's difficult to build a true team at the top. For starters, does your senior leadership team possess these essential traits (4 Ds + C)? 1. Direction - How a top team works together to set the organization’s direction—its purpose, vision, and strategy—is a cornerstone of its effectiveness. Team members must be aligned on and share ownership of their short- and long-term priorities. 2. Discipline - Teams must have discipline to make and execute decisions consistently, have productive meetings, and practice healthy norms and routines; team members need to have a clear understanding of their own and one another’s roles—and all too often, they don’t. 3. Drive - Top teams with drive prepare assiduously, debate constructively, and are industrious and resilient over the long term. They know how to prepare for and surmount obstacles. 4. Dynamism - Teams with dynamism treat change as a constant and positive; they have a bias for action and respond with speed and flexibility. 5. Collaboration - Collaboration is at the very heart of being a team; teams need an environment characterized by connection, inclusion, and trust to thrive. Read on for the 4 steps and enabling factors for becoming a more effective senior leadership team. Thanks Harvard Business Review and authors Gregory LeStage, PhD, Sara Nilsson DeHanas, and Pete Gerend. #leaders #managers #buildingeffectiveteams #teamsatthetop #aimhigh #achievemore Brenda Wagenknecht-Ivey, Ph.D. https://lnkd.in/gGmi4iMt

Does your recruiting process need an overhaul? Perhaps "yes," if you are trying to attract Gen Zers - or zoomers - to your organization. A one-size-fits-all approach is no longer effective. Instead, it is essential to....... ......meet zoomers and future generations where they are; don't expect them to come to you, according to Jill Vitali, VP at ADP. "For example, your company must have an engaging presence on social media platforms. Candidates want to learn about your values and culture before they consider applying. And they expect immediate and transparent communication methods such as chat, self-serve online interview scheduling, video interviews, etc." Recruiters must understand zoomers' preferences and priorities, and then respond with strategies and processes that deliver the candidate experience these younger job seekers crave. #leaders #managers: it's time to modernize - overhaul - recruitment practices (if you haven't already done so)!!! Read on for best practices for Gen Z recruiting. Thanks @ADP and author Cat DiStasio. Great article, great tips. #leaders #managers #recruiters #attractGenZ #usetechnology #GenZrecruiting #bestpractices Brenda Wagenknecht-Ivey, Ph.D. https://lnkd.in/g7RR6dPh

Mastering the art of giving feedback involves more than just addressing performance issues. It includes recognizing achievements, fostering professional development, and building trust with employees. #leaders / #managers: are you fostering a culture that values continuous learning and open communication? Here's the test: Yes, it's likely you have a work culture that embraces learning, making mistakes, and open communication if everyone is actively engaged in both giving and receiving constructive feedback. The answer is likely "no" to the above question if fear and/or other conditions discourage the giving and receiving of feedback by everyone. Great tips and reminders in this article for delivering thoughtful and effective feedback. Thanks The Conversation US and authors Leda Stawnychko, PhD and @Mehnez Rafi. #constructivefeedback #workplaceculture #opencommunication #aimhigh #achievemore Brenda Wagenknecht-Ivey, Ph.D. https://lnkd.in/eCK3wGDH

Unproductive or negative mindsets can be draining. I am frequently asked: "What tools (or tips) can leaders use to reset and re-energize during the ups and downs of any normal day?" First, it is essential to..... ......increase your awareness. Being more mindful allows you to manage your energy and focus on what you can control and influence. Check out the five techniques suggested by Jamie Shapiro, PhD in Psychology Today. Great tips/reminders. I especially like this one: bring awareness to what is in and out of your control. This reminds me of a framework I have taught and used over my career: the circle of control, circle of influence, and circle of concern. Where do you spend your time? Too often we spend time ruminating in the circle of concern. #leaders and #managers need to spend time in areas where they have control and/or can influence. #wellbeingatwork #mindfulness #socialandemotionalintelligence #selfcare #aimhigh #achievemore Brenda Wagenknecht-Ivey, Ph.D. https://lnkd.in/gExXd2C6

Are you interested in the intersection between #leadership and #wellbeing? Better leaders create an environment where ........... .....everyone can feel good about themselves and their work. Check out these 6 keys of wellbeing (for yourself and others). Thx Center for Creative Leadership and authors Marian Ruderman, Paige Graham, and Sarah Stawiski. #leaders #managers #selfcare #wellbeingatwork #aimhigh #achievemore Brenda Wagenknecht-Ivey, Ph.D. https://lnkd.in/gD8VrBNa

Are you embracing "change" ..... what is / can be uncomfortable? Are you a learn-it-all (vs. a know-it-all)? Are you continuously adapting and acquiring new skills? All of these and more are essential for ..... .....navigating uncertainty and learning to thrive as a leader, according to Karen Carey of Global Advisory Associates Ltd. It's time to switch our mindsets and transition from old to new (and ever-changing) leadership and organizational change paradigms. Read on for great suggestions. Thx SmartBrief and author Karen Carey. #leadership #management #embracingchange #innovation #success #aimhigh #achievemore Brenda Wagenknecht-Ivey, Ph.D. https://lnkd.in/g8JSbgrj

Ha ha! I laughed out loud at the title of this article (authored by Hailey Mensik at WorkLife). It's what so many leaders and managers have said to me in recent years. Ok, so let's get real. I agree: common sense SHOULD prevail, but we must remember that common sense (in so many areas of life) is not always common practice. Young employees can't read our minds (just like we were not able to read others' minds when we started new jobs / joined new organizations). We have all been in a state where we didn't know what we didn't know, according to Pamela Eyring (Pamela Eyring of The Protocol School of Washington), So, what to do? 1. Onboard and train: Reinvent and provide business etiquette and professionalism training during onboarding. Communicate expectations. Tell them what is / is not acceptable. 2. Show them: Model the behaviors you want to see in others and that match your organization's culture. Set and communicate the etiquette and professionalism standards and live by them. 3. Give feedback and measure: Hold everyone to the same high standards. Measure, provide feedback, and take corrective action immediately when standards are not met. 4. Assimilate: Expect people of all ages and cultures to assimilate -- adapt -- to your organization's expectations and culture, and also make space for all to be authentic within the guardrails previously established, communicated, and modeled. Find the balance, the sweet spot for your organization. 5. Remember: you don't have to lower your standards. Acknowledge that not everyone is cut out to work in all places. It's okay if someone is not "a fit" and would be happier working elsewhere - i.e., where the expectations around etiquette and professionalism better align with their values and desires. #leaders #managers #workplaceetiquette #professionalismatwork #businessetiquette #communication Brenda Wagenknecht-Ivey, Ph.D. https://lnkd.in/gQ7PaSab

Feeling overwhelmed? Languishing? Great reminders. These are the best: .....stop trying to do it all! You are only human. Slow down, breathe, do what you can, and treat yourself with compassion. Thanks, Susan David, Ph.D., for your graphic and suggestions. Practice #emotionalagility. Brenda Wagenknecht-Ivey, Ph.D.

Rudeness and envy at work harm productivity and engagement, according to WorkLife. It's time to raise the bar (again! still!!): create "rude-free zones" at work. So when did rudeness become okay in the workplace (or in life, frankly)? Rudeness leaves people feeling uncomfortable, unwelcome and unwilling to put their best effort forward knowing that someone is treating them that way. Rudeness cognitively and emotionally impairs people and is a distraction, according to professor Niels Van Quaquebeke at Kuehne Logistics University and Academy of Management Let's model, expect, and insist on respectful actions / treatment and the highest levels of integrity at work. Raising the bar means: establishing expectations and guardrails, modeling desired behaviors, reinforcing kind and compassionate behaviors and treatment, and administering consequences when people cross the line. Being rude is NOT okay!! Thx WorkLife and author Cloey Callahan. #employeeengagement #stoprudenessatwork #raisethebar #aimhigh #achievemore #leaders #managers Brenda Wagenknecht-Ivey, Ph.D. https://lnkd.in/gMth2rZT