value

THE SAFETY PROFESSIONAL’S BIGGEST FAILURE……. problem-solving

/ Denis Baker / Leave a comment

Safety Professionals are excellent problem identifiers but horrible problem solvers! 

If the above statement offends you, that is probably a good thing. Safety people are excellent compliance experts and can identify almost everything that can cause unsafe behaviors or at-risk conditions. But sometimes, you struggle to give advice or help solve the issues. To become more effective and influential, you need to overcome the biggest professional problem……solving problems.

Sometimes you can’t solve the problems because you think you should never solve anything. Well, let me say this, 

“the wise Safety Professional will stare down each problem or potential problem that comes across their plate, and before expending an ounce of energy on trying to solve it, they first consider these three questions….”

1. Is this a problem to be solved or conflicts to be managed?

Before you decide to tackle whatever potential problem, first recognize if you really can solve it. Not every difficult situation that lands in your hands are a problem you will ever be able to solve. You can’t solve the problem of disruptions if a leader isn’t holding his workers accountable. However, you can identify the everyday actions they must follow to protect their people. You can minimize these by good preparation, but you can’t solve them. These are conflicts you must learn to manage.

2. Why is this a problem?

Why is this a problem? Is it a problem? Why do I care? Often, we will identify issues that can be compliance issues or put workers at risk. Before attempting to solve the problem, ask the leader or worker if they think your identification is a problem. If the answer is yes, ask for their suggestion or input to fix or eliminate it. If they say no, give them the “why” on what makes it a problem or concern. Ask this question to get desired feedback.

“I think I might be missing something here. Can you clarify what the problem is we are trying to solve?”

3. What can we do to solve the problem?

So you identified a problem, and the leadership and workforce agreed that it was an issue, or you gave them the “why” it was a problem. Now we need to provide the “what.” This can be a suggestion, discussion, or directional approach. However, there must be an identified way to solve the identified problem(s) when the conversation is made. Always figure out just what the scale and scope of this problem are. And put the appropriate energy and resources to fix and eliminate it.

NOW WHAT, SAY WHAT

Remember to reflect on this quote when dealing with problems. 

 “The problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem.

– Captain Jack Sparrow

Denis is an Executive Director for the John Maxwell Group and is a certified leadership coach, trainer, keynote speaker, and DISC Behaviorial Consultant. Denis is a senior safety professional and a strong, passionate influential person. He is committed to teaching and communicating practical and relevant influencing techniques.  His unique, passionate, and emotionally driven style resonates with many, creating a desire to become an effective leader. 

You can contact Denis at dbaker@leaderinfluence.net for information on coaching, leadership, team and culture training, DISC Behavioral consulting, or to be an inspirational speaker at your next event.

WHAT MAKES YOU SUCCESSFUL IN SELLING SAFETY

/ Denis Baker / Leave a comment

“Those who really want success always work till they get it”

DENIS BAKER

Whether you like it or not, your ability to sell your suggestions, ideas, and programs determines your success and the health and safety of your workforce. The good news is that you don’t have to be a natural-born salesperson to succeed in the world of safety. However, if you have a passion for people’s safety and best interests at heart (with an eye for reducing risks), you already have the makings of a great salesperson.

Selling safety is not something they do to people, but as a collaborative process between themselves and the workforce and leadership. Great salespeople can influence the person or group and persuade them to adhere to what is right. Good sales skills can mean fewer injuries and a strong culture.

FIVE QUALITIES EXHIBITED BY SUCCESSFUL SAFETY PROFESSIONALS

Regardless if you’re trying to improve your skills or coach or mentor your team, I recommend looking for these characteristics. You will increase your sales skills by cultivating these five qualities.

1. They are Competitive – Effective Safety Professionals who successfully sell safety don’t want to sit at a desk, staring at their computer for 8 hours, and then go home. They live and breathe, selling safety to the workforce in person; it’s almost like a high. They’re often energized by the idea of exceeding company or facility goals and being rated the best in the organization.

Good salespeople seek out chances to improve performance because that makes them better. I say this often…………….” You can’t change a culture from behind a desk.”

2. They Listen – When you think about “sales,” you might picture a slick-haired, smooth-talking car salesman. He won’t take no for an answer, and he’s just running his mouth without listening to the customer. This stereotype is for bad salespeople. Good Safety Professionals shouldn’t treat employee interactions as a chance to pontificate what they expect. Instead, you need to ask questions and listen to their answers, suggestions, or anything else they want to discuss. You must approach these as honest conversations. You should still lead the path, but you need to allow responses. When you listen to the employee or leadership pain points, you can better align their needs with your directions.

3. They are Robust – I have spent much time researching and learning how to be a successful salesperson throughout my safety career. However, I have learned that selling safety can be a tough gig. The best salespeople are robust people. They are persistent in their approach. If you can’t sell it the first time, you reflect, analyze, and approach it differently 2, 3, or even 10 times. But, if it is correct, you never back down! However, let failure motivate you to succeed.

4. They are Confident – Confidence is the currency of selling safety. Selling your confidence means people see you as in control and informative — even if they are not fully onboard. It’s all about how you present yourself to people. Does your voice tremble when you talk, or is it engaging and bright? Even if you don’t feel confident, presenting yourself that way will bring trust and security to your pitch. At the same time, your tone and body language matter, your choice of words significantly impact your message.

5. They are Honest – Selling safety is not about manipulating people into buying into your direction. That’s not only dishonest and wrong, but it’s also an awful approach and will result in disrespect and loss of trust. Safety Professionals should be honest and transparent from the start and only want to sell something to improve safety. Be honest with the workforce about what you commit to. Can you meet their needs? Be realistic; if your team can’t meet their expectations, it will only frustrate them. And yes, that means being honest — even if being honest means losing a sale.

“Great Safety Professionals are relationship builders who provide value and respect to their workforce so they go home every day.”

DENIS BAKER

SO WHAT, NOW WHAT

Look, you don’t have to be a natural-born salesperson to be a successful safety professional. I encourage you to cultivate these five qualities to increase your sales skills. But remember, this isn’t something that happens overnight. Practice and grow your sales skills over time. Approach them like you would any other skill, and you will see an increase in success.

WAYS TO INCREASE YOUR INFLUENCE AND SELL SAFETY

/ Denis Baker / Leave a comment

Two shoe salesmen go to a remote island to break into new markets. After a few days, one salesperson calls the office and says, ‘I’m on the next flight. I can’t sell shoes here. Everyone goes barefoot.’ The other salesperson sends an email to the boss minutes later: ‘Get ready! The prospects are unlimited. Nobody wears shoes here!’ 

When you read this, you might have thought about how the first salesperson didn’t take advantage of the many shoeless people and how the second salesperson will be very successful. But, heck, maybe some of you are thinking, who cares, what does this have to do about safety. 

Let me respond…..

1. The first sale person is going to be out of work

2. The second salesperson will be financially secure and promoted quickly

3. The third thought, SALES HAS EVERYTHING TO DO ABOUT SUCCESSFUL SAFETY PERFORMANCE! 

If you go to Webster’s Dictionary and look up the word “sales,” it says “to exchange a commodity for money.” However, I believe safety and sales both fall in the same categories. I believe safety can be redefined as sales, and I know the only way to get workers bought in is for them to accept expectations and programs through your influence. 

When we think about it that way, there’s nothing creepy or sneaky about it. As we talk about influence, we are talking about building relationships, making a difference in people’s lives, and exchanging our services to safety values so people can go home every day.

The difference between average safety professionals and successful ones is staggering. Average safety professionals will hit their goals and objectives occasionally or meet some goals or some objectives, but not all. However, successful safety professionals meet their goals and objectives —EVERY time — in addition to establishing a consistently strong safety culture. 

The idea behind this topic is to provide information so that you can understand that safety professionals provide service to our customers. Meaning we serve our workforce and the company leadership. Safety professionals have little to no authority, so everything we believe or want has to be sold to every person. After reading this blog, you will walk away thinking of various tips and ideas to become a more efficient safety professional. Doing this will result in much more significant results.

If you want to exceed your current successes, read the 8 Identified Habits of a Successful Safety Professional. If you need to achieve higher performance, I strongly suggest you consider implementing and integrating the 11 Tips to Becoming a Successful Safety Professional. Following these habits of successful safety professionals will help you become one of the top-selling safety salespeople on your team — or even the organization.

SELLING HABITS OF SUCCESSFUL SAFETY PROFESSIONALS

  1. Identify and stick to your character – A clearly defined character is crucial to an effective sales process. And a safe person who sticks to that persona effectively generates buy-in. In addition, an effective safety professional must research and become very familiar with the processes and products along with all levels of employees. This gives you the right direction in your selling process.
  2. Use a measurable, repeatable sales process – Low-performing safety professionals let intuition guide them. High-performing safety professionals use a process that’s optimized to move as many prospects as possible from “connect” to “achieve.” Low-performing safety professionals sometimes let things slip through the cracks. High-performing safety professionals know the state of every person and what motivates people, what actions they’ll take next, and when. 
  3. Know your direction – Being able to sell our ideas is half the battle. Understanding what you’re selling is the other half.  People want more access to information (the why) than ever before. To gain their trust and add value, you have to know clearly know what direction to go and why it’s valuable to your workforce.
  4. Find shortcuts and hacks – Once an excellent safety professional identifies a successful strategy or technique, they use it — again and again, until it stops working. This is very smart. Safety professionals are constantly working against the clock, which means the more time they spend experimenting, the less time they have for actual selling. 
  5. Practice active listening – Most every safety professional I have interacted with struggles with listening (including myself). Successful Safety professionals are entirely present when they talk to people. They’re not thinking about another deal, looking at their phones, or sending funny memes to their team members. Instead, they’re engaged — and as a result, their conversations with buyers are deeper and more meaningful. Active listening may be one of the most complex skills since we typically care more about what we have to say. However, it’scritical. Not only will you build stronger relationships, but you’ll unlock information that’ll help you position yourself in the most efficnet direction. 
  6. Work hard – It’s 5 p.m., and your counterparts have already left the office. The high-performing safety professionals are still in the office. They are tired and some have families, but they’re still sending emails, scheduling meetings, and walking through the facility or site. The idea is that you must be engaged with the workforce and continually sell your ideas. You cannot change a culture from behind a desk.
  7. Follow up – Many safety professionals fail to effectively follow up after agreeing to help get things done or looking at options. When you fail to follow up, you have lost all respect from that person or group. 
  8. Personalize your message – Instead of following a script and approaching each associate with a “one-size-fits-all” mentality, high-performing safety professionals are committed to learning as much as they can about a person, group or process and will tailor their message. These safety professionals understand their workforce’s unique pain points and explain why following and following their direction is crucial.

TIP TO BECOMING A BETTER SAFETY PROFESSIONAL

  1. Shadow your colleagues – Want to improve your performance? Identify the best safety professional within your company and ask if you can shadow them. Receiving coaching from your peers is a great way to get better at your job while building solid relationships with your coworkers.
  2. Practice your people skills – Successful safety professionals have excellent people skills. Its doesn’t matter if you have an extrovert personality or an introvert personality. What matters is your ability to build strong relationships, build respect, trust, and add value to people. Small talk is a great learnable skill — and one that’s crucial to your success. So whether you’re at a job site, plant, or in a meeting, practice making other people feel at ease. 
  3. Be a team player – So much of safety pop culture glorifies the lone wolf. But the best safety professionals know it takes a village to build a successful team.
  4. Know when to stop – Are you wasting too much time on discussions that just aren’t going in the right direction? If it is, end the conversation and walk away. The next step is to analyze why it went wrong and identify options from now on. Then, you must follow up and try to sell it again. 
  5. Be transparent – The days of telling associates anything is over. Don’t promise anything that doesn’t or will not exist. You could earn temporary success, but it won’t stay for long, and you’ll end up with bad reviews and a poor reputation. 
  6. Always solve problems – Who is your customer? Your employees! Safety professionals tend to be excellent problem identifiers but horrible problem solvers. Don’t identify issues and not provide solutions. A consultative safety approach allows you to be honest with your customers about their need to reduce risk and improve safety. 
  7. Roll with rejection – You won’t win every deal, and some people won’t like you. That’s part of being in safety. And while it’s essential to be thoughtful about how you can improve, it’s crucial to move on quickly from rejection. Experts suggest viewing rejection as proof that you’re pushing the limits. So, examine why you weren’t successful, ask for outside opinions when appropriate, and move forward quickly and positively to bigger and better performance.
  8. Take breaks – In safety, activity is often correlated with results. However, the more we roll out, the more stress and anxiety we create. Please focus on the top 3 things that will up the level of safety and follow those until they are well embraced and offering results, then consider additional options.
  9. Believe in what you’re selling – It’s easier to be passionate about — and sell — a safety idea when you genuinely believe in it. The most effective safety professionals follow the processes and believe in their values. Find happy testimonials from employees if you feel “meh” about something you’re selling. Examples of how your ideas have improved people’s safety — both big and small — will reinforce your motivation and give you proof that you are doing the right thing.
  10. Build personal relationships – One of my mentors is one of the best salespeople I know. He has taught me how to become an effective and successful salesperson, and I have used it in every company I’ve worked for. He is one of the most vital relationship builders. Everywhere he goes, he connects with people— not from a LinkedIn perspective, or the “let’s exchange business cards” way, but in a genuine, the humanist way that makes you want to talk to him again. As a safety professional, relationships are your success. You don’t need Don Draper level of charisma; on the contrary, a desire to help goes a lot further than a magnetic personality.
  11. They prepare ahead of time – An effective safety professional prepares and gets buy-in and approval before rolling anything out. That means they research and gather all the information they need before the first meeting. After that, you must go in with a contingency plan. This way, you are prepared for challenges or questions and can effectively respond to avoid losing the sale.

SO WHAT, NOW WHAT

There are many ways to succeed in safety. However, your ability to be an effective salesperson will result in success. By implying the habits mentioned above, you will provide a positive sales experience to your workforce. Demonstrating that you have the passion, knowledge, self-determination, and flexibility can take you from an average professional to a high-performing success story.

Denis is an Executive Director for the John Maxwell Group and is a certified leadership coach, trainer, keynote speaker, and DISC Behaviorial Consultant. Denis is a senior safety professional and a strong, passionate influential person. He is committed to teaching and communicating practical and relevant influencing techniques.  His unique, passionate, and emotionally driven style resonates with many, creating a desire to become an effective leader. 

You can contact Denis at dbaker@leaderinfluence.net for information on coaching, leadership, team and culture training, DISC Behavioral consulting, or to be an inspirational speaker at your next event.

MY FOCUS THIS YEAR IS BUILDING STRONG RELATIONSHIPS

/ Denis Baker / 1 Comment

Build relationships by influencing what you expect, reflect what you desire, Become what you respect, and mirror what you admire.”

UNKNOWN

It’s a new year!! Many of you have come up with new year goals on improving and changing things. It could be eating healthier, getting more sleep, hitting the gym, or improving personal growth. But, let’s admit, this is a typical American tradition to forget or quit early into the new year. My goal is to focus on building stronger relationships with my coworkers throughout the entire year. 

But how do I build strong relationships with every coworker? Relationships give us the ability to build respect, trust and ultimately allow us to influence. As you look at your relationships at work, there is no one you spend more time with than those you work with. 

Building relationships doesn’t mean you have to create a friendship. It means your colleagues must have confidence in what you say and suggest. I was recently put in a different role where it is critical to have strong relationships with every team member.

Building relationships doesn’t mean you have to create a friendship. It means your colleagues must have confidence in what you say and suggest. I was recently put in a different role where it is critical to have strong relationships with every team member. Even though I have focused most of my last 15 years on growing my leadership, I tend to want things my way, and everyone else doesn’t know what they are doing or talking about. So, I want to change my approach to ensure I build a strong relationship with each person. 

Here are 8 things I am focusing on to build stronger relationships.

  1. I will focus on people through my perception.  Your self-awareness, self-esteem, and self-perception establish the foundation of all your relationships. How you view yourself and life shapes how you see and relate to others.
  2. “People don’t care how much you know till they know how much you care.” Caring about people isn’t automatic. Not everyone cares. I’m sure you’ve run into people along the way that it’s clear that they don’t care. You can’t learn to care, it’s not a skill, but you can decide to care. 
  3. I will really listen. This is a game-changer. One of the most remarkable ways to build relationships with anyone is to listen genuinely. I am often in a hurry to give my viewpoint. I always want people not to “STOP TALKING, QUIT WASTING OXYGEN.” So, when you slow down for a minute or an hour and truly listen, you communicate that you value that person. 
  4. Hurting people hurts people. When your response to a situation is greater than the issue at hand, the real issue is always about something else. Strong leaders figure out how to get to the real issue.
  5. I will admit when I’m wrong, ask for forgiveness and forgive others quickly. Taking responsibility for your actions is the core to achieving solid relationships. If you make a mistake, own it. If you treat someone poorly, ask forgiveness. You might be correct, but if you need to win, you’ll lose in the long run.
  6. I will determine how to add value to people. You can add value to people in simple ways. Adding value is no more complex than the idea of how you contribute to them. It can be as simple as a kind and encouraging word, and it can be as involved as a lifetime of mentoring. Your relationships with others will give you the knowledge of how to add value to them. 
  7. I will strive to encourage my colleagues. We all know the answer but let me ask anyway. Have you ever been encouraged too much by anyone? Of course not. Your encouragement will create a strong relationship and increase your leadership.
  8. I will build Trust through my strong relationships. When it comes down to relationships, Trust is critical. But, unfortunately, at times, we will reduce Trust. Trust is like having a pocket full of coins. When I build Trust, I place more coins in my pocket; when I reduce Trust, I lose coins. The idea is to never run out of coins in your pocket, and you will maintain a level of Trust. This reflects your character and, ultimately, who you are.

I identified these focus items by reflecting on the last couple of years, identifying what I do well in building relationships and what I need to improve on. Some of these will be easy to achieve; however, many will challenge me this year. But I desire to make this year a successful year in building solid relationships and exceeding expectations. 

Let me strongly encourage you to consider these 10 focus items and make the necessary adjustments to achieve an intense year!

“A relationship is not perfect, you will fight over and over, but as long as you make-up, everything will be alright.”

UNKNOWN

Denis is an Executive Director for the John Maxwell Group and is a certified leadership coach, trainer, keynote speaker, and DISC Behaviorial Consultant. Denis is a senior safety professional and a strong, passionate influential person. He is committed to teaching and communicating practical and relevant influencing techniques.  His unique, passionate, and emotionally driven style resonates with many, creating a desire to become an effective leader. 

You can contact Denis at dbaker@leaderinfluence.net for information on coaching, leadership, team and culture training, DISC Behavioral consulting, or to be an inspirational speaker at your next event.

How to Succeed in Effective Communication

/ Denis Baker / 1 Comment

“The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” 

– George Bernard Shaw

Have you ever discussed something intended to be formal and set direction to your team or colleagues only to learn that no one can remember what you said or where they need to go? Unfortunately, this occurs many times when I talk or write.

It’s impossible to be an effective leader without learning how to be an effective communicator. I have learned that those who can communicate become the most influential leaders.

The good thing is we can all grow in our communication capabilities. 

Here are seven (7) standards for effective communication. These standards are realistically practical both in personal and professional communication.

1. Understand who you’re talking to – know who you are talking to, their concerns or interests, and what approach will result in effective communication.

CONSIDER: Who am I talking to, and what do they need or want to know?

2. Be Clear and Concise in Your Message – Be crystal clear and concise about your message. Everything you say or write should support your message. 

CONSIDER: What is it that I need to communicate?

3. Be Sure You Know What You Want To Accomplish Out of Your Conversation – When you speak or write, know what results you want to accomplish. If you don’t know what you want, they probably won’t either. If you don’t say it, you can’t expect them to guess accurately.

CONSIDER: What is the single most crucial outcome needed to accomplish with this message?

4. Actively Listen – Active listening keeps you engaged with your conversation positively. Active listening is the process of listening attentively while someone else speaks, paraphrases, and even reflecting on what is said without holding judgment and advice. When you practice active listening, you make the other person feel valued. Thus, active listening is the foundation for any successful conversation.

CONSIDER: Do I understand what they are saying and why? 

5. Cultivate Your Confidence. – Confidence is a combination of belief, ability, action, and humility. Suppose you believe in yourself – practice. If you lack the ability – ask for help. If you lack action – create accountability. If you lack humility–realize you don’t know what you don’t know.

CONSIDER: Which is my most important area of growth right now: belief, ability, action, or humility?

6. Have A Clear and Concise Outcome Expectation – What do you want a listener or reader to do with what you’ve said? Tell them. People are more likely to act when you’ve made the right action obvious.

CONSIDER: What response do I want from this audience?

7. Communicate Often – They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. But most of the time, people forget. Repeat important messages regularly. Don’t assume you only have to say something once.

CONSIDER: What different methods or approaches can I use to repeat or reinforce my message?

Great communicators choose their words well, understand their audience, and connect with them at the right time and place. By applying these tips and practicing, you can master the skills and learn to be an effective communicator.

By following these 7 standards you will become a Great Communicator!

Denis is an Executive Director at the John Maxwell Group, is a certified leadership coach, trainer, keynote speaker, and DISC Behavior, Consultant. Denis is currently the Director of Health & Safety for Ferguson Enterprises. He is a passionate person of influence committed to teaching and communicating practical and relevant influencing techniques.  His unique, passionate, and emotionally driven style resonates with many who desire to become influential leaders. 

You can contact Denis at dbaker@leaderinfluence.net for information on coaching, leadership, team and culture training, DISC Behavioral consulting, or to be an inspirational speaker at your next event.

FEAR LESS AS A LEADER, From a Safety Professional Perspective

/ Denis Baker / Leave a comment

“Your Only Limit Is You. Be Brave And Fearless in Everything You Do”

Fears hold us back from achieving our success. As a leader, fear hinders the engagement of your passion. It opens the door for workers and leadership to take advantage of you and the situation. However, when you overcome your fear, you establish a deeper dependance on your personal growth and leadership.

Fear and overcoming fear are critical parts of our ability to lead others. In my role as a Safety Professional, I find myself fearing to make a decision or give advice that might affect production or create a morale challenge. I believe anyone who says they don’t have fear, probably needs to re-evaluate themselves. Fear lives within us all. Think about this:

You are flying from your hometown to Hawaii with your family for a much-deserved vacation. It has been a challenging year for all of you. About 3 hrs into the flight; over water and away from land, you notice smoke coming from the right engine. You notify the flight attendant, and she immediately runs and notifies the captain. Others are seeing smoke also. A buzz of fear and panic, including members of your family, begin to take over the cabin. The captain comes over the intercom (difficult to hear because of all the screaming) and says they must land in the ocean……….Has fear entered your thoughts?

I don’t think it matters who you are, how tough you are, or what your role in the organization is, I suspect anyone reading this would answer my question with a YES.

Throughout my career, I have faced fear numerous times. When you are in a profession where you have a passion for people, but are in a support role and do not have authority, there are times when you must make difficult decisions. These situations tend to put fear in our hearts and heads and sometimes can affect the outcome of the situation. 

I’ve identified five of my most common fears as a safety professional. You’ll recognize the fears because I believe anyone within the profession (even outside the profession) deals with similar situations regardless of industry or position.

  • Fear of Inadequacy – Do I know what the answer to the question is? What does the standard say we need to do about this situation? What if I tell them the wrong thing? If I’m wrong, will they disrespect me and not come to me for direction in the future? 
  • Fear of Disapproval – Will I be challenged on my decisions? Is my choice going to result in a meeting with my Plant Manager? Will my decision and direction create an atmosphere of negative energy and a loss in employee morale. Will my decision set our culture back?
  • Fear of Confrontation – Will our interaction become a hostile vocal or physical confrontation? Will they ignore me?
  • Fear of Isolation – Will they not like me? Will they invite me to lunch? Will my relationships be broken? Will I be alone?

All of these fears are felt by many, if not all, safety professionals. I will also say that anybody in any position will experience similar worries. I’ve seen each of them disrupt strong cultures and effect performance. If you’re facing any of these fears, it doesn’t mean there’s something defective about you. These fears are universal; they show that you’re human.

You will face fears. No degree can prepare you to meet them. So how do you combat your fears?

  1. Build relationships. This creates an opportunity to generate a positive attitude and motivate people.
  2. Connect with people in positions that generate your fear. Once you have that relationship and connection, the person(s) will consider you a part of the team.
  3. Build trust. Follow through on your commitment. If you can’t, then be humble and admit your mistakes.
  4. Make sure your directions and decisions add value to both the workers and leadership. People will only follow the instruction when they know it will add value to them.
  5. INFLUENCE! By accomplishing all of the above items, you will be able to influence others to change behaviors, think before performing the task, and ensure others are working safely also. 

Your approach to situations determines your ability to minimize or eliminate your fears. Here is how you should face your fear:

  • If a situation puts you in fear, step back, and take a few moments to breathe through it, think of the possible consequences and how you will handle them.
  • Walk away and call someone for advice.
  • Remind yourself that your fear is a storehouse of wisdom
  • Use humor to relieve the tense environment
  • Be flexible. If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always got! Many things can be done differently and will achieve the desired outcome.
  • Realize that influential leaders have to do the “difficult right things.” Sometimes the initial result is a challenge, but the long-term outcome will always be positive.

Our ability to manage fear becomes an asset to the safety of the workforce. It also contributes to the success of your organization and, ultimately, your success as a Safety Professional. You will create an environment of teamwork and collaboration that offers employees and leadership the opportunity to engage in decisions, creating a feeling of inclusion and buy-in.

“If something excites and scares you at the same time, it probably means you should do it.”

You can contact Denis at dbaker@leaderinfluence.net for information on coaching, leadership, team and culture training, DISC Behavioral consulting, or to be an inspirational speaker at your next event.

8 LEADERSHIP LESSONS LEARNED WHILE SHOPPING AT WALMART

/ Denis Baker / Leave a comment

My Morning

I woke up early Saturday morning walked into the kitchen and brewed myself a cup of steaming dark roast coffee
(Keurig brewed it)  . As I made my way to my desk, I looked out the window and saw it was a cold, foggy and misty morning. I had just gotten comfortable at my desk, logged into the computer and thought about how wonderful it was going to be to enjoy a Saturday of writing. 

Then I heard some familiar noises behind me. I turned around to see my wife brewing her a cup of coffee. I said “good morning dear,” and was greeted with a smile and, “we need to go to Walmart this morning.” I remember hearing what was said, but thinking it was a nightmare. I took another sip of my coffee and turned back around to see if she was really standing there. I was hoping she was still in bed. But as I turned around, I saw her there, waiting for my response. I now knew it was real. Without words, the look on her face made it very clear, “you have no choice, you’re going!” There was no way to get out of it. We were going to Walmart, and I was just going to have to deal with it.


“we need to go to Walmart this morning.”

Well, we left the condo and headed for the car in this cold, foggy, misty morning. As we got in the car, I knew my attitude wasn’t right. All I could think about was having to deal with WALMART people. I could see it now; people getting in my way, bumping my basket, putting their basket in the middle of the aisle, so I can’t get my basket around, etc. 

Entering the War Zone

As we entered the war zone (store), my thoughts were immediately justified. I was walking by a register when an employee hocked a massive loogie and spit it in the trash can right in front of me!  In my total disgust, I ran toward my wife, when I was hit by a basket from a person turning from a side aisle into the main aisle. I grab my leg and continue to hobble to where my wife was. When I finally met up with her, she looked at me and asked, “what’s wrong,” I simply said, “nothing, let’s keep moving.”

After about an hour and a half of basket bumping, aisle space fighting and hardcore looks and grimaces, we finally finished our shopping. We headed to the Christmas/Garden area to check out. We were number two in line, and I was so excited that we were going to get out of here fast.

Then I overheard a conversation between the cashier and the customer in front of us. Apparently, the customer saw the same pots and pans online at a competitors site for $3 cheaper. Their discussion and banter went on forever. The customer would not relent. I came very close to saying, “Oh my gosh, I ‘ll give you $3 if you’ll just finish and leave”! Instead, I told my wife, “come-on lets go check out at the regular lanes.” We left and headed over to the other end of the store. As I was walking (maybe slightly running), I saw an empty lane, so I moved a little quicker to make sure no one got in front of me. Yes! I made it! The cashier greeted me and began to check us out. Then she noticed we bought a pizza. As she scanned it, she began to tell us how she and her husband “did something last night they hadn’t done in 20 years.” I thought to myself, I’m not sure I want to hear this. She said they had a pizza delivered along with breadsticks and two 20 oz cokes! My wife responded, “we hadn’t had a pizza delivered forever” and looked over to me and said: “isn’t that right?” I nodded, yes. By this time, the cashier was talking more than she was scanning and moving very slow. Then she saw a toy we bought my grandson and started commenting about she hadn’t seen that toy for years. I felt my ears beginning to catch fire, and my blood pressure busting through my arteries. All I could think was; quit running your mouth, speed up and finish my order so I can get the heck out of here!

Reflecting on the Moment

As we were finishing up, I caught a glance of the cashier’s face and saw how happy she was to be talking with us. I immediately told her to have a wonderful rest of the day and to have a Merry Christmas. She responded with a huge smile, “Same to you.”

We left the line and headed out of the store. As we came out, we were greeted by a Salvation Army Volunteer who greeted us with, “Have A Merry Christmas” with a huge smile.

These two instances immediately melted my heart and made me think about what makes people happy. I started to reflect on my negative attitude and stupid interactions with some of the people.  I began to think about how a real leader would be acting right now and realized that leadership should be a way of life all the time, regardless if you are at work or in a non-desirable situation. As we were walking to the car, my wife looked at me and said, “she (referring to the cashier) was so sweet.” I agreed and said that “our Walmart trip wasn’t all that bad.”

After we got home and unloaded the groceries, I started to reflect on the attitude I came into the store with and how that influenced my actions. I realized that I  learned several leadership lessons from my shopping experience.


“our Walmart trip wasn’t all that bad.”

Leadership Lessons Learned

While shopping at Walmart is not my favorite thing to do, it does offer many opportunities to influence and learn. Here are the leadership lessons I learned:

  1. Leaders are consistent in their thoughts and ideas about people regardless of where they are.
  2. Leaders value people for who they are and the hard work they perform regardless of the type of work they are doing. 
  3. Leaders make a difficult and challenging atmosphere, fun and enjoyable.
  4. Leaders listen with their eyes and ears and encourage responses.
  5. Leaders inspire others through their encouragement and influence. 
  6. Leaders are humble and relatable in all situations.
  7. Leaders keep a good head and an open heart in all situations, regardless if it is ideal or not.
  8. Leaders realize they are responsible for their own attitudes and take the initiative to change it quickly.

While I left the house with a negative attitude and a strong resentment to shop at Walmart, I learned a lot while I was there. By reflecting back on my experience, I was able to identify the fact that a leader is a leader all the time, not only when they think they need to be a leader. 

We all make mistakes, but it’s the leader who learns from their mistakes which has the most significant influence on others.

Leaders are also learners. We all make mistakes, but it’s the leader who learns from their mistakes which has the most significant influence on others. I encourage you to reflect on the eight leadership lessons I identified above and consider them in your leadership journey.

Managing Work/Life Balance

/ / Leave a comment

 

o-WORKLIFE-BALANCEI recently began a new job. Yes, I said a new job. The last two years have been very challenging, but that is a topic for a future blog. Man, I wish I could keep a job like I keep my wife (we’ve been married for 32 years).

With a new job comes the need to re-balance the commitment to work with the commitment to life. That takes a lot of effort. Let’s face it, a new job not only takes a lot of effort to build relationships, learn the job and become familiar with the organization, but it creates a desire to make a great first impression.

However, our personal life is the most important. Whether you are married, dating or simply just like your alone time, work-life balance is essential to your physical and mental health.

As leaders, we want to set the pace and set the expectation. If you are a true leader, the best way to do that is to exceed your own expectations. I find many leaders do this by coming to the office early and staying late. In fact, if I come to the office and someone is already there, I find myself questioning my commitment and leadership. Even though I know better, I will fall into this thought process sometimes.

I think the challenge of work-life balance is one of perspective and mindset. I heard someone say,

In order to change the way we work, we must change the way we think.”

I agree, to achieve balance we must think like the leader we are and not the doer we want to be.

I’ve heard it said that being “busy” is the badge of honor among leaders.”
I used to model that saying. However, I realize I was merely wasting time. There is a time within the end of a day (for me about 9-10 hrs) where my concentration and focus lacks. I only exist at the office to create a perception. Longer days don’t generate accomplishments.

As a leader, here is what is needed to create a fair work-life balance:

  1. Make a list of things you need to do. And make a list of things you want to do. Create a combined list based on both “need” and “want.” This will generate a desire to accomplish both while creating a more enjoyable work environment.
  2. Identify your priorities each day. Priorities change, so it is essential to take time in the morning, and afternoon to re-evaluate and make adjustments.
  3. Schedule time in the early morning to give you an opportunity to achieve items on your priority list before people start interrupting.
  4. Look for ways or opportunities to overlap projects.
  5. Limit emails, answering calls or checking voice mail.  Set aside an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon to answer emails and voicemails. In fact, I have a code for my staff and family. If there is an emergency or critical situations, they are instructed to use the code, and I will immediately answer.
  6. Assign appropriate roles and responsibilities to your staff. This will reduce your workload and free up time to accomplish your priorities.
  7. Trust your team. Some of you will say this is easier said than done. If that is the case, I suggest you reevaluate your team members. Give them a challenge and the freedom to perform and succeed. I use the approach of “Ready, Fire, Aim.” Meaning I let them do what they do, and we course correct as needed.
  8. Learn to say NO! It’s ok to say no. People will respect you more when you do. When we figure this out, we free up time to accomplish other things and spend more time with family or taking care of ourselves.

Creating a healthy work-life balance doesn’t just happen. It takes commitment and persistence every day. However, seasons do come and go. There will be situations where the balance is off, however, be persistent in trying to maintain and create the balance because a good work-life balance will create a better you and stronger relationships.

balance

 

9 Real Reasons Why People Leave Their Jobs

/ / Leave a comment

Why do people leave jobs? Good question. I have been actively employed in the professional job market for a while. In that time, I have enjoyed multiple positions with multiple employers achieving both high and low results. However, there hasn’t been one position that I haven’t learned something new or how to become a better leader. In fact, I’ve learned more, become more diverse and become a stronger leader through the character I’ve built through the various situations and interactions I encountered. I wish it were the way it used to be. People got a job, the employees worked hard, the company recognized their value and so employees stayed for 30, 40 or 50 years. Nowadays, most employees get 3-5 years out of a job and turnover has become a day in the life of an organization.unhappy ee However, in my research, I’ve found the cost of turnover and employee retention costs to be astounding. Here is some of what I found:

  • 51 % of workers are looking to leave their jobs (Gallup)
  • 40 % of employees are considering employment outside of their current firm within the next year (SHRM)
  • 34 % of employees say they plan to leave their current role in the next 12 months (Mercer)
  • 74 % of all workers are satisfied with their jobs; 66 percent of those are still open to new employment (Jobvite)
  • Cost of replacing entry-level employees: 30 to 50 % of their annual salary (ERE Media)
  • Cost of replacing midlevel employees: 150 % of their yearly salary (ERE Media)
  • Cost of replacing high-level or highly specialized employees: 400 % of their annual salary (ERE Media)
  • 44 % of Millennials say, if, given the choice, they expect to leave their employer in the next two years (Deloitte)
  • 45 % of employees reported that they would be likely or very likely to look for another job outside their current organization within the next year (SHRM)
  • 47 % of Americans would leave for their ideal job even if it meant less pay (Adobe)

This information made me raise my eyebrows but didn’t really surprise me. Some of these are the reason(s) I left a job or two, and it confirms some of the feedback I’ve received in exit interviews.

So why do people leave their jobs? Here are 9 reasons I put together based on my experience and feedback from others.

  1. The Leader – More than 50% of people leave their job because of their boss. Whether it is a weak relationship or a lack of character and integrity, people will leave a job if they don’t feel comfortable working in that environment. People don’t typically leave a company, they leave the people. This is an accurate statement for me personally. I struggle with people who are poor leaders. Early in my career, I would merely find another job rather than work on my influence with that leader. However, I matured. I’ve realized that you can effectively influence your leader through your diligent hard work and your consistent character. When people see who you are in all situations, they tend to buy into the person and work to change their interactions and ways.
  2. BORED! – Same stuff day after day. People want to feel they’re moving forward and growing in their professional life. They want to have something to aspire to. If there’s no structure for advancement, they’ll look somewhere else. In the meantime, they’re likely to be bored, unhappy, and resentful-and that will affect performance. No one wants to be bored and unchallenged by their work.
  3. Overworked – There are seasons of being overworked. Stress and the feeling of being overwhelmed come with many jobs, but so does burnout.  If the season never changes, then employees will look elsewhere. Consider this,  it’s often the best employees, the most capable and committed and the most trusted that we overload most. If they find themselves continually taking on more and the perception is there is no end in sight, then they feel they’re being taken advantage of.
  4. A Blurry Vision – There’s nothing more frustrating than a workplace filled with visions, but no actions to achieve. I’ve worked at many places where the vision is posted on the website, are framed and hanging in each office. I even had a CEO tape our the company vision to every door in the building. However, I never saw the actions to achieve that vision. In fact, I bet you could still find some of them hanging after 2 years of leaving. What person wants to spend his or her time and energy in support of something undefined or merely hype and talk? People don’t want to spend their time and effort just spinning their wheels.
  5. Profits Over People – When an organization values its bottom line more than its people, the people go elsewhere. The result is a culture of underperformance, low morale, and even disciplinary issues. Of course, things like profit, output, pleasing stakeholders, and productivity are essential, but success ultimately depends on the people who do the work.
  6. Feeling Undervalued – It’s human nature to want to be recognized and praised for a job well done. And in business, recognizing employees is not merely a nice thing to do but an effective way to communicate your appreciation for their efforts and successes. This will reinforce those actions and behaviors that make a difference. When you fail to recognize employees, you’re not only failing to motivate them but also missing out on the most efficient way to reinforce high performance.
  7. No Trust – Trust is crucial to influence, and influence is required to lead people. Employees view your behavior and weigh it against your commitments. If they see you dealing unethically with vendors, cheating clients, or failing to keep your word, the best will leave.
  8. Lack of Transparency – Hoarding or not sharing information will cause people to leave. A person who hoards information does it to control the outcome.Patrick Lencioni’s masterpiece The Five Dysfunctions of a Team indicates the foundation for any good relationship is trust, and that foundation of trust just cannot happen without transparency at work. As a result, employees working for managers who share information will work harder for them, respect them more, be more innovative, and solve problems much faster.
  9. Corporate Culture – While it’s not the top for leaving a job, the overall company culture affects an employees attitude and ultimately influences their decisions to go. Some questions to consider when evaluating the company culture.

Does the organization appreciate employees, treat them with respect, and provide compensation, benefits, and perks in line with competitors?

Is the work environment conducive to employee satisfaction and engagement?

Do you provide events, employee activities, celebrations, and team building efforts that make employees feel that your organization is a great place to work?

Ultimately, many people leave their job because of the boss, not the work or the organization.

Job SatisfactionPeople create results. And Leadership is essential to attracting and maintaining talented results-oriented people. Ask yourself what you may be doing to drive your best people away, and start making the changes needed to keep them.

The 5 Must Have’s For the Balanced Safety Leader

/ / Leave a comment

Fotosearch_k10730093What a great time to be a Safety Leader! Yes, you read that right. Let me repeat, what a great time to be a leader in a Safety Professional role! Are you a leader just because you’re in a leadership role? In my opinion, NO. I know many in leadership roles that for the life of me I cannot figure out how they got there.

True safety leaders possess certain traits and attributes that make them successful. There are certain things that leaders are good at and do well. I believe there has to be something that sets them apart from the rest of the organization.

What if there was something that would make you more successful, more efficient, and make your job easier? As leaders, we must learn what it takes to become both effective and successful. These two things, being effective and successful, can have lasting impacts.

This blog will provide you with the must-haves to be a balanced productive and successful safety leader. Your ability to create a balanced approach to safety will ensure your success.

What led to the creation of these top must-haves? After much deliberation, they were the result of a personal need to try something new. More specifically, I was failing as a professional. What I did for many years did not work. I had good performance on occasion, but it wasn’t sustainable. I discovered that a personal approach to leadership was what I needed. One of the things I noticed in many leaders was a general lack of character and an ability to effectively balance our approach based on individual situations. Many safety professionals are regulatory driven. There is an absence of managing the situation from a balanced approach. From this, I saw a personal and professional need to create a balanced approached to the safety professional. This motivated me to develop these “5 Must-Haves”.

Balance is essential, no it is critical!. You never want to go too far one way or the other. Learning to balance your thoughts, approach and interaction with people and situations require continuous, delicate adjustments to maintain a balanced, practical approach. Balance is stressed in every aspect of our lives — from learning to ride a bike to eating a balanced diet. It should be no different in our interactions with employees and others in the organization.

Maintaining a balanced approach to the safety of employees will ensure our ability to influence their behaviors and drive the continuous improvement in safe practices.

The 5 Must-Haves for a Balanced Safety Leader are:

  1. Must have an unwavering PASSION for the profession.
  2. Must have a great ATTITUDE
  3. Must be a PROBLEM SOLVER
  4. Must take INITIATIVE
  5. Must have HUMILITY

Here is a brief description of each.

1.  Must have an unwavering PASSION– Love your profession or leave it!

I am so tired of meeting professionals that hate their job, hate their profession, or those who merely chose their job because they vie wit as easy. If that is you, go find something else to do. All you are doing now is creating a toxic environment for yourself and the employees in the organization. Find something you love and build your passion around it.

Passion fuels will-power as a leader. Without it, you’ll lack the drive to change and overcome obstacles. Look, being safety professional is not easy. It takes patience, a caring heart and the ability to work through the barriers. Let’s face it, we are here because we care about people. Passion is what drives me to learn more and work hard every day so that I can rest easy when my employees make it home safely from work.

2.  Must have an excellent ATTITUDE– A great attitude is a positive attitude.

I think it was William James who once said, “The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes.”

Our attitude determines how we interact with others and the way we communicate determines our influence. Safety professional’s have daily interactions with all levels of the organization. If we approach an employee with a bad attitude, the outcome tends to be riddled with talk of discipline, loss of job and discouragement. On the other hand, a right or positive attitude can motivate an employee to recognize their at-risk behaviors and identify what needs to change to ensure they stay safe.

If you have a poor attitude, stay locked up in your office. If you have a right and positive attitude, be present and bring the sunshine where ever you go! Success will follow!

3.  Must be a PROBLEM SOLVER – Can’t let your problems be a problem

Safety Leaders are good at identifying problems, issues, and concerns. Whether it is a condition or behavior, they can determine enough issues to fill a novel. The question is, are you good at solving the problems? Be a problem solver and influence! A good rule of thumb, provide at least two solutions to every problem you identify.

4.  Must take INITIATIVE –  READY………FIRE………AIM.

My staff hears it all the time. What does it mean? Shouldn’t you aim first, then fire? No. Just identify the problem, fix it, and then make the necessary adjustments later. At least you did something. If you never take the initiative to do something, things will never get done! If you identify a problem or something that needs to be done, who is the best person to initiate the solution? YOU!

5.  Must have HUMILITY – Humility is better than humiliation

I always have to include humility in any discussion I have on leadership, regardless of whether I am focused on the Safety Profession or leadership in general.

Why? Because so many leaders struggle with it. They’re under the impression that you must be strict, authoritative, and all-knowing in every situation. I’m aware of this because I used to lead that way.

However, through my many leadership mistakes in life, marriage, parenting, and work, I realized that leadership is about knowing what you know, and more importantly, recognizing what you don’t know. Not only is there intrinsic value in admitting you don’t know all things, but it is also clear importance amongst employees who sense your humility.

Here’s the truth. Employees know things that you don’t know. They may not say it to your face, but trust me; they are talking about you behind your back.

I love what C.S. Lewis and Lou Brock have to say on the subject of humility and pride:

 C.S. Lewis said, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”

Lou Brock said, “Show me a guy who is afraid to look bad, and I will show you a guy you can beat every time.”

A lack of humility makes us vulnerable. Without it, we open the door for negative things. People don’t want to follow arrogant leaders. They want to support someone whom they believe in and connect with. A lack of humility withholds honest connections with others; therefore, we must act as humble leaders.

CONCLUSION

Here’s a recap of the must-haves for leadership.

  1. Must have an unwavering PASSION for the profession.
  2. Must have a great ATTITUDE
  3. Must be a PROBLEM SOLVER
  4. Must take INITIATIVE
  5. Must have HUMILITY

This is only an introduction to what it takes to become a productive and successful balanced safety leader. Throughout the years, these five must-haves have helped me become a successful leader. Evaluate your current leadership style and identify what will complement your personality and enable you to lead more effectively and bring you success.

Take time and research each of these must-haves and learn how to apply them in your current position. I am confident that you will become a more effective balanced safety leader because of it.

Fotosearch_k15213036