Life Insurance is the coverage that seems to cause the most apprehension and confusion among
buyers. Unfortunately, the many common myths that surround this vital coverage
result in too many people waiting too long to buy or paying too much for
coverage. Clearing up these top 5 life insurance myths will help life insurance
buyers get the right coverage at the right price.
Myth #1. There’s no reason to buy life insurance when you are young. Many people believe they should wait until
they have large debts to cover or dependants to provide for before purchasing a
life insurance policy. The truth is there are a large number of reasons to get
life insurance young. First, it will mean lower premiums. Second, even those who
are young could leave behind debts and the financial responsibility of final
expenses. Yet another reason is that the younger and healthier a person is, the
easier it is to qualify, and coverage will remain in place no matter what
happens with that person’s health down the line.
Myth #2. No-medical exam life insurance is the best choice. While it might be
a good choice for some, those who are in good health would do well to consider a
traditional policy. The health exam might take a little more time, but taking
that time can mean qualifying for better rates. Traditional policies also offer
more options in terms of policy length and coverage amounts, letting the buyer
choose what they really need.
Myth #3. Buyers need to choose between term and whole life insurance. These
are the two main types of life insurance, and choosing between them can be
difficult. One provides lifelong coverage but carries higher premiums, while the
other allows the purchase of a larger amount of coverage at a lower price, since
it is only for a predetermined length of time. What many people don’t realize is
that there is no need to choose. It’s often the wisest course to have one of
each. A whole policy covers the long-term, and a term life insurance policy covers the period when a larger amount of coverage is
needed.
Myth #4. Life insurance is expensive. There are so many options for life insurance today that it can be
made affordable for just about anyone. The key is to shop around and to obtain
life insurance as soon as possible – the older the buyer, the higher the premium
is likely to be. Term life insurance policies are surprisingly affordable, and
provide the coverage when it is most needed.
Myth #5. Life insurance isn’t available to senior citizens. “Although it was
once nearly impossible for people over a certain age to obtain life insurance,
today it’s almost never too late.” Tammy Ezer of InsuranceHotline.com says.
Companies catering to the senior life insurance market are widespread and more
reputable than ever before. This means that seniors who have lost work-related
coverage as they retired and are now at a loss to provide for final expenses can
get coverage at affordable rates.
Life insurance is the one coverage people are most likely to be without, because they see it as
optional or are confused about their ability to qualify. The truth behind the
life insurance myths makes it clear that it’s easier and more affordable – and
more necessary - than most people think to get coverage.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Complements Is Strength
Most leaders are unbalanced. They are relatively stronger in some areas than others. The secret to making them more productive is to let them play to their strengths, while at the same time bringing in someone to work with them that has complementary strengths.
Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner was the organization’s enthusiastic, visionary leader. When I worked at the Disney Institute, our team met with him and the room was electric. He applauded our best ideas, built on them, went into excruciating detail to make sure the creative vision carried through everything, and demolished our bad ideas without a second glance. When he approved things, we were inspired to get going.
But then we had to stop.
Because once we’d sold Eisner on the idea, we had to go to then COO Frank Wells to make sure it would work. Wells focused on the business side, making sure we knew what we were going to invest, how, over what time frame to make the business proposition work
The two were stronger together than either was on his own. Having Wells there allowed Eisner to let his creative instincts run. Having Eisner there allowed Wells to focus on the practical side of things.
At the start of each year’s annual planning process at Coca-Cola then President Doug Ivester would send out a note laying out his expectations. To reinforce the importance of consistency and follow through, he would attach the notes he’d sent us in each of the previous three years.
At one meeting he said, “We need to be consistent.” At the next moment, then Chief Marketing Officer Sergio Zyman replied, “Well, I’m inconsistent and proud of it.”
There was a fiery tension between the two. Ivester was the southern accountant who had joined Coca-Cola as controller and then became CFO, president, and eventually CEO. Zyman was the Mexican advertising and brand guy who was passionate about surprising and exciting consumers.
Each was incomplete on his own. Together, they were amazing.
Each of you has your own favorite example of this: Jobs and Wozniak, Gates and Allen, Anthony and Cleopatra, Martin and Lewis.
Strategy, Operations, Organization
You can figure out most businesses by looking at how its plans, people and practices align around a shared purpose. Business leaders tend to have relative strengths in the strategic area (plans), organizational area (people), or operational area (practices). If you’re like most, here’s our prescription:
However, if you’re unbalanced and know you’re unbalanced, you will bring in others to complement your strengths. If you know you need them, they’ll know you need them and they’ll feel that much more valued and valuable.
This is a good example of step 9 - Secure ADEPT People in the Right Roles and Deal with Inevitable Resistance. Make your organization ever more ADEPT by Acquiring, Developing, Encouraging, Planning, and Transitioning talent:
Mickey greeting guests at Disneyland Park
But then we had to stop.
Because once we’d sold Eisner on the idea, we had to go to then COO Frank Wells to make sure it would work. Wells focused on the business side, making sure we knew what we were going to invest, how, over what time frame to make the business proposition work
The two were stronger together than either was on his own. Having Wells there allowed Eisner to let his creative instincts run. Having Eisner there allowed Wells to focus on the practical side of things.
At one meeting he said, “We need to be consistent.” At the next moment, then Chief Marketing Officer Sergio Zyman replied, “Well, I’m inconsistent and proud of it.”
There was a fiery tension between the two. Ivester was the southern accountant who had joined Coca-Cola as controller and then became CFO, president, and eventually CEO. Zyman was the Mexican advertising and brand guy who was passionate about surprising and exciting consumers.
Each was incomplete on his own. Together, they were amazing.
Each of you has your own favorite example of this: Jobs and Wozniak, Gates and Allen, Anthony and Cleopatra, Martin and Lewis.
Strategy, Operations, Organization
You can figure out most businesses by looking at how its plans, people and practices align around a shared purpose. Business leaders tend to have relative strengths in the strategic area (plans), organizational area (people), or operational area (practices). If you’re like most, here’s our prescription:
- If you are relatively stronger in strategy and organization, find a complementary chief operating officer to manage the operations.
- If you are relatively stronger in strategy and operations, find a complementary chief human resource officer to help lead the organization.
- If you are relatively stronger in organization and operations, find a complementary chief strategy officer to help lead strategy.
- If you are one of the few who are actually balanced, find a chief of staff to give you leverage.
However, if you’re unbalanced and know you’re unbalanced, you will bring in others to complement your strengths. If you know you need them, they’ll know you need them and they’ll feel that much more valued and valuable.
This is a good example of step 9 - Secure ADEPT People in the Right Roles and Deal with Inevitable Resistance. Make your organization ever more ADEPT by Acquiring, Developing, Encouraging, Planning, and Transitioning talent:
- Acquire: Recruit, attract, and onboard the right people
- Develop: Assess and build skills and knowledge
- Encourage: Direct, support, recognize and reward
- Plan: Monitor, assess, plan career moves over time
- Transition: Migrate to different roles as appropriate
Ideas From Employees
Potential bosses are looking for bright, talented people who can produce high quality ideas they can sell to the senior team and to the staff and give the company a competitive edge.
Writing about this recently in the Harvard Business Review (HBR) blog, John Beeson, principal of Beeson Consulting and author of The Unwritten Rules: The Six Skills You Need to Get Promoted to the Executive Level, says companies are looking for executives who know how to innovate and introduce change, not simply "caretakers who can manage the status quo".
"Senior-level decision makers in your company are looking for evidence that you can lead innovation and change; simply being a master of continuous improvement won't cut it," he says.
Senior management is interested in the quality of your ideas and how you shepherd them through the organisation - whether it's introducing a new organisation design or revising a management process, says Beeson.
If you search, there are opportunities in your current job to display your ability to drive change, even if you are in a support function, he says.
Bear in mind, as well as your innovative skills, you should have good personal skills and attributes that will help you lead change at the executive level, Beeson adds.
The author gives examples of American corporates who are offering their emerging talent some space to come up with ideas. General Electric, builds "action learning" into their corporate management training programmes.
Multinational 3M has had a corporate objective of generating a certain per cent of annual revenue from products introduced in the previous three years - a goal intended to stimulate innovation. 3M has an internal board that managers can apply to for funding for a new product or technology idea.
Is this kind of thing happening in New Zealand? According to Ken Brophy, managing partner at Grafton Consultancy, a business consultancy which helps companies with change, during the global financial crisis a lot of organisations were expected to do more with less, and have stripped out the middle management. This has meant senior management is getting pulled into the operational side more than they should be, rather than working on the business.
"The risk I see is there is not enough space being created [for new ideas] through the necessity of stripping out costs," says Brophy.
Grafton itself has fortnightly catch-ups with key staff, and there is a dedicated time in the meeting, where a topic is chosen for future discussion. It might be a gap in the market, how does Grafton approach it? When they come together again, there is a debate on this.
For this to work, there has to be recognition of these new ideas in the business, he adds.
Alex Malley, CEO of the accounting body CPA Australia and leadership speaker, says top managers have a responsibility to create the right environment for emerging talent.
"It all comes down to leading by example and setting a culture that encourages creativity. This of course is largely the responsibility of the CEO and senior management. I want my staff to have the courage to think big and not be afraid to present new ideas that could take the business in a fresh direction, even though there might be risks involved," says Malley.
The IT sector is skilled at creating the right cultural environment to enable innovation, says Malley. Companies such as Google and the SAS Institute are well recognised for their fantastic working environments. "Their staff have the ability to contribute to decisions made within the company and be creative, probably more so than more traditional businesses as fresh ideas and innovation are their lifeblood."
Online accounting software company Xero has Xero Labs for its developers. Product development manager Andrew Tokeley says the company gives people a day a month to work on their own projects.
"I did not want to put in any boundaries. Developers tend to be passionate about their work, this is to feed that passion," he says.
"We don't push them to do Xero development," says Tokeley. Interestingly though a lot of people do things related to the company.
It can flag a future leader if they are using their time well, he says.
Trade Me is another New Zealand company which encourages staff to come up with new ideas on a regular basis.
"Across the company we look to hire people who have great ideas and who like to see things change as it is important to the way we do things around here," says Mike O'Donnnell, head of operations.
Every staff member at Trade Me can suggest an idea to improve the website, or processes. Everyone's ideais treated equally and the good ideas make it through to "enhancements sessions".
"Our CEO and members of our senior management team stand around the pool table on Wednesday mornings and hear the idea pitched, and the best ones go straight to the tech team and we start building them," adds Simon Young, Trade Me's head of development.
The newly floated business also has internal Fed Ex days. For a solid 24 hours, project teams get together to build something that "adds value" to the company. There are prizes for the winners and many of the ideas make it into the product roadmap for the year.
A recent successful Fed Ex project was the "Browse" functionality in the iPhone app.
Writing about this recently in the Harvard Business Review (HBR) blog, John Beeson, principal of Beeson Consulting and author of The Unwritten Rules: The Six Skills You Need to Get Promoted to the Executive Level, says companies are looking for executives who know how to innovate and introduce change, not simply "caretakers who can manage the status quo".
"Senior-level decision makers in your company are looking for evidence that you can lead innovation and change; simply being a master of continuous improvement won't cut it," he says.
Senior management is interested in the quality of your ideas and how you shepherd them through the organisation - whether it's introducing a new organisation design or revising a management process, says Beeson.
If you search, there are opportunities in your current job to display your ability to drive change, even if you are in a support function, he says.
The author gives examples of American corporates who are offering their emerging talent some space to come up with ideas. General Electric, builds "action learning" into their corporate management training programmes.
Multinational 3M has had a corporate objective of generating a certain per cent of annual revenue from products introduced in the previous three years - a goal intended to stimulate innovation. 3M has an internal board that managers can apply to for funding for a new product or technology idea.
Is this kind of thing happening in New Zealand? According to Ken Brophy, managing partner at Grafton Consultancy, a business consultancy which helps companies with change, during the global financial crisis a lot of organisations were expected to do more with less, and have stripped out the middle management. This has meant senior management is getting pulled into the operational side more than they should be, rather than working on the business.
"The risk I see is there is not enough space being created [for new ideas] through the necessity of stripping out costs," says Brophy.
Grafton itself has fortnightly catch-ups with key staff, and there is a dedicated time in the meeting, where a topic is chosen for future discussion. It might be a gap in the market, how does Grafton approach it? When they come together again, there is a debate on this.
For this to work, there has to be recognition of these new ideas in the business, he adds.
Alex Malley, CEO of the accounting body CPA Australia and leadership speaker, says top managers have a responsibility to create the right environment for emerging talent.
"It all comes down to leading by example and setting a culture that encourages creativity. This of course is largely the responsibility of the CEO and senior management. I want my staff to have the courage to think big and not be afraid to present new ideas that could take the business in a fresh direction, even though there might be risks involved," says Malley.
The IT sector is skilled at creating the right cultural environment to enable innovation, says Malley. Companies such as Google and the SAS Institute are well recognised for their fantastic working environments. "Their staff have the ability to contribute to decisions made within the company and be creative, probably more so than more traditional businesses as fresh ideas and innovation are their lifeblood."
Online accounting software company Xero has Xero Labs for its developers. Product development manager Andrew Tokeley says the company gives people a day a month to work on their own projects.
"I did not want to put in any boundaries. Developers tend to be passionate about their work, this is to feed that passion," he says.
"We don't push them to do Xero development," says Tokeley. Interestingly though a lot of people do things related to the company.
It can flag a future leader if they are using their time well, he says.
Trade Me is another New Zealand company which encourages staff to come up with new ideas on a regular basis.
"Across the company we look to hire people who have great ideas and who like to see things change as it is important to the way we do things around here," says Mike O'Donnnell, head of operations.
Every staff member at Trade Me can suggest an idea to improve the website, or processes. Everyone's ideais treated equally and the good ideas make it through to "enhancements sessions".
"Our CEO and members of our senior management team stand around the pool table on Wednesday mornings and hear the idea pitched, and the best ones go straight to the tech team and we start building them," adds Simon Young, Trade Me's head of development.
The newly floated business also has internal Fed Ex days. For a solid 24 hours, project teams get together to build something that "adds value" to the company. There are prizes for the winners and many of the ideas make it into the product roadmap for the year.
A recent successful Fed Ex project was the "Browse" functionality in the iPhone app.
Humility And Being Wrong
During one of the 2004 presidential debates, an audience member stood up and asked Democrat John Kerry if he could give an example of when he had been wrong about something. The questioner was asking the question as a measure of character and trying to divine whether Kerry, like President George W. Bush, was a leader who never admitted an error in judgment. (Bush had been adamant in the contention that “no mistakes were made” in the Iraq War.)
Confronted with this opportunity, Kerry not only swung and missed, he didn’t even understand the question being pitched. Kerry immediately launched into an answer about how “his side” had not been wrong about the war; that Bush’s team was the group that deserved blame; and he spent his 90 seconds recounting Bush’s failures. Kerry was unable to perceive the value in admitting error. The message to voters was clear: he would probably be a leader not much different from Bush.
This is not uncommon for leaders. After all the ego structure of people who rise to the top of organizations, and in politics, is such that the more confident you are, the surer of yourself you are and the more successful you are likely to be.
In an era where out-size, narcissistic business leaders are treated like rock stars, with the requisite cult followings, of course, elevating humility as an essential trait for creative leaders may seem quaint, even a bit anachronistic. Yet, humility and the ability to admit error may be two of the most important qualities a truly creative leader must have.
Creative leaders must be more than big personalities if they hope to lead successful organizations. They must be deeply in tune with human behavior, and, most critically, understand who they are and what motivates them to success and what precipitates their failures.
One of the central precepts of our new theory of Creative Leadership is that by embracing humility, creative leaders advantage their organizations and themselves. Moreover, leaders must not only recognize their failures but also acknowledge them publicly. In being wrong, they can find both authenticity and opportunity.
Creative leadership is built on the idea that everyone at every level in the organization is a leader; that leaders must know themselves, alert to their failings and graces, to better serve the organization; and that only by mastering complexity – both human and organizational – will leaders be able to achieve alignment.
The dictionary defines humility as modesty and lacking in pretense, but that doesn’t mean humble leaders are meek or timid. A humble leader is secure enough to recognize his or her weaknesses and to seek the input and talents of others. By being receptive to outside ideas and assistance, creative leaders open up new avenues for the organization and for their employees.
A creative leader is self-aware and not weighed down with insecurities, constantly worrying about how they are perceived by their employees and peers. Their egos reflect the reality of their personality and circumstance.
They are not selfless and without ego; they have a healthy sense of self that doesn’t respond to threats. From this emotional vantage point, they are able to effectively lead their organizations. Leaders who cultivate humility don’t trade on hubris, nor are they guilty of denigrating their colleagues or competitors to aggrandize themselves. Quietly confident, they inspire others to tap their talents and to seek achievement, all in service to the organization and its mission.
Keith Reinhard is just this type of leader. Both of us are unabashed admirers of Keith, the CEO Emeritus of DDB Worldwide, the global marketing and communications giant. We have known him for several years through our work with the Berlin School of Creative Leadership, and he has been a source of great wisdom and advice about creative leadership.
The self-effacing Reinhard has said one of his highest goals as a leader is empowering his people as much as possible. He believes that, “people respond to leaders who give credit to their team for success and take responsibility upon themselves for failures.”
Some leaders contend that admitting error is a sign of weakness and an open door for allegations of illegitimacy. So often the opposite is true. What is more powerful than an individual who can stand in front of his or her employees and admit that the failure was his or hers? What better way to gain the respect and admiration of your team than to take the blame and responsibility on yourself rather than calling out someone on your team? By admitting you are wrong, by taking blame, you will have a group of more committed followers.
The work of Kathryn Schulz, the author of Being Wrong, is particularly on point here. Schulz notes: “As a culture, we haven’t… mastered the basic skill of saying ‘I was wrong.’ This is a startling deficiency, given the simplicity of the phrase, the ubiquity of error, and the tremendous public service that acknowledging it could provide.”
We are frequently taught that leaders, especially aspiring leaders, should hide weaknesses and mistakes. This view is flawed. It is not only good to admit you are wrong when you are; but also it can also be a powerful tool for leaders—actually increasing legitimacy and, when practiced regularly, can help to build a culture that actually increases solidarity, innovation, openness to change and many other positive features of organizational life.
But there is a deeper, more profound, point that Schulz makes in her wonderful book. It is that when you are open to the idea of being wrong, when you truly believe that another path might be better and are not cowed by it, you will be a more creative and innovative person. You will take more risks; you will explore more paths with unknown outcomes; and you will build a better organization.
Individuals who know themselves are courageously able to pursue creative leadership. What is profoundly powerful about embracing humility and publicly acknowledging errors is the link between authenticity and the success of the individual and the organization.
Confronted with this opportunity, Kerry not only swung and missed, he didn’t even understand the question being pitched. Kerry immediately launched into an answer about how “his side” had not been wrong about the war; that Bush’s team was the group that deserved blame; and he spent his 90 seconds recounting Bush’s failures. Kerry was unable to perceive the value in admitting error. The message to voters was clear: he would probably be a leader not much different from Bush.
This is not uncommon for leaders. After all the ego structure of people who rise to the top of organizations, and in politics, is such that the more confident you are, the surer of yourself you are and the more successful you are likely to be.
In an era where out-size, narcissistic business leaders are treated like rock stars, with the requisite cult followings, of course, elevating humility as an essential trait for creative leaders may seem quaint, even a bit anachronistic. Yet, humility and the ability to admit error may be two of the most important qualities a truly creative leader must have.
Creative leaders must be more than big personalities if they hope to lead successful organizations. They must be deeply in tune with human behavior, and, most critically, understand who they are and what motivates them to success and what precipitates their failures.
One of the central precepts of our new theory of Creative Leadership is that by embracing humility, creative leaders advantage their organizations and themselves. Moreover, leaders must not only recognize their failures but also acknowledge them publicly. In being wrong, they can find both authenticity and opportunity.
Creative leadership is built on the idea that everyone at every level in the organization is a leader; that leaders must know themselves, alert to their failings and graces, to better serve the organization; and that only by mastering complexity – both human and organizational – will leaders be able to achieve alignment.
The dictionary defines humility as modesty and lacking in pretense, but that doesn’t mean humble leaders are meek or timid. A humble leader is secure enough to recognize his or her weaknesses and to seek the input and talents of others. By being receptive to outside ideas and assistance, creative leaders open up new avenues for the organization and for their employees.
A creative leader is self-aware and not weighed down with insecurities, constantly worrying about how they are perceived by their employees and peers. Their egos reflect the reality of their personality and circumstance.
They are not selfless and without ego; they have a healthy sense of self that doesn’t respond to threats. From this emotional vantage point, they are able to effectively lead their organizations. Leaders who cultivate humility don’t trade on hubris, nor are they guilty of denigrating their colleagues or competitors to aggrandize themselves. Quietly confident, they inspire others to tap their talents and to seek achievement, all in service to the organization and its mission.
Keith Reinhard is just this type of leader. Both of us are unabashed admirers of Keith, the CEO Emeritus of DDB Worldwide, the global marketing and communications giant. We have known him for several years through our work with the Berlin School of Creative Leadership, and he has been a source of great wisdom and advice about creative leadership.
The self-effacing Reinhard has said one of his highest goals as a leader is empowering his people as much as possible. He believes that, “people respond to leaders who give credit to their team for success and take responsibility upon themselves for failures.”
Some leaders contend that admitting error is a sign of weakness and an open door for allegations of illegitimacy. So often the opposite is true. What is more powerful than an individual who can stand in front of his or her employees and admit that the failure was his or hers? What better way to gain the respect and admiration of your team than to take the blame and responsibility on yourself rather than calling out someone on your team? By admitting you are wrong, by taking blame, you will have a group of more committed followers.
The work of Kathryn Schulz, the author of Being Wrong, is particularly on point here. Schulz notes: “As a culture, we haven’t… mastered the basic skill of saying ‘I was wrong.’ This is a startling deficiency, given the simplicity of the phrase, the ubiquity of error, and the tremendous public service that acknowledging it could provide.”
We are frequently taught that leaders, especially aspiring leaders, should hide weaknesses and mistakes. This view is flawed. It is not only good to admit you are wrong when you are; but also it can also be a powerful tool for leaders—actually increasing legitimacy and, when practiced regularly, can help to build a culture that actually increases solidarity, innovation, openness to change and many other positive features of organizational life.
But there is a deeper, more profound, point that Schulz makes in her wonderful book. It is that when you are open to the idea of being wrong, when you truly believe that another path might be better and are not cowed by it, you will be a more creative and innovative person. You will take more risks; you will explore more paths with unknown outcomes; and you will build a better organization.
Individuals who know themselves are courageously able to pursue creative leadership. What is profoundly powerful about embracing humility and publicly acknowledging errors is the link between authenticity and the success of the individual and the organization.
5 Leadership Behaviors
Is any relationship ever completely reciprocal? Not really, because one party always wields more power over the other. This is a human behavior dynamic that is tough to ignore, especially when we look deeper at workplace culture and team dynamics. There are leaders and followers, loved ones and lovers, employers and employees. We might like to think equality, common goals and unquestioned commitment are the norm but it simply doesn’t happen. It’s true in personal life and in the workplace.
I recently spent a weekend at a high school graduation where teachers glowingly described the fairly small class as a group of leaders. Although parents and kids basked in the glow of achievement and praise, it was clear that some in the group were more equal than others, more accomplished, more confident and composed. While the speeches were heartwarming they seemed insufficiently realistic: clearly not all in that class are destined for success, and not all will be leaders. Despite what we say as a society about equality, the best we can offer is what seems like a cop out: the promise of equal opportunity.
Leaders today talk a lot about loyalty, retention, and the business value of empowering employees to be brand ambassadors. Nonetheless, research literature and blogs abound which discuss the erosion of employee loyalty to the workplace, especially among Gen X and Y.
The prescriptive leadership and talent management advice runs the gamut, from changes in compensation structures to more flexibility in work schedules, team building and more, all aimed at encouraging employee engagement with the employer's brand. But the worry persists and with good reason: can the damage inflicted on employee trust by years of layoffs, pay cuts, IPOs and benefit claw-backs be overcome?
So, is there a way to increase loyalty and engagement in the workplace? I believe there is, and it requires a near-equal exchange of information about the business’s goals and challenges and a shared sense of the value of work. This true for CEOs and for employees alike. It’s a two-way street of respect and trust.
All great leaders know getting there is the challenge, of course. Here are 5 behaviors for leaders and hiring managers to adopt when struggling to keep employees happy and loyal:
1) Tell the truth. Not everyone is a star. Pick out those with leadership or other valued talent potential and nurture them. This will come back to the business as these individuals, in turn, nurture other workers.
2) Communicate roles and responsibilities. Provide a path to success not only for those with leadership promise but for all employees. Sometimes this will mean difficult changes, but remember the most important skill of a leader: never surprise an employee with bad news. Have a development plan for all, and a get-well plan for those whose performance lags. Make sure everyone knows the plan.
3) Create a workplace culture that values real people relationships. For many employees, workgroup relationships and relationships between managers and workers drive engagement and loyalty more effectively than foosball machines, logo T-shirts, and Thirsty Thursday gatherings.
4) Be fair and open. This does not mean treat everyone equally – it means have transparent processes for managing and leading. Employees are more likely to respond positively to change when the process used to manage change is fair.
5) Model the behaviors you seek. Just as the headmaster at the high school did, accept your responsibility as a leader and act with engagement, commitment and responsibility. Do this every day.
Each of us possesses skills, strengths, talents and flaws. Each of us seeks to belong, to be engaged, to relate to those around us. Loyalty is built on relationships, shared understanding and trust.
Engagement and commitment require loyalty, shared goals and fair treatment. Don’t take loyalty and engagement for granted – create a remarkable culture where there are possible and rewarding outcomes of the workplace.
We are only human after all – Every one of us. Every leader. Every brand. Every workplace. Every person.
I recently spent a weekend at a high school graduation where teachers glowingly described the fairly small class as a group of leaders. Although parents and kids basked in the glow of achievement and praise, it was clear that some in the group were more equal than others, more accomplished, more confident and composed. While the speeches were heartwarming they seemed insufficiently realistic: clearly not all in that class are destined for success, and not all will be leaders. Despite what we say as a society about equality, the best we can offer is what seems like a cop out: the promise of equal opportunity.
Leaders today talk a lot about loyalty, retention, and the business value of empowering employees to be brand ambassadors. Nonetheless, research literature and blogs abound which discuss the erosion of employee loyalty to the workplace, especially among Gen X and Y.
The prescriptive leadership and talent management advice runs the gamut, from changes in compensation structures to more flexibility in work schedules, team building and more, all aimed at encouraging employee engagement with the employer's brand. But the worry persists and with good reason: can the damage inflicted on employee trust by years of layoffs, pay cuts, IPOs and benefit claw-backs be overcome?
So, is there a way to increase loyalty and engagement in the workplace? I believe there is, and it requires a near-equal exchange of information about the business’s goals and challenges and a shared sense of the value of work. This true for CEOs and for employees alike. It’s a two-way street of respect and trust.
All great leaders know getting there is the challenge, of course. Here are 5 behaviors for leaders and hiring managers to adopt when struggling to keep employees happy and loyal:
1) Tell the truth. Not everyone is a star. Pick out those with leadership or other valued talent potential and nurture them. This will come back to the business as these individuals, in turn, nurture other workers.
2) Communicate roles and responsibilities. Provide a path to success not only for those with leadership promise but for all employees. Sometimes this will mean difficult changes, but remember the most important skill of a leader: never surprise an employee with bad news. Have a development plan for all, and a get-well plan for those whose performance lags. Make sure everyone knows the plan.
3) Create a workplace culture that values real people relationships. For many employees, workgroup relationships and relationships between managers and workers drive engagement and loyalty more effectively than foosball machines, logo T-shirts, and Thirsty Thursday gatherings.
4) Be fair and open. This does not mean treat everyone equally – it means have transparent processes for managing and leading. Employees are more likely to respond positively to change when the process used to manage change is fair.
5) Model the behaviors you seek. Just as the headmaster at the high school did, accept your responsibility as a leader and act with engagement, commitment and responsibility. Do this every day.
Each of us possesses skills, strengths, talents and flaws. Each of us seeks to belong, to be engaged, to relate to those around us. Loyalty is built on relationships, shared understanding and trust.
Engagement and commitment require loyalty, shared goals and fair treatment. Don’t take loyalty and engagement for granted – create a remarkable culture where there are possible and rewarding outcomes of the workplace.
We are only human after all – Every one of us. Every leader. Every brand. Every workplace. Every person.
Give Up To Rise UP
The conventional wisdom is that leaders are steadfast, and never give up, persisting against all obstacles. But to lead effectively – whether on the shop floor or in the executive suite – you must learn to surrender certain things:
The need to speak first: In many situations, it’s wise for leaders to shut up, letting team members discuss and explore. The leader’s words can inhibit the team’s ideas and input.
The need to decide: There are times when leaders must make the call. But Mr. Eikenberry notes that “often, when leaders let go of their need to decide, others will make the same decision, if not a better one.”
The need for credit: Leaders who usurp all the credit for their team’s success won’t have the support of the team very long.
The need for control: People often seek leadership as an outlet for their desire to control others. But nobody is eager to follow micro-managers and control freaks.
Surrendering these needs can seem like a significant loss. But giving them up - will lead to greater results, greater influence, greater satisfaction and greater significance, which are more meaningful needs to satisfy.
The need to speak first: In many situations, it’s wise for leaders to shut up, letting team members discuss and explore. The leader’s words can inhibit the team’s ideas and input.
The need to decide: There are times when leaders must make the call. But Mr. Eikenberry notes that “often, when leaders let go of their need to decide, others will make the same decision, if not a better one.”
The need for credit: Leaders who usurp all the credit for their team’s success won’t have the support of the team very long.
The need for control: People often seek leadership as an outlet for their desire to control others. But nobody is eager to follow micro-managers and control freaks.
Surrendering these needs can seem like a significant loss. But giving them up - will lead to greater results, greater influence, greater satisfaction and greater significance, which are more meaningful needs to satisfy.
Monday, June 4, 2012
How Much Is Enough
Purchasing life insurance can be a wise decision. It does need plenty of research on your part to ensure that the plan you find is a good one. Finding your best options may seem elusive given the complexity of different plans and policies.
When shopping around for life insurance carriers, choose an established company with an excellent reputation. Even if other companies offer cheap policies, you are taking the risk of not getting paid when you need to.
The coverage range for life insurance policies is vast. Choose a policy which is the right size and breadth to meet your family's needs. Especially consider what expenses will need to be taken care of if you bite the dust unexpectedly.
The questions you ask should be pertinent and very detailed. If your agent cannot answer these questions in full confidence, you need to find someone who can. Find out if the policy can be renewed after a year, if it can be canceled at any time, and whether the premium can be locked in for a certain amount of time. These details are crucial if you want to purchase the policy that is best for you.
Perhaps you are thinking about exercising before going to a medical check up to seem healthier. This may cause high blood pressure and give an inaccurate reading to the doctor.
When you're scheduled to take a medical exam to qualify for a life insurance policy, it's important to avoid caffeine. Although it's legal to have in your system, because it's a stimulant it can cause your blood pressure and heart rate to rise as well as making you jittery.
If you have financial dependents, you should purchase life insurance. If you drop dead one day, the life insurance will pay any large expenses you leave behind, such as a mortgage or your kids' college education.
It is very important to have life insurance, not only for yourself, but to take care of your family. In case of a tragedy, you will be glad you invested in a life insurance policy to cover expenses.If you happen to be a smoker, consider the option of purchasing a term life policy designed specifically for those who indulge in tobacco products. You should be aware that although these policies do exist they will cost more than a non-smoking policy. They may also cover your tobacco related medical expenses. You must know that smokers tend to be classified differently due to how much they actually smoke.If you wish to learn more, you should go to direct cremation where one can read even more regarding this.
Do not take life insurance as a bet. But removing the element of surprise provides your loved ones with so much more security and you with peace of mind.
When shopping around for life insurance carriers, choose an established company with an excellent reputation. Even if other companies offer cheap policies, you are taking the risk of not getting paid when you need to.
The coverage range for life insurance policies is vast. Choose a policy which is the right size and breadth to meet your family's needs. Especially consider what expenses will need to be taken care of if you bite the dust unexpectedly.
The questions you ask should be pertinent and very detailed. If your agent cannot answer these questions in full confidence, you need to find someone who can. Find out if the policy can be renewed after a year, if it can be canceled at any time, and whether the premium can be locked in for a certain amount of time. These details are crucial if you want to purchase the policy that is best for you.
Perhaps you are thinking about exercising before going to a medical check up to seem healthier. This may cause high blood pressure and give an inaccurate reading to the doctor.
When you're scheduled to take a medical exam to qualify for a life insurance policy, it's important to avoid caffeine. Although it's legal to have in your system, because it's a stimulant it can cause your blood pressure and heart rate to rise as well as making you jittery.
If you have financial dependents, you should purchase life insurance. If you drop dead one day, the life insurance will pay any large expenses you leave behind, such as a mortgage or your kids' college education.
It is very important to have life insurance, not only for yourself, but to take care of your family. In case of a tragedy, you will be glad you invested in a life insurance policy to cover expenses.If you happen to be a smoker, consider the option of purchasing a term life policy designed specifically for those who indulge in tobacco products. You should be aware that although these policies do exist they will cost more than a non-smoking policy. They may also cover your tobacco related medical expenses. You must know that smokers tend to be classified differently due to how much they actually smoke.If you wish to learn more, you should go to direct cremation where one can read even more regarding this.
Do not take life insurance as a bet. But removing the element of surprise provides your loved ones with so much more security and you with peace of mind.
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