EffortlessHR Blog » Management

How to be an effective leader

Lola Kakes — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 15:00:16 +0000

Before we begin to discuss being a leader, we probably should define what a leader is. This is important because there can be a distinction between being a “boss” and being a “leader”.

Your position may define you as a boss, which provides you with the authority to accomplish tasks and objectives. This authority does not define you as a leader, however. It simply makes you the boss. Leaders can be defined as a person who influences others to accomplish the tasks and objectives. A leader makes others want to achieve the tasks and goals they are given.

That isn’t to say that leaders don’t have tasks to perform. It is just that when they do have tasks they often use the following three “C”s to keep projects running smoothly. There may be others that are important, but we will just discuss these three for now.

Communicate
Coordinate
Collaborate

Communicate

A “Boss” may have important information. Having this information may also make them feel important. How you use the information or what you do with it can make you a “Leader” The challenge is the sharing of important information. Other employees may not be eager to share information with someone they don’t know well or do not trust.

Leaders must work hard at establishing good lines of communication. Communication helps everyone agree on roles within the organization, the tasks to be accomplished, the time lines to get projects out the door, learning what the customer wants and describing that need to others, and listening to what is being said.

Coordinate

A “Boss” may just give an employee an assignment and assume it will be accomplished. A “Leader” will coordinate the completion or hand-off of a project/task with those who can best accomplish the goals. They know their people and realize who works best in what area. They don’t just hand an employee a task, they delegate the authority to the employee to get the job done.

Collaborate

A “Boss” may not want to roll up their sleeves and get the job done. They may not want to get their hands dirty as they may believe the job is not theirs to do. A “Leader” understands that collaboration requires working side-by-side to meet the goals and objectives of the organization. Leaders use their collaborative skills to achieve significant accomplishments and they understand, appreciate, and leverage the differences in their people to produce the greatest solutions for complex challenges.

The three “C”s cannot be effectively used, however, unless you have built a solid foundation on TRUST. The relationships that Leaders build form the foundation upon which a company flourishes. Leaders understand that by knowing their employees, they know who they can count on to get the job done.

There are trust builders and trust busters. Look at the following list and see where you are in building your leadership.

Builders Busters

Share needed information Sharing Confidential Information
Loyal Giving information to outsiders
Acceptance of others Withholding information
Valuing others Vague instructions
Awareness of what is happening Hidden agendas
Openness Fear tactics
Honesty Public criticism or embarrassment

And remember, the deepest foundation builder for developing leaders is good communication!

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How to be an effective leader

EffortlessHR Announces Free Trial for Web-based Small Business HRIS / HRMS Software

Aaron Queen — Fri, 28 May 2010 21:08:29 +0000

That’s right!

We are bringing back our very popular free trial for our EffortlessHR Online HR Software system.

Just in case you read the blog, and have never visited our main site ( http://www.effortlesshr.com/ ) , We’ll list some of our exciting existing and new features below:

Online Employee & Personnel Management
Employee Portal
New! Custom Reports
HR Forms
Labor Laws
Labor Law Posters
HR Guide
Calendar & Reminders
New! Powerful Import & Export Capabilities
New! Multi-Layer Access Levels
Online File Storage
Company Property Tracking
Benefits Management
Company Data Management
Labor Law Updates

Be sure to check out everything we offer, and we’d love to hear your feedback. Click here to visit EffortlessHR.com

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | EffortlessHR Announces Free Trial for Web-based Small Business HRIS / HRMS Software

Human Resource Management at Work

Lola Kakes — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:50:45 +0000

Human Resource management is the process a company uses to ensure the effective and efficient use of their “people” talents to accomplish organizational goals. If these resources are managed properly and effective, the organization would most likely increase profits, sell more items, produce in a more efficient manner, and be able to do all this while staying in legal compliance.

A product or service is only as good as the people that make it, design it, or sell it. This means that one of the most important assets of any organization is their human capital. If you have qualified, enthusiastic individuals, you will have a better chance of maintaining a leading edge over your competitor. If you have poor morale, low production, ineffective service, or untrained individuals – the chances are pretty high that your organization will be in the top 33% of all organizations that fail. People really do make the difference.

It is easy to see why HR is the most expensive part of doing business if you consider that studies show that the expense of having employees is about 40% of a company’s profit,. Large organizations have always seemed to have HR expertise – they have fully staffed HR or Personnel Departments with varying degrees of specialties, such as compensation, benefits, training, recruiting, etc. A fully staffed HR Department in a large organization might consist of at least three people at a cost of about $200,000 per year – just for salaries. Just imagine what you, the small company owner, could do with a staff of 5 people and an overhead budget of approximately $200,000 per year.

Well, in the first place you would not need 5 HR people. Most small companies can do quite well with a part-time HR person that is capable of giving good HR advice and counseling. Costs may vary, depending upon the expertise you are looking for, however, if you find an independent contractor with solid HR experience, an hourly rate for tasks completed would probably be very cost effective.

What can you, as a small company owner or manager do to have the leading edge and have your employees weigh in on the asset side of the ledger and not on the liability side? Talk to various human resource consultants and pick one that is right for your organization – one with experience, capabilities, and knowledge of human resource functions. Look at tools and resources that will help you develop your staff. One such tool is EffortlessHR, an Internet based “HR in a Box” program that is affordable and provides a wealth of information. Look it over and see what it can do for you or, check out other available tools and resources and find the right one for you.

Once you decide on the right combination you can get on with what you do best – run your company.

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Human Resource Management at Work

Building a Team – How to ACE it

Lola Kakes — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 17:13:08 +0000

There are many types of teams – there are sport teams, debate teams, dance teams, teams of horses, and there are of course, business teams. There are even more types of teams, which you could probably list if you wanted. Teams can be good, bad, so-so, or great.

If you look at just these few listed here, what do they have in common and what makes a great team? All teams are comprised of more than one person, and let’s face it when you get more than one person in the same room, the dynamics change. The individual is no longer dealing with one set of ideas or policies, or need. The dynamics of a group of people brings into play different ideas, comments, thoughts. The issue becomes, how to develop and build a great team.

In looking at teams and what they have in common, it becomes fairly obvious there are three underlying principles in building a team and it is how you ACE it.

ACE stands for:

A – Accountability

C – Commitment

E – Empowerment

Accountability is the first ingredient in team building. When putting a team together, make sure you set goals and establish the purpose for the team. It becomes the “job description” for the team and helps the team members understand their functions within the team. Effective leaders lead their people and inspire them by creating an environment that motivates them to ask, “What else can I do?” over and over until the results are achieved.

The daily activities that comprise people’s jobs must then be consistently in alignment with the targeted results. This can happen only if people understand the results they are supposed to achieve in the job they are to perform. Accountability is assuming responsibility for the actions and results that is the charge of your team.

Commitment, the second ingredient in team building is defined as the bond of an employee to the organization, the strength of which depends on the degree of employee involvement, employee loyalty, and belief in the values of the organization. In other words, the desire to do well, succeed, and make the team (the organization) look good is important to the team members, both individually and as a whole.

Empowerment

is the third ingredient in building a team. Empowerment is the ability for management to allow employees to make decisions. Building decision-making teams is often one of the models used in employee empowerment, because it allows for managers and workers to contribute ideas toward directing the company. When employees feel as though they can choose and can make direct decisions, they usually feel better about themselves and their jobs and the organization. Employee’s who are not constantly watched and criticized are more likely to consider work as a positive environment, rather than a negative one.

By working together for the good of the organization, teams can provide effective and efficient processes. Once the goal or purpose of the team has been reached, the team can be disbanded. The individuals can then be available for other teams to be established as needed. Team building is a fluid operation of the organization and changes with the needs and goals of the organization. In fact, some individuals may be participants in more than one team at a time. It all depends on the ability of the individuals involved and what they are tasked to accomplish.

If they establish their team structure and follow the guidelines, they will in fact, ACE it.

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Building a Team – How to ACE it

Have I Got a Deal for You… — Business Ethics and Conduct

Lola Kakes — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:34:46 +0000

A few years ago the news was all about Enron and how the “books were cooked”. Today we are going through an economic downturn with a major issue in sub-funded home loans. Many home owners will not only lose their homes, but will be faced with financial issues for years to come. In addition, many mortgage companies have folded and employees have lost their positions and it has gone on to affect banks and financial institutions.

What is wrong with this picture? I believe it is a breakdown in not only individual ethics but a disregard of business ethics and business conduct. Business ethics and conduct is all about values and principles and help businesses define who they are as an organization (and also as an individual). I believe every organization should have a business ethic policy, communicate it to their employees and clients, and follow it very carefully.

What is a business ethic policy? It is a statement of what your organization believes in, how they treat one another, and how they do business. It is not just a compliance issue – it is the integrity of the organization and a statement of support and belief in that integrity.

Employees need to have this policy and that the company they are working for has set high standards that are important to them and that the employee is supported by management if they are faced with a difficult ethical decision.

I believe that in the case of Enron and the mortgage debacle we are currently going through, the collapse of organization’s business ethics and code of conduct is the primary reason for the failure. This failure cost the business to collapse, their employees to lose their jobs, and in some cases resulted in legal repercussions that are still being felt today. If these businesses had policies in place, they ignored them.

What can employers and employees do? I believe there are several steps that we can take:

1. Reach an agreement as to what each of you mean by business ethics and what conduct will be appropriate in your place of business.

2. Train employees in how to conduct business and respond to requests and let them know the consequences of not following your policy.

3. Define and explain conflict of interests so there is no misunderstanding of how employees are to conduct business either in or outside of the organization.

4. Provide assistance and support in reviewing how to identify and deal with potential conflicts of interest.

5. Protect your own business secrets and product information with non-disclosure documents so that every employee understands that certain information is proprietary and important to your business.

Business ethics and conduct are too important not to be a major statement within an organization. Make sure your organization has one.

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Have I Got a Deal for You… — Business Ethics and Conduct

First Line Supervisors – the “Achilles’ heel” in Discrimination Cases

Cathy Baniewicz — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:00:40 +0000

Having the correct human resources policies and procedures in place is not sufficient to prevent findings of unlawful discrimination if your supervisors are not properly trained. Often someone is promoted into supervision without any experience managing people. First line supervisors are considered to be “management” and as such are responsible for knowing and following the myriad employment laws.

“Preventative maintenance” is always cheaper in the long run.

The Number One Rule: Don’t’ promote someone to supervision solely because they are a good worker. Make certain the individual has the skills and abilities to become a good supervisor. If the employee has no management background, do skills assessments to help you determine if the person has what it takes to be an effective member of your management team.

Make certain the new supervisor receives the necessary training:

Review all policies and procedures in detail, making sure the new supervisor understands the proper disciplinary procedures for violations of company policy.

Supervisors should be familiar with federal and state employment laws. There are numerous training courses, seminars, etc. on employment law for new supervisors. Many courses are offered online, thereby saving travel expense. Remember, ignorance of the law is not an acceptable defense.

All personnel should receive sexual harassment training. This is a growing area of litigation and proactive measures to train the workforce are strongly recommended by the Equal Opportunity Commission.

If supervisors are involved in recruiting, make certain they understand the various “legal” factors involved in the hiring process, i.e. candidate screening, appropriate interview questions, employee selection based on being the most qualified for the position.

Red Flags!

Supervisors who play “favorites” and do not apply your policies and practices consistently. Someone who is constantly bending the rules puts the company in a vulnerable position regarding discrimination claims.

Supervisors who keep their own ‘files”. Matters regarding performance problems should be in the employee’s personnel file. All supervisory files are subject to subpoena in discrimination cases, so be certain you know what information a supervisor is keeping.

Supervisors who view training in employment laws, etc. as a “waste of time”. Countless discrimination suits have been lost because of the inappropriate actions of first-line supervision.

Supervisors who “wing it” and don’t ask questions. Communicate that employee relation issues are important, and encourage supervisors to be upfront if they need help or training. No one has all the answers.

Hold your supervisors accountable! If you have a performance appraisal program, be certain that compliance with all employment laws is a factor in the supervisor’s evaluation.

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | First Line Supervisors – the “Achilles’ heel” in Discrimination Cases

Payroll Expense Management

Ellen Kirton — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 20:36:49 +0000

An important element of a company’s profitability is their payroll expense. It is vital that a business owner realize the full cost of an employee, especially when considering adding to staff. Some examples of these costs, in addition to regular pay and any any potential overtime, are: benefits such as health and/or life insurance, holiday and/or vacation pay, training, hiring costs, etc. These are just a few of the additional costs that should be factored in when budgeting, whether it be with current staff or for the addition of new staff. Each employee should be calculated and matched to their value to the company.

The best way to ensure this is in the budget process. List all costs associated with an employee so that these costs can be accumulated. Often, on a Profit & Loss Statement, costs can be designated in different areas such as Labor is seen in Cost of Goods Sold, Payroll Taxes and Training in Sales & Adminsitration Costs. This does not allow an owner to see a complete picture of employee costs. Understanding the true cost of an employee should be a critical component of the decision to retain or hire employees. This review of employee costs will really will open the eyes of a business owner. And just as importantly, employee retention will lower the cost of employees because it can cost between 1to 5 times the annual pay of an employee to replace them. Wow, that is significant!

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Payroll Expense Management

Are you a Manager or an “Ogre”?

Lola Kakes — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 21:29:41 +0000

Employee retention is one of the key issues facing businesses of all sizes. We know that turnover is expensive – two and a half times an employee’s annual salary – more for a managerial level employee. Many think money is the key motivated, but it isn’t. People leave their managers, not their companies. Do you conduct yourself in a professional manner or do you:

Intimidate your employees – yell at people, throw tantrums in meetings, belittle people
Take credit for what others do, never accept blame when things go wrong
Micromanage, distrust people
Betray confidences, gossip and spread rumors
Constantly criticize, fail to praise your employee’s good work
Withhold important information or resources for the success of the project, job, etc.
Play favorites, inconsistently enforce policies and procedures
Act superior – do not ask for other’s opinions or suggestions
Set unreasonable deadlines
Have poor communication skills, i.e. use humor inappropriately, swear, etc.

If you’ve answered “yes” to any of the above, it’s time to take stock of your behavior and resolve to make changes to more effectively manage your employees.

You can:

Seek professional assistance if you have anger management issues.
Take a leadership training seminar or class to learn appropriate managerial behaviors
Live by the golden rule “Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You!”

Don’t let negative behavior drive your valuable employees out of the company!

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Are you a Manager or an “Ogre”?

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How to be an effective leader

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