resources

We’ve created and compiled some helpful resources for you to use throughout your coaching, onboarding, or team development journey. Our resources include Books, White Papers, Videos, and More. Filter our resources by our three areas of expertise.

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Coaching

News

Onboarding

Teams

Type:

Coaching

Other

The Role of Confidence in Leadership

Are You a Confident Leader?

Motivated, determined, and confident, Oliver was a star player and a fast riser within the organization, promoted after just two years in his sales role. Despite his success, the sudden promotion and lack of previous leadership experience made Oliver lose confidence in his abilities when conflicts with his team and superiors began to arise.

In the business world, there is an unprecedented demand for professional development, skill building, and growth to bring value to an organization and advance individual careers. Of the many skills leaders can bring to the table, confidence is a key attribute but can also be elusive. On the surface, confidence often seems like an innate skill for those who have it, but out of reach for those who don’t.

While leadership is an important skill for leaders to have–or more importantly, hone and develop–many leaders share fears that they don’t have what it takes to be an effective leader. According to research conducted by Gartner, only half of 2,800 surveyed leaders felt confident in their ability to lead their organization in the future. This lack of confidence is something that can be felt by employees. The same survey revealed that only half of employees felt their leaders created a cohesive vision for their teams.

Many factors can be attributed to a leader’s confidence or lack thereof, including:

Perfectionism: Leaders set unrealistically high expectations for themselves, which can create fears of not living up to these expectations
Self-Judgment: Focusing on shortcomings or failures can eat away at a leader’s confidence and leave them overly critical of themselves
Lack of Experience: Leaders may feel like they don’t have the necessary experience to succeed in their role. As a result, these leaders may feel out of their element and question their ability to effectively lead a team
Lack of Skill: Some leaders fear they have a gap in their skills that will make it impossible to succeed, such as communication or strategic thinking
Negative feedback: Receiving constructive feedback can be detrimental to a leader’s confidence if not processed appropriately

And these feelings can be easily justified. 60% of new managers fail within the first two years because first-time manager development programs don’t always set these first-time leaders up for success. Additionally, skills developed by high-performing, confident employees may not align with the skills an effective leader needs. For example, a star sales associate, like Oliver, may be competitive and assertive to meet and exceed sales goals, but when thrust into a leadership role, he needs to forget this mindset to become team-oriented and empathetic.

Fortunately, this lack of confidence is something that any good leader can work to overcome. Let’s take a deeper dive into the scenario presented above. Because of Oliver’s early career success, company management felt he was a good candidate for a role with greater responsibility and promoted him to a leadership position. However, without prior leadership experience, a confidence crisis ensued.

A colleague recommended that Oliver should seek an executive coach to help him transition into his new role and build the confidence he needs to be successful. Connect the Dots Coach, Megan was brought in and started the engagement by focusing on helping Oliver develop a transition plan and articulating how he wanted to “show up” as a leader in this role. Once he had a clear picture of the leadership brand he wanted and needed for success in his role, Megan was able to help Oliver understand what behaviors he needed and how to exhibit them. She also taught Oliver how to apply his successes in areas where he is confident and to those where he isn’t as confident. The key for Oliver was to take some small risks to learn and build on those outcomes to develop more confidence. Once the engagement was complete, Oliver was able to employ strategies that he learned and practiced with Megan, making the necessary adjustments to help him maintain forward momentum.

As a result of the successful engagement, our leader improved team cohesion and trust, fostered transparent communication, improved business results, and strengthened relationships with his boss and peers. Data collected by the International Coaching Federation has shown that executive coaching can result in a 70% increase in a leader’s personal performance, improve team performance by 50%, and increase organizational performance by 48%.

Once leaders have the tools they need to succeed, they can transform from a functional leader into a business leader. In turn, becoming this type of leader can increase someone’s potential within the organization and may make them an attractive choice to be promoted to higher leadership levels. While not all leaders may be born with the innate confidence of a leader, executive coaches can help unlock their potential and help them discover the confidence they need to be effective leaders.

Does your organization need more confident leaders? Contact Connect the Dots consulting for more information on how we can help your leaders build their confidence and enhance their leadership to improve business outcomes.

Coaching

Other

Developing Technical Leaders into Great People Leaders

In today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving technological landscape, it’s crucial for organizations to not just have skilled technical leaders but also develop them into great people leaders. Great leaders inspire, motivate, and drive their teams to achieve exceptional results.

Technical leaders are not limited to technology and engineering; they can also come from finance, sales, product development, medicine, data analysis, nursing, logistics, and operations.

While many excel in their technical fields, they often face challenges when transitioning to leadership roles.

The expectations and success profile changes considerably and leaders often need support as they navigate the next phases of their careers.

The following strategies can help technical leaders transition into great leaders:

1. Foster Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence (EI) is a key trait of great leaders. Leaders with high EI are self-aware, can manage their behavior in various situations, and use empathy to coach and mentor their teams. They create a psychologically safe environment where team members feel valued and understood. To develop EI in technical leaders, organizations must provide training and coaching that focuses on self-awareness, empathy, and effective communication.

2. Encourage Continuous Learning and Development
Great leaders are lifelong learners. Encourage technical leaders to continuously develop their skills and knowledge through training programs, workshops, and conferences. Provide opportunities for them to learn about leadership, management, and other relevant topics. This not only enhances their technical expertise but also equips them with the skills needed to lead effectively.

3. Promote a Culture of Coaching and Mentoring
Coaching and mentoring are powerful tools for leadership development. Urge technical leaders to seek out mentors who can provide guidance and support. Additionally, strive to promote a culture where leaders are encouraged to coach and mentor their team members. This helps build strong relationships, fosters a sense of accountability, and drives performance.

4. Develop Strong Communication Skills
Effective communication is essential for great leadership. Technical leaders should be able to articulate their visions, provide clear instructions, and give constructive feedback. Encourage them to develop their communication skills through public speaking courses, coaching, and regular practice. Strong communication skills help leaders build trust and rapport with their teams.

5. Focus on Building High-Performing Teams
Great leaders know how to build and lead high-performing teams. Support technical leaders by focusing their development on team building, delegation, and collaboration. Provide them with the tools and resources to create a cohesive and motivated team. This includes setting clear goals, providing regular feedback, and recognizing and rewarding achievements.

6. Embrace Change and Innovation
In the ever-changing world of work, great leaders must be adaptable and open to change. Encourage technical leaders to embrace innovation and be willing to take risks. Provide them with opportunities to lead change initiatives and drive innovation within their teams. This helps them stay ahead of the curve and fosters a culture of continuous improvement.

7. Prioritize Employee Well-Being
Great leaders understand the importance of employee well-being. Encourage technical leaders to prioritize their team members’ mental and physical health. This includes promoting work-life balance, providing support for stress management, and creating a positive work environment. When employees feel supported and valued, they are more likely to be engaged and productive.

Conclusion
Developing technical leaders into great leaders requires a multifaceted approach that focuses on emotional intelligence, continuous learning, coaching, communication, team building, innovation, and employee well-being. By implementing these strategies, organizations can cultivate leaders who excel in their technical roles and inspire and motivate their teams to achieve greatness.

For organizations looking to develop the leadership they need for success, leadership coaching is a valuable tool that can help develop best-in-class strategies to bring out the best in each leader. Connect the Dots offers targeted coaching solutions that deliver a meaningful return on investment for companies looking to hone their leadership teams. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your technical leaders transform into great people leaders.

Onboarding

Videos

Onboarding Re-Imagined

“Post pandemic attention to onboarding is huge. Tight labor markets and the tremendous cost of turnover makes the onboarding business case a no-brainer. It is exciting to be able to offer and show affordable, simple, yet accountable onboarding solutions” says Erika Lamont, Manging Director. “We use a highly customizable technology template that incorporates human touch elements. Importantly, these solutions do not require heavy support from your IT team.”

For more details about Connect the Dots onboarding solutions, visit our onboarding webpage.

Coaching, Teams, Onboarding

Videos

Real Leadership in Under a Minute Video Series

Connect the Dots has an exciting video series titled: Real Leadership in Under a Minute. The series contains short, (under a minute) videos on current Coaching, Team Development and Onboarding topics.

Managing Director Brenda Hampel states: “We are thrilled to bring targeted video messages to our audience focused on relevant topics that we deal with everyday in our work. We feel that these short videos will resonant with our audience and support their objectives in creating real solutions for real leadership challenges.”

Click below to view the introductory video: What is Real Leadership in Under a Minute?

View the entire Real Leadership in Under a Minute Video Series

Coaching, Teams, Onboarding

Other

Lead from Home Toolkit Collection

We have developed a resource to assist your at-home management efforts, which we are calling the “Lead from Home Toolkit”. These are tried-and-true leadership practices, revised for virtual leadership.

Periodically, we will add a new resource that you can share with your leaders.

See the entire Lead From Home Toolkit collection by clicking below.

Onboarding

Whitepapers

Nailing It: How to Cement Your Success in a New Leadership Role

Onboarding White Paper by CTD

So you’re starting a new job soon. It seems like a great opportunity – a good fit between your skills, goals, and the organization’s needs. That alone should increase the likelihood of your success, right?

Perhaps. For new leaders, the stakes are very high. A recent study by The Center for Creative Leadership revealed that about 40% of new management hires fail within their first 18 months on the job. Corporate expectations of new leaders are high as well, and are often unclear at best. Or conflicting. Or hidden altogether. Walking into a job in a new organization is like traveling to a foreign country – one where you don’t speak the language or know the laws. As an outsider, you are at an extreme disadvantage. Even the best due diligence in your research before taking this job will do little to prepare you for the realities you face once in position.

What can you do to “nail it?” To build a solid foundation for your success, you must be intentional about your OnBoarding process. Build and continually adapt a strategy for successful assimilation from the moment you become interested in the organization.

Successful OnBoarding is a study in paradox. To be effective in your transition, you must focus on learning, rather than demonstrating your worth. Build alliances while not becoming overly political. Seek to improve the organization without devaluing what already exists. Gain the credibility to be allowed to enact decisions that should, by rights, be yours to make. Even, or perhaps especially, if your mandate is to bring about radical change, you must approach your OnBoarding with the sophistication of an anthropologist studying a foreign culture (and the caution of someone who is unsure whether the natives are armed and dangerous).

Be clear about one thing. With or without an OnBoarding process, your fate in a new leadership role is, for better or worse, typically sealed within your first three months. If you fail to establish a toehold for yourself, it may take 12 – 18 months before you know it. But the organization knows it. You are being observed and evaluated from the moment of your first interview. Organizational members are judging whether or not you “get it”, and making decisions about the ways they will work to either support or undermine your success.

A recent Manchester Partners survey of 826 Human Resources leaders identified ineffective peer relationships, role confusion, lack of internal political skills, and failure to meet key objectives as the four strongest predictors of new leader derailment. What is the best way to get out in front of organizational judgment and avoid those pitfalls? The obvious answers – build strong peer relationships, get role clarity, be savvy about the political climate, and meet your performance goals – are not as easily accomplished as they sound. If you’re lucky, your new organization will have a structured Executive OnBoarding process that can assist you – one that guides you through the series of transitions you will experience within the unique context of your company’s business climate.

Importantly, Executive OnBoarding is not the same as employee orientation. A typical orientation process is event-based and short-lived (often totaling no more than eight hours of training), providing a high-level company overview and access to basic information. An effective Executive OnBoarding process is different in several important ways – it is broader in scope, interactive, more structured, covers a longer time period, and is customized to focus your learning on the areas of greatest import to your new role. With a structured Executive OnBoarding process, your chances of successful assimilation increase, and you are more likely to be happy and effective in your new job. Without it, your learning process as a new leader will be marred by the fallout of highly public trial- and-error learning.

Whether or not your organization uses a structured approach to Executive OnBoarding, build a plan for your transition and enlist support for it. In partnership with your boss, you need to gather and integrate information to smooth your assimilation at four levels: your corporation, your business unit, your function, and your personal/family life. In doing so, you will achieve greater role clarity, develop an understanding of the organization and its expectations of you, and build a topographical “map” of the new land you are exploring.

In learning about your corporation, strive to build an in-depth understanding of the history of the company (both public and private knowledge), its key initiatives, and the results achieved. Identify the short- and long-term priorities of the leadership team. Immerse yourself in the Brand. How was it conceived? Communicated? To what extent do you think the brand image the company projects is aligned with how it is perceived in the marketplace? Meet with key leaders, especially those in areas related to your own. Much as an anthropologist would, study the culture. What are the norms (both stated and unstated) for leadership and other behavior? What is forbidden? Why? What differences do you notice between successful and unsuccessful leaders in your new corporation? How does the company measure and talk about success?

In your business unit, many of your OnBoarding activities will mirror the things you’ve learned at the corporate level. The primary difference here is the level of detail. Study the business decision-making processes. Identify and become fluent in the financial language of your business unit.

Attend all senior-level business cycle meetings, and then whittle down a list that you should regularly attend. If you’re studying past initiatives, ask for post-mortems from people who led those efforts. Glean their lessons learned. Learn about the work done by their functional areas, the handoffs to your areas, and their assessments of your area and team. Ask their advice, speaking both generically and specifically. Importantly, during this process, you need to share and test your impressions with your boss, gaining mid-course corrections that will support greater long-term success in your role.

Your functional OnBoarding is where you will roll up your sleeves and really dig into the work processes used in your area. Again, learning about context and history is key. Be cautious about forming and sharing a vision for your team until you have gained enough information to make others feel valued (and you feel well-grounded) in your decision-making. Resist the temptation to “fix” things until you truly understand the underlying issues. Size up your team and their capabilities (and aspirations). Ask to see samples of their work. Find out what they’d do to improve the effectiveness of your area. Visit with key vendors and external partners, and learn from their perspective. Slowly, after several sounding board sessions with your boss, formulate the beginnings of a plan for your group. Put accountabilities into place. Monitor progress and make adjustments as needed.

Finally, do not overlook the importance of personal OnBoarding. Most executive transitions require relocation, and poorly handled relocation can have devastating consequences for executives and their families. Spend the time to find a neighborhood that meets the needs of all family members. Search out churches and clubs that provide social support and a sense of community. Align yourself with charitable organizations that match your personal values, and accept leadership roles where offered. Additionally, well-planted family roots can help you weather the vagaries of a demanding executive role. Recognize that it is a transition process, and that your family may not truly feel at home for a year or more. Do all you can to make your new house a home.

By focusing your OnBoarding at these four key levels, you will be demonstrating real commitment to your success in your new role. And you will be greatly enhancing your chances of “nailing it”. When doing so, please remember to frequently consider the paradoxical nature of OnBoarding. Don’t worry about demonstrating that you were worth the six-figure hiring bonus – be concerned about developing the knowledge and ability to really add value long-term.

Coaching

Other

A Diagnostic Toolkit for Solving Employee Performance Problems Early On

As a leader, you’re going to run into employee performance problems. They’re inevitable and unavoidable. But they are addressable and often solvable. It’s important to address them quickly and effectively, so that the consequences of the performance problems are minimized for employees, your team, your department, and/or your organization.

It’s also important to recognize that performance problems result from a variety of causes—insufficient training, poor feedback, lack of necessary skills, low expectations, etc. So don’t rush in and presume to have all of the answers. That often leads to ineffective solutions that make the performance problems persist.

Instead, use this 12-step diagnostic tool kit. It provides basic statements and questions that often bring to the surface the real performance issue at hand and, therefore, a possible solution. You might find it a fast and easy technique that you’ll refer to again and again for spotting potential problems early on. It will help you bring out the best in your workforce.

1. Start by asking the employee, “What is the problem?”

a. What is the difference between what is being done and what is expected?

b. Describe your proof.

c. How reliable is your proof?

2. Identify performance discrepancies

a. Are they important? How so?

b. What happens if you do nothing?

c. Is it even worth taking time to make the problem better?

3. Surface any performance problems resulting from lack of skill

a. Could the performers do the job if their lives depended on their doing it correctly?

b. Evaluate skills. Are they adequate, or are they below adequate?

4. Evaluate past performance

a. Has it been better? When? What were the commonalities?

b. Have current employees forgotten what they were trained to do?

c. Do people know what is expected of them?

5. Master skills by using them frequently

a. Do employees get regular feedback on how they are doing?

b. How is the feedback communicated to them?

c. Do employees like the way in which they are provided feedback?

6. Ask: Is there a better way to do things? Is there another process that will get the job done?

a. Would a clarified job description be useful?

b. Can employees relearn the task by watching others?

c. Can the process be changed or improved in some way?

7. Ensure that employees have what it takes to be successful at doing the job

a. Is the physical and/or mental potential of the people involved strong enough?

b. Are people truly qualified?

8. Be transparent about performance and punishment—Is performance being punished?

a. What is in it for the employee to do the job right?

b. Is doing the job somehow self-punishing?

c. Is there a reason not to perform well?

9. Find out when not doing the job gets rewarded

a. Have there been rewards in the past for doing the job wrong?

b. Does doing it wrong draw attention to the worker?

c. Do employees worry less, have less anxiety and tension, or get less tired if they do less work?

10. Emphasize that doing it right matters

a. Is there a favorable outcome for doing it right?

b. Are there consequences for not doing it right?

c. Is there pride in doing the job?

d. Is there any status or lack of it connected with the job?

11. Remove obstacles to high performance

a. Do employees know what is expected?

b. Do employees know when it is expected?

c. Is competition making the job too difficult?

d. Are time and tools available?

e. Is the job physically a mess and disorganized?

12. Think of any limitations on possible solutions

a. Are there solutions that would be considered unacceptable to the organization?

b. Do leaders have preferred solutions? Are they open to suggestions for improvement by workers?

c. Can the organization afford the time and resources to find real solutions to real problems?

Asking the right questions at the right times will help you get to the heart of your performance issues and create an environment that is transparent and open for feedback. This prevents small issues from becoming big ones and blockers for success.

Onboarding

Books

Connect the Dots Latest Book: The Talent Selection and Onboarding Toolkit…

Connect the Dots Consulting Partner Erika Lamont’s new book, The Talent Selection and Onboarding Tool Kit: How to Find, Hire, and Develop the Best of the Best is available for sale. The book, co-authored by Anne Bruce, helps demonstrate that the key to an organization’s success is finding the right people at the right time. This book is now available for purchase from Amazon.

“The Talent Selection and Onboarding Pocket Tool Kit provides relevant and easy-to-apply ideas and strategies for anyone who is hiring and onboarding talent in their organizations,” says Erika Lamont, Partner of Connect the Dots Consulting. “New hires expect much of their prospective employers and are making decisions about whether they want to join or stay with organizations from those very early interactions.”

“The rise of social media and our increasingly interconnected world has changed the face of recruiting, hiring and onboarding over the past years, and it’s critical to stay current and be able to tap into the best talent that the market has to offer.” Lamont adds, “This guide acts as a ‘tool kit,’ enabling you to pull out what you need for your situation and use it effectively.”

Teams

Books

Solving Employee Performance Problems

Check out our book: Solving Employee Performance Problems: How to Spot Problems Early, Take Appropriate Action and Bring Out the Best in Everyone, written by Brenda Hampel, Erika Lamont and Anne Bruce.

This will be your go-to book for all your employee performance situations and it is loaded with tools, templates and ready-to-use documents.

Solving Employee Performance Problems provides the tools you need to handle the most difficult employees—from the chronically late or distractingly dramatic to the disruptive, dishonest, or downright insubordinate.

Taking a heavy-handed approach to such behaviors might make you feel good for a little while—but using the measured, proactive techniques outlined in this book will be better for you, your staff, and your business. With Solving Employee Performance Problems, you’ll learn how to take ownership of your employees’ behaviors, master conversations about poor performance, conduct follow-ups, and ultimately generate:

Greater engagement and ownership of work
Higher levels of collaboration and productivity
Increased loyalty and retention rates
Gainful ROI from everyone who works for you

There’s a direct link between growth of individual employees and organizational growth. Use Solving Employee Performance Problems to be someone who manages proactively. It’s the only way to make a positive difference in the life of your employee—and make a positive impact on the future of your company.

More information about this book is available at Amazon.com.

resources

Select a Topic

Type:

Coaching

Other

The Role of Confidence in Leadership

Are You a Confident Leader?

Coaching

Other

Developing Technical Leaders into Great People Leaders

While many excel in their technical fields, they often face challenges when transitioning to leadership roles.

Onboarding

Videos

Onboarding Re-Imagined

Coaching, Teams, Onboarding

Videos

Real Leadership in Under a Minute Video Series

Coaching, Teams, Onboarding

Other

Lead from Home Toolkit Collection

Onboarding

Whitepapers

Nailing It: How to Cement Your Success in a New Leadership Role

Coaching

Other

A Diagnostic Toolkit for Solving Employee Performance Problems Early On

Onboarding

Books

Connect the Dots Latest Book: The Talent Selection and Onboarding Toolkit…

Teams

Books

Solving Employee Performance Problems

Offices

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