Share the Spotlight

I was recently at a company meeting and realized only the department heads took center stage. They covered a lot of great info, but it got boring. Face it: People just stop listening after so many PowerPoint slides. It would've been so much nicer to see some new faces. All of their team members were in the back, and only one leader gave a shout-out to her team.

Whether you're having a sales rally or a client meeting, make sure to include your team. They work hard for you, so share the spotlight. It will break up the monotony of the formal presentation and introduce your audience to other key players who make your business go round while building camaraderie.

With employees, it's the little things that count. The small gesture of inviting them to the stage or saying “thank you for all you do” shows you care and value them.

In a recent study of leadership traits, leaders were asked what they thought employees expected from them. They responded with the ability to: prioritize, strategize, set vision and keep things moving.

When employees responded to what they actually wanted from their leaders, the answers were very different: trust, stability, hope and compassion.

Sharing the spotlight is a simple way to start adding the softer side of business to your company. How have you done this in your business?

Develop an excellent support system of mentors and employees.

They will become your team.

To accomplish this, you’ll need to determine the qualities you want in an employee. Begin by thinking about your heroes. Write down the names of two or three people, past or present, that you admire. Then, list the characteristics that you admire in those people. Are there some commonalities between them? If so, these may be the qualities you want your employees to exhibit. And they will likely be the same qualities that you admire in your mentors.

Lisa Cini, president/owner of Mosaic Design Studio, is a great example of how this works. She’s done a fabulous job of developing a strong support system of mentors and employees. “Not only did the mentors allow me to learn from them, but they also provided a safe place to express excitement, fears and concerns,” she says. At the same time, Lisa makes it her mission to hire happy, honest, passionate, hardworking problem-solvers who want to be challenged. Together, mentors and employees create a winning combo for Lisa—and her business.

What are the qualities you look for in new employees? Learn more about hiring in Real Fact No. 5 of Real You Incorporated.