Great leaders create great leaders Its not coincidental, its part of the job

Great leaders create great leaders Its leid coincidental, its part of the jobGreat leaders create great leaders Its not coincidental, its part of the jobYou cant judge a great leader by their salary, or how many years of experience they have under their belt - thats only part of the picture and not even a telling one at that. If you want to identify a great leader, look no farther than their team.Assuming the responsibility of developing internal talent is what typifies the bad from the good the good from the great. All leaders understand the importance of attracting top talent, but what you do with that talent once theyre officially on your companys payroll is what truly matters.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreAre employees being nurtured into leadership positions? Or, for those not interested in titled positions per se, are they being sttzeed in forging their own path within the company? If not, thats troubling, for both the workplace and its leaders.Leadership isnt just a titleAcquiring and retaining top talent is not just good for morale and for the companys bottom line, it should be enmeshed in the business strategy. This is where leaders often run into problems. They believe that employee happiness - and, therefore, retention - is tied into gimmicky perks like company-wide happy hours or free office snacks, but its not. Employees want job security, health insurance, and unlimited vacation. Additionally, they want professional development, and this progress is your responsibility.Leaders who dont see the value in meaningful growth dont run people-first companies. They see their title as a status symbol and turn their focus inwards, rather than viewing their role as an ongoing responsibility to their team. When this happens, employees become stepping stones to notoriety when they should, in fact, be part of the success.Mike Myatt, the author of Lead ership Matters, says that entrepreneurs shouldnt be in the business of creating followers, but of developing leaders. It should always be people over process because, when its not, well continue to find ourselves in a crisis of leadership.How you approach this development is entirely up to you. Praise your employees achievements individually and office-wide, offer generous perks like flexible schedules, or, like Richard Branson, just simply show your employees youre listening to them by writing their feedback down. These may sound inconsequential, but the impact they have is powerful - Branson even credits a people-first approach to his billion-dollar career.When people come first, so should cultureEmployees, not customers, should come first. This may sound backward to some leaders, but the way you treat your team directly impacts the customer experience. When you put them first, theyll be happier and more engaged, which translates into more satisfied (and loyal) clients.Whether yo ure a startup or accomplished entrepreneur, I believe that its always a good idea to begin the way you mean to go on. What I mean by this is that you should work out the nuances of your company culture from the very beginning - as early on as when youre deciding on your company name and brand. The emphasis on culture should be built into your values, your mission, your everything.Part of developing your talent is realizing that leadership isnt a hierarchy. Yes, roles and responsibilities vary, but important decisions dont just happen at the top. Encourage employees to take ownership of the company, and support them in doing it. This means developing managers and seniors, but also developing leaders who dont necessarily hold traditional leadership titles - taking the lead on a project counts as leadership, too.A culture of leadership is collaborative and open, where involvement drips down to even the lowest positions within the company.Support progress and gritCreating great leader s takes more than just vision, it also requires actionable steps. You can build it into your values and company culture, but that means nothing without training, internal and external development opportunities, and your guidance. Passive leaders dont create great leaders. Hold your employees accountable in meeting your high standards by challenging them to push themselves.Yet, it cant just stop there, you must also support their progress. Being a great leader means being tough, but protective. Sarah Robb OHagan, the author of Extreme You, says that leaders must push hard, but support harder. And as employees begin to take ownership of their talents under your guidance, its important that you also recognize when its time to step aside and nurture more independence from them.Gradually, they will gain more confidence and, once they know they have your trust, can begin taking on more leadership responsibilities. They should believe, not just hear, that they are experts in their role.Be erkennbar about your own developmentWhen you model great leadership, you can expect your team to do the same - even though it should go without saying that everyone will come into their own leadership styles, and thats okay. But in being a role model, however, we must remember that its not demonstrating that were experts because were the best. Instead, its about showing employees that even we are still learning.Powerful leaders arent esteemed by a know-it-all attitude. Rather, a powerful leader is one who admits they are still learning every single day. Be transparent about your own development as you discuss goals and growth with your employees. Leadership is never something you can get and then thats it - its a practice you will continuously adapt and evolve.Unsurprisingly, when were focused on the development of our employees, it will, in turn, strengthen our own leadership approach.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know yo ur social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

How to Ask for a Referral Without Embarrassing Yourself

How to Ask for a Referral Without Embarrassing YourselfHow to Ask for a Referral Without Embarrassing Yourself The most awkward networking attempt Ive ever witnessed happened in my senior year of college. A former executive at NBC who had started his own production company came to talk to the film department at my school about entertainment careers, and I went to check it out. The speaker was great - he had plenty of insight, advice and personal anecdotes, and I stayed after to chat with him a bit (mainly about our mutual love of 30 Rock if Im being honest).Ahead of me in line was aleidher woman who, rather than asking a thoughtful question, hit him with Can you help me get an internship at your company? Unsurprisingly, he gave her a strange look, said that she should look up the opportunities available on their careers page, and moved on. After all, why in the world would he vouch for her when he didnt know anything about her?I understand why you might want to as k someone to help you get a job at their company - referrals are a powerful way to get your foot in the door, and studies have shown that recruiters view referral candidates as higher quality than other sources. But if you dont ask for one the right way, you may be doing mora to hurt your application than help it. An out-of-the-blue request like the one I witnessed can come across as pushy, crass and just plain self-serving.To help you navigate that fine line between polite and presumptuous, we reached out to experts to hear how they suggest approaching someone for a referral - here are their tips.If youre close to somebody connected to the company - be it a friend, family member or former colleague - youre in luck. Assuming you have a good relationship, they will probably be happy to help you out.Be honest with them. Tell them what it is youre ultimately looking for, and give them an idea of how they can help you, recommends career coach Carlota Zimmerman .Keep in mind, thou gh, that a request for a referral - even when asking a close friend - is leid a guarantee that youll receive one. If somebody cant vouch for your work quality, they may not be comfortable putting themselves on the line for you. Because of this, its polite to give somebody an out, says Roy Cohen, career coach and author of The Wall Street Professionals Survival Guide .Build in an exit option for friends, family and colleagues. Sometimes, and to our great surprise and disappointment, the people closest to us will act weird when these sorts of requests are made, Cohen says. Rather than jeopardize the relationship, let the request go if there is any waffling.Cohen suggests saying something like I wonder if I can impose on youand its not an issue if you cant. Im trying to get a referral to company name and I seem to remember that you may know that person or know someone who does. It would really mean a lot to me. Let me explain why.If they do end up referring you, dont take it for granted.Afterwards, take them out to dinner, or buy them a small thank-you present, Zimmerman advises.Asking for a referral from an acquaintance - say, a friend of a friend or former coworker who you only talked to a handful of times - requires a little bit more finesse. One way to build goodwill and improve your odds of a response is reminding them of your connection to each other.It is always best if you and the acquaintance share a good mutual friend or colleague in common. That will establish your credibility as someone who is not likely to be a source of embarrassment, Cohen says. Send a brief note first to break the ice and to provide context as to why you are reaching out.Cohen suggests You may remember that you and I share so-and-so in common. I seem to recall that you may also have a connection to who you want to meet or where you want to go. I heard that there may be an opportunity there and I wanted to reach out, but I dont know anyone at the firm. Can I impose on y ou? Let me tell you about my background so that you know a little bit more about me.This last part is key, Cohen says, as people we barely know or know peripherally on a social basis may have little knowledge as to our backgrounds. It is always a good idea to remind them by sharing information that they may be unaware of and that may even impress them.This will also allow them to give hiring managers and recruiters a better idea of what you have to offer, which is key if you want to get their attention.And just as you would with a friend, its nice to express your appreciation for a referral by thanking them with a phone call, note or small gift.If you dont know somebody who works at the company youre interested in, all hope is not lost. These days, you can easily go online to figure out who works at a company and reach out to them. Its best to seek out a recruiter, the hiring manager for the role or someone who is on the team youre interested in joining. Make sure that youre not ask ing for too much too quickly, though, as that will turn people off of helping you.Once you reach out to someone via LinkedIn or email, always begin by expressing your gratitude, and repeat that message at the very tail end of your request, suggests Cohen.Then, use your interest in a position at the company they are working at as a way to get to know this person, advises J. Kelly, author of BUILD YOUR DREAM NETWORK Forging Powerful Relationships In A Hyper-Connected World .Kelly suggests saying I know weve recently connected on LinkedIn through XYZ, and I recently saw the X department at your company has an open position. Im intrigued by it. Any chance I could ask you a few questions about the company and the role? Use your interest as the way to start a conversation and be open to where it leads to, she adds.Ask a few questions about the company culture, responsibilities of the role, what they love about working there, etc. Then, you can begin a gentle segue into mentioning that y ou too would like to work for that company, shares Sara Causey, CEO of SEC Technical, LLC. Have a strong pitch ready as to why you want this referral, your goals, what you bring to the table (education, experience, expertise) and crucially, why you believe this person can help you, Zimmerman suggests. Remember that youre essentially asking a stranger to open doors for you, so how you present is how youll be perceived.Dont forget to thank the person for their time, and if they do end up providing you with a referral, keep them looped in on next steps.In any situation where you ask for a referral and someone grants it, circle back with that person on the outcome Nothing is worse than being left in the dark as to whether or not an introduction or interview came through, Cohen says. Not to mention, by following up, youre also more likely to receive help from that person again in the future.Asking for a referral may seem intimidating, but its often an effective way to head to the top of the candidate list, so its worth the request - as long as you handle it delicately. But if you demonstrate respect for the other person, show thoughtfulness in your approach and thank them for their time, youll have nothing to worry about.

Storytelling increases social media audience engagement and loyalty

Storytelling increases social media audience engagement and loyaltyStorytelling increases social media audience engagement and loyaltyMost of the content vying for our attention in social media campaigns these days is fleeting. You might see it for only a split second to begin with. And, if the message is designed to stoke your fear of missing out on something new and amazing (a.k.a. FOMO), the entire experience becomes one driven by a persons willingness - and ability - to react quickly, take action now, and generally speaking, not think too hard about what theyre doing.The downside of this kind of content is that its often forgettable and usually meaningless.Not everyone has a product that lends itself to time-sensitive absatzwirtschaft and discounts, so for many companies, using FOMO social strategies isnt just a mistake, but a pretty significant missed opportunity. Besides Whens the last time you encountered branded social media marketing content that not only made you pause bu t made you act?Many social media marketers and other content creators operate under the assumption that their target audiences cant pay attention to anything. Its not that hard to understand why the average person faces a constant deluge of streaming content, social media updates, and disruptive product announcements, all vying for our attention across every channel and multiple devices.But, its also true that people willingly binge-consume content they like, whether its Snapchat streaks or the latest Netflix original. And thats where the big disconnect between vermodern social media marketing and audience behavior lives.That disconnect isnt a mystery, either. In fact, its the business version of something that all of us do pretty much every day tell a story. Its important to note, too, that not all marketers are missing it there have been tons of standout examples of social media storytelling in recent years that have gone viral, and for good reason.Some examples includeAirbnbsWebb y Award-winning animated short Wall and Chain, Land Rovers digital adventure story,The Vanishing Game, Google Indias tearjerkerReunion video, or the bone-chillingDear David ghost storyfrom Buzzfeed, storytelling has flooded the marketing sphere. Yet many social media marketers are still creating campaigns that lack any type of storytelling, relying instead on outdated tactics and then wondering why they fail to make an impact.Those campaigns are falling flat because peoples attention spans arent non-existent, shrunken, or fractured - theyre evolving, and have given us all higher standards for what we consider worthy of our time.The trifecta of audience engagement Story, dialogue, and visuals that wowFindings in Prezis2018 State of Attention Report, suggest that were all simply becoming more selective about the content we consume, partly out of necessity and partly by choice. That means social media marketers and other content creators need to rethink their engagement strategies if they want their campaigns to actually catch fireandkeep on spreading.The study found that six in 10 business professionals report being able to give a piece of content their undivided attention more today than they could just one year ago. Meanwhile, 55% of respondents said that, for content to be considered engaging and worth their attention, it needs to tell a great story.But, as critical as storytelling is, its not the only thing content requires to be considered great. Dialogue and visuals are also key, particularly when it comes to presentations. A simple formula for success, right? Not exactly. Heres whyThe story must becompelling.The people who make up that 55% of respondents who said a great story is what captures their attention werent just talking about adding once upon a time to the beginning of your ebook or presentation. Like many things, storytelling is an art and a science, and there aredos and donts to consider.The visuals must begripping.Stand-out visuals, including animations and dynamic graphics, are critical for engaging audiences, according to one-third of professionals surveyed.The visuals must begripping.Stand-out visuals, including animations and dynamic graphics, are critical for engaging audiences, according to one-third of professionals surveyed.The dialogue must bestimulating.Forty-one percent of respondents said this element is essential for keeping audiences interested in the content being presented to them.Many social media campaigns get some of these things right - especially the gripping visuals part - but they often fail to hit all three. They dont captureandhold the audiences attention.Mastering the trifecta A must for winning over todays audiencesMaking a meaningful connection with consumers through social media can have a direct and powerful impact on the bottom line. The risk of missing the mark with social media campaigns is high, however, given the vast amount of content that users encounter in these channels. And, mos t of that content isnt living up to peoples growing expectations.Content that tells a great story is far from a passing fad, and it seems that millennials expectations have a lot to do with that. Having grown up on a diet of instantly available information and the social media revolution, they expect content to be interactive, visual, and engaging. In fact, more than one-third of the millennials who responded to the survey said theyonlyengage with content they feel has a great story or theme.So, thats the challenge develop compelling stories or narratives that grab peoples attention and stay top of mind. Assuming that your audience doesnt have a functioning attention span is a major mistake. They do. No matter the target audience you want to reach, or what age demographic they fall into, content that encompasses these three core elements is significantly more likely to attract, engage, and trigger your audience to take action.And for those social media marketers and content creators who dont feel the need to embrace this shift? Its time to start paying attention.This article first appeared on Smartbrief .