Category Archives: Leadership and Team Building

The Importance of Teamwork and Positive Energy in the Workplace

Employees are a company’s greatest asset or the biggest liability.

It is one thing to hire exceptional individuals it is another to hire exceptional individuals who are leaders and who understand the importance of positive energy and the power of working together as a team to achieve dynamic results.

Positive energy flow and teamwork is vital to the long term growth of any establishment. Be aware that negative energy and ego can contaminate an entire establishment – all it takes is one individual.

Creating a strong positive team environment is important. Each individual plays a significant role in the overall energy force contributing positive or negative energy in the workplace. “Teamwork not only allows a person to do what he couldn’t otherwise do; it also has a compounding effect on all he possesses – including talent. A group of talented people committed to working together is a work of art. – John Maxwell

Understanding each team member’s strengths and weaknesses including varying energy levels and pairing up individuals who balance one another to create a team can be beneficial to all. In addition, hire individuals who are willing to learn from one another and support one another’s growth regardless of their position within the company. Look for the greatness within each individual and pair them with teammates who complement one another encouraging growth, support and teamwork.

A Chinese proverb states, “Behind an able man there are always other able men” The truth is that teamwork is at the heart of great achievement. The question isn’t whether teams have value, the question is whether we acknowledge that fact and become better team players – John Maxwell

One is too small a number to achieve greatness. Nothing of significance was ever achieved by an individual acting alone. Look below the surface and you will find that all seemingly solo acts are really team efforts. – John Maxwell

You are only as good as the employees you hire.

This guest post was written by Janis Gall of MAC Marketing Solutions

photo credit: kool_skatkat

Customer engagement

I read this recent post, Faking it by Chris Ferdinandi, managing editor at GoMakeThings.com and I find his thoughts on customer engagement so very true.

Sincerity is key when it comes to customer service, and clearly if you love your job, and have a thriving culture, the sincerity will come naturally. The positive byproduct of this is happy, loyal customers who believe in your product or service, and want to be a part of that experience. It’s that simple.

Foster a positive corporate culture which will keep your employees happy, and your customers will be happy too.

~ Jessica Rozitis

Goodbye to a Great Leader

He shaped the way we use technology today. He made it cool. He made it beautiful. He made it fun. He made it personal.

Steve Jobs was the most innovative CEO of our time. He was a dynamic maverick who built and rebuilt Apple over the course of several decades. Apple is one of the most valuable companies in the world in terms of its market capitalization. Everybody talks about Steve Jobs’ creativity, innovation and passion. He was also a very inspiring leader, a visionary. He was known to be a micro-manager, but in a positive way.

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on.” –Steve Jobs.

And one more thing…

3 Apples changed the World. The 1st one seduced Eve, the 2nd one fell on Newton and the 3rd was offered to the World half bitten by Steve Jobs.

~ Jessica Rozitis

photo credit: Giandomenico Ricci

Domo arigato

How often do you thank your employees for their work? I try to say ‘thanks’ daily, but for sure every few days I thank my team.

I appreciate hearing it myself so I can imagine others do too!

We all want to keep motivated and I found the simple words of gratitude are very uplifting and encouraging and I keep doing more of whatever I was thanked for.

Employee motivation is a topic all Human Resource professionals ponder – and rightly so as look at the results – Increased employee motivation leads to higher employee engagement and finally retention increases.

So, how to motivate our employees?

Unfortunately there is not an exact science nor formula.  Too bad we couldn’t just fill in a check list we created tailored to specific “types” of people.  However, just as one employee is motivated primarily by money, then another employee is not. I have staff that appreciate personal recognition for a job well done just as much as that ‘extra’ bonus available.   Motivation should be as individual as the employees who work for us.

And it doesn’t just have to be the leader that recognizes their employees. In our company, employees are given opportunities to formally thank and publicly recognize their peers for going above and beyond their regular job to support the team.

Thank you!

~ Cheryl Nakamoto

photo credit: Anemone Letterpress

Fulfillment at Work

I came across this captivating talk by leadership expert Simon Sinek a few weeks ago, and it still resonates with me. I must admit, the title grabbed me at first: “If You Don’t Understand People, You don’t Understand Business”  but it is the content and storytelling that pulled me in.

Although the running time is 30 minutes, I set aside the time to give it my full attention. It is definitely worth your time to watch this. You’ll be glad you did.

~ Jessica Rozitis

Leadership Styles – Bring out your inner Prince William

I recently  read a very enlightening article on leadership styles – Bring out your inner Prince William.  Never have I read an article that caused me to stop and reflect. Leadership is key.  When motivating our staff or when needing motivation should we not look at the types of teams we need to lead to success?

Great Leaders know how to communicate with everyone – average Leaders communicate with everyone the same way.  What is your leadership style? And if you only have one, why?  Read this and become your own king, president, prime minister or entrepreneur when needed.

~ Sandra Mebs

Game Day

Stanley Cup Playoffs round 1. Game 7. Sudden death overtime.  An unbelievable amount of pressure upon both hockey teams.  It was not about individual superstars. It was about the team coming together for one common goal. For the Canucks, after losing games 4, 5, and 6…they just had to come out of that adversity as a stronger, more focused team. And they did.

I feel twitchy as I write this, the anticipation of what is to come is heavy. Game day approaches. Again.

Ryan Kesler said it best in his post game 7 interview :

“I never wanted something as bad as wanting this game.
Everybody in that room wanted it just as bad as I did.
We play for each other in that room.
We really care about each other, and that’s what it’s all about.”

When I think of great teams playing at the top of their game, it’s not only the Canucks that come to mind. Skeleton racing may be an individual sport, but it is ‘the team effort’, said Canada’s 2010 Gold medalist for Skeleton, Jon Montgomery, ‘that makes the difference’.  I had the privilege of hearing Jon speak at a business engagement. What a character! I was taken by his astuteness and insight into the psychology of a leader.

Below are some notes of wisdom from Jon Montgomery:

-Self efficacy wins the day

-Have control over your attitude

-Be able to see that it’s not just about yourself

-Embody team spirit. Always.

-Things are only out of reach if you put them there

-Compare notes with your peers (sharing from peers expedited their rate of learning and paid off in dividends)

-Your only choice in life is how you choose to handle situations

Through adversity, real teams survive. They have gaman. (the Japanese term of zen buddhist origin, meaning to do one’s best in distressed times, maintaining self control and discipline.)  United teams have the hallmarks of champions.  Maybe, just maybe, The Cup will be ours this year. To our dear Canucks, in the words of Jon Montgomery, ‘…center the scope of your vision and execute plan.’

May we all have our game day too. (more than once)

~ Sarah McNeill

The sun can shine everywhere anytime.

Yes Mr. Rogers you were correct when you said “it’s a beautiful day in the neighbourhood” on your TV show back in the 70′s. This show impacted my life and so many others. I think this show is a positive memory point I’ve carried with me all my life. When I stop to think about the effect one’s attitude has on others it can  really be a deal breaker in many situations. Leaving Hawaii the other week I looked out the window to see  12 airport staff all standing in a line waving at our plane  and with a smile on my face I thought what a wonderful thing to remember when leaving that beautiful place. The lovely smile and welcome I always get from my barista anytime I go to her coffee shop makes my day and makes me want to return. The way we carry our emotions can greatly affect our relationships with our ‘neighbours’, in the office and anywhere else we go.

When’s the last time you thought about the way you approach your morning and end your day with your team mates and loved ones. How about any given moment in the day? Does the sun shine around you?

This video warms my soul. Have a great day!

~ Sarah McNeill

Corporate Team Building

At McNak, we are fascinated with corporate culture. Check out this video from Vancouver’s 6S Marketing. A great example showcasing their corporate culture.

“We use corporate team building as an incentive to our employees…People don’t necessarily choose a company to work for based on the size of their paycheck. There are many other factors, and some of that is corporate culture.”                        – Chris Breikss, 6S Marketing C0-Founder & Director

~ Jessica Rozitis

Reflections

It’s that time of the year when my mind starts to wander through the past activities and events in my life over the past 365 days. This ‘free-form’ thinking is a welcome break from routine. And while routines are often extremely important to setting pace in one’s personal and business life, these ‘wandering’ moments can be soulful and provide the catalyst for the next wave of energy and focus.

Guy Borgford’s blog post, Is Your Company Fearless, got me thinking about new year’s resolutions for 2011. Fear it seems, is what sets great companies apart. It is in being fearless then, where things seem to take flight.

Two iconic companies come to mind, Facebook and Google. While both have certainly changed my life, it is the mark of their tremendous corporate cultures that struck me.

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook once said, ‘it’s about being unafraid to break things in order to make them better.’

David Glazer, Engineering Director of Google calls it keeping the ‘cheese in motion’. Having recently reread Spencer Johnson’s book ‘Who moved my Cheese’, this statement made sense. Change happens. The more you are in your groove prepared for change the more you will adapt. And what two better companies to prove this point than Facebook and Google.

Time for resolutions on becoming more fearless in our lives and in our businesses.

~ Sarah McNeill