Stand by your Principles

At the heart of everything we do as an organisation is Dale Carnegie’s thirty human relations principles. These principles have been with the organisation for many years and the Dale Carnegie itself is celebrating its Centenary in October of this year.

Below is a list of the first 9 principles which covers the foundations of becoming a friendlier person.

Don't criticize, condemn, or complain.
Give honest and sincere appreciation.
Arouse in the other person an eager want.
Become genuinely interested in other people.
Smile.
Remember that a person's name is, to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language.
Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
Talk in terms of the other person's interest.
Make the other person feel important – and do it sincerely.

At first glance you may think to yourself that these prinicples are common knowledge. This is true, however they are not common practice.

Look at the list and again and really ask yourself:

How many of these principles am I actually applying?
How often do I apply them?
Which ones do I find really challenging and why?

If these priniciples and questions resonate with you I would encourage you to attend the opening session of our Skills for Success course on the 8th May for free.

You can register for this event by getting in touch with any of our consultants on 0207 379 4323

Amar Garcha

Employee Retention

Recently HR Review reported about a survey on Employee Engagement. According to the Gallup Engagement Survey only 24% of employees are engaged with their job. That is quite an alarming figure and something that employers need to tackle, especially in this current climate.

In a different survey by ACCOR, 90% of leaders say engagement impacts success, but 75% have no engagement plan.

So why are employee’s struggling to be engaged in their workplace? Is it poor leadership? Are there trust issues? Are the company’s values different to the employees? And what happens if employees are not engaged. Will they produce poor work, not want to involve themselves in projects, or leave and go and work for a competitor?

So how can you raise employee retention? Here are a few ideas:

Relationship with Manager – A recent Gallup poll revealed that a key indicator of employee satisfaction and productivity is employees’ belief that their boss cares about them and can be trusted.

Recognition and Appreciation – Some people are more driven by incentives other than money. Celebrate achievements both individually and as a team; write a note of thanks or recognition with honest, sincere appreciation.

Stimulating, Fulfilling Work – Include employees at the beginning of projects. Employees will be more enthusiastic and you will be surprised to see the creative results and different opinions that bubble up.

Clear Career Path and Opportunities – Providing training opportunities with respect to new skills and career development is an indication that a manager or company is willing to invest on behalf of employees. Encourage employees to join professional organizations by paying membership fees and giving the time off to attend lunches and conferences that foster professional growth.

Respect a Balanced Life – Acknowledging and respecting the importance of family and personal life of employees prevents burnout and fosters loyalty.

At Dale Carnegie we understand the need to engage with employees and gain their commitment. If you would like further tips then why not come along to our Inspirational Leadership Seminar on 24th August and 22nd September.

Helen Mills
Financial Controller
www.london.dalecarnegie.com

Tips for Staying Flexible

Think of yourself as stretchable, expandable and able to adapt to anything new. Who wants to view themselves as static, inflexible and unable to adapt? Periods of change are unpredictable, and we may be asked to adapt to changes that we never anticipated. In order to stay flexible, follow these guidelines:

1. Set short-term goals
It is best during changing times to think ahead, but not too far ahead. Focus on goals and tasks that can be achieved in the immediate future. That way we can achieve measurable and motivating results, even if the change plan is altered in some way. Instead of abandoning our efforts because of changing priorities, we complete our short-terms goals and move on.

2. Work in intense bursts of activity
Some people call this the “blitz mentality.” Complete tasks with intense periods of creative output that produce concrete results. That way we have measureable outcomes that motivate and inspire us to continue our work and, in the process, better engage change.

3. Focus on team efforts
Teams are in a constant state of changing responsibilities and deadline. By aligning ourselves with others who are aiming at similar goals, we create the opportunity for flexibility in achieving results. We become more focused on others and less likely to retreat into our own comfort zone. We gain motivation and inspiration from the other members of the team, making us more likely to successfully play a leadership role.

4. Plan for possible change scenarios
The most important strategy for staying flexible during change is to prepare for various change scenarios. If we create a plan for each possible set of change circumstances, we are prepared to engage change in any way that affects us in the workplace. This gives us more flexibility, greater confidence and makes us more likely to be successful in leading change without authority.

Click here to attend a free preview of our Leadership Training for Managers Programme