Organizations with supervisors who connect with, encourage, and coach their employees often outperform those that do not. Years ago, Southwest Airlines discovered that reducing the ratio of frontline employees to supervisors enabled supervisors to build stronger relationships, provide better support, and ultimately improve employee performance. As a result, Southwest Airlines maintained a frontline employee-to-supervisor ratio of 10:1, whereas some airlines have ratios as high as 40:1.
Current Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol has signaled that the company is looking back to its past to rediscover its greatness.
In a recent article published by SmartBrief, Katharine Stallard and I share why part of that return to the past should include a people-first leadership philosophy exemplified by former Starbucks leader Howard Behar.
To learn more about Howard’s connection-focused leadership style, and how it could benefit Starbucks again, check out the SmartBrief article.
Photo of Howard Behar courtesy of Howard Behar
Connection-minded leaders, you are important and very much needed! Your team needs you—and not just to talk about connection but to keep modeling what it looks like so your colleagues are inspired to follow your example.
It’s that time of year. Cue the extra stress! The last two months of the calendar year are filled with opportunities and tasks that may test you, stretch you, entertain you, frustrate you, surprise you, or exhaust you.
I write and speak about leadership, advocating for a group culture rich with the kind of positive social connection that brings out the best in individuals and thus the collective group. My focus is on what leaders should do to connect people: inspire and unite them around a shared vision and mission, value each individual, and give them a voice.
In the past four years, HR professionals have encountered a host of challenges, including seismic work shifts due to the Covid-19 pandemic, The Great Resignation, and much more. Caught between the dictates of upper management and the wrath of employees in response to policy changes, HR professionals are feeling misunderstood, frustrated, and disengaged.
Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with Will Milano, Chief Marketing Officer at Integrity Solutions and host of the Mental Selling podcast, about why connection matters in sales.
Recently, SmartBrief on Leadership published an article I wrote about Costco’s stakeholder capitalism approach to business.
First published by Smartbrief on Leadership
As artificial intelligence continues to advance, the internal workings of Microsoft should be a matter of interest to more than just its employees and shareholders. Being a major player in AI, Microsoft will face considerable opportunities, challenges, and even threats of enormous magnitude in the years to come. Is Microsoft ready to navigate well if the sometimes smooth, sometimes choppy waters in the world of technology suddenly turn chaotic?
The combination of rising political division and declining employee engagement levels present a significant challenge for organizations.
However, by training leaders and managers to cultivate cultures of connection, we can create workplaces where employees thrive despite their differences. This not only enhances individual and team performance but also contributes to a more harmonious and productive organizational culture. It is time for leaders to take proactive steps in building connected cultures that transcend political differences and foster a more engaged, collaborative, and cooperative workforce.
I wrote about this topic in a recent SmartBrief on Leadership article. In it, you can learn more about my recommendations on how to prepare your leaders for the upcoming election season.
Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash