What do you think of when you hear the word “leader” or “leadership”?  For most people, we probably think of people like the president, the CEO of a company, or our supervisor.  Maybe an outspoken celebrity comes to mind or someone who is innovative and breaking strides in a certain field. 

People who aren’t afraid to stand on the stage front and center, those who take charge, and call the shots. Sure, we want our leaders to be people we look up to, people who lead the way, people to get out there and show us how it’s done!  

Job benchmarking, simplified, is a three-step process. We start by gathering Subject Matter Experts and through facilitated discussion Key Accountabilities of the specific job role are determined.  What competencies or soft skills are most important to the job role?  Does the job role include interacting with customers? Then Customer Focus will be a prioritized skill.  What kind of Driving Forces or passions do employees need for this role?  Is someone with a love for continuous learning important to this role?  This is measurable information. What about DISC style or behaviors?  Does the job require someone who likes to be the leader/decision maker or does it need someone who prefers a more collaborative position?  Once these Key Accountabilities have been determined, the SMEs take an assessment, which then is used to build the benchmark or the standard by which a candidate is measured.

Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is all about helping you notice your emotional energy and making choices to react to what is happening to you in a way that fosters long term personal growth. This is a muscle we can exercise and strengthen with a little work. People have an average of 80 experience each year that, if they noticed and acknowledge them, are personal growth opportunities. Most people only identify and act on 3 of those. Many times people may avoid the negative emotions or pretend everything is ok. 

Continuous learning is an essential aspect of employee growth and business success. The world is changing fast, and new technologies are frequently being introduced. Knowledge and skills become outdated quickly, and this is where a Learning Management System (LMS) comes into play. An LMS offers organizations the opportunity to provide their employees with the resources to develop their skills.

A first responder is not an orthopedic surgeon or a rehabilitative specialist or even an ambulance driver.  My classmate needed all of those people (and more).  A first responder has the skills necessary to stabilize a person to their next level of care. 

In the social and emotional realm, this is what I want to create through my interactive, human-centric trainings on empathy:  workplace first responders. 

Sometimes at work, an employee needs a lot of intervention:  counseling, medication, ongoing levels of focused care.  A workplace first responder should not be a counselor or a pastor or an imam:  this gets a person into uncertain legal waters at work. 

But other times, an employee needs basic, stabilizing care.

You have probably heard the term “emotional intelligence” (also known as EQ), but wondered what exactly does it mean?  You may have also wondered why you should care about it, particularly in the workplace where we should be controlling our emotions and acting in a professional, rational manner.  It turns out that, whether we realize it or not, many of us are already familiar with the concept of EQ, and there are multiple reasons why we should care about it, especially in the workplace. 

Being neurodivergent means that your brain functions a little differently than someone with a neurotypical brain. This can mean anything from conditions like ADHD, cognitive delays, autism, dyslexia, or many other variations of the human brain.

Whether you are just starting on your journey to leadership, halfway there, or a seasoned leader, there is always something new to learn.   It’s about having the right people around you, overcoming your challenges, knowing your strengths, and growing in ways you may have never thought possible.  Enjoy the journey and discover the “places you’ll go!”  

Sometimes growth happens naturally and unexpectedly.  Life lessons, mistakes we’ve made, teachable moments, or just being forced to expand even if we may have resisted. But what if we chose to focus on learning and growing and we’re intentional about it?  What if we were determined that this is the year we are going to make learning a priority? How much more could we grow? How much could we share with others?  We tell ourselves that learning a new skill, becoming more self-aware, or taking that training can wait. Afterall, we are busy people who must set priorities. What if in this coming year we put learning first? We may see that other things in our lives just fall into place.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) has become a significant topic in the workplace. While it may seem like another buzzword, it is essential to recognize its importance for a successful workplace culture.

Empathy helps us understand and connect with one other emotionally.  It allows us to see another perspective, find common ground, and build social bonds.  This short video by Brene Brown does a good job on describing empathy. Without empathy, we may struggle to relate to those who are different from us, leading to biases we are unable to see.  This can impact relationships both personally and professionally.  Lack of empathy may contribute to an environment where individuals feel isolated, misunderstood, or unsupported.   Empathy is a cornerstone for emotional well being and it is a critical skill in today’s society.