We coach leaders to cultivate creativity, clarity, focus and trust in a full engagement culture.
Creating a Positive Mindset and Company Culture
I’ve learned over the years that my most effective executive coaching leadership clients know the “why” of what they are passionate in achieving. They lead from a compassionate and positive space within.
Positive leaders are mindful, and get excited in my office telling me inspiring stories of their hopes and struggles. They have a growth versus fixed mindset, and are optimistic and forward thinking.
One of my CEO executive coaching clients shared with me that he was struggling to convince several of his senior executives on changing their company culture. The data from a recent company engagement survey indicated that far too many employees were not engaged with the mission and vision of the company.
The company culture was negative and toxic. The big egos of top leadership were consistently locked in a battle of who was right and blaming the others for perceived failures. Each of the leaders had a strongly held belief that others were responsible for the mediocre performance of the organization. As a result, negativity cascaded throughout the organization.
I asked the CEO to reflect on the following question: “What behaviors do you observe now and what would you like to see in the future?” He took a moment breathing deeply and responded, “I can be too negative, and tolerate unproductive beliefs and behaviors that don’t contribute to growth”.
I applauded him on his self-insight and courage to take responsibility for the current situation. I suggested that he first work on changing his own own habits and patterns of behavior which helped create the current culture. He then would model the new desired behavior of positivity and help create resonance for the organization.
After several months of coaching focused on changing his negative beliefs and focusing on positivity, he reported that he felt he was making progress. The CEO changed his habit of focusing on the negative, and began paying attention to what was working well. He was becoming a more inspirational leader telling positive stories that helped create a more resilient culture.
The members of the executive team thought that if he could change and become more positive emotional attractor and stop blaming others well maybe they could too! The CEO was so passionate about his belief in creating a new culture based on trust. They began to pay attention to their own habits and patterns of behavior that were counterproductive to creating a high performance culture.
At an off site Retreat that I facilitated, leaders at all levels of the company co-created a Values Statement that reflected the aspirations of everyone aligned towards a common goal. Values drive commitment. The energy at work was beginning to shift, and people reported being happier and more committed to achieving business results through passionate and conscious collaboration.
Emotionally intelligent leaders know that creating a positive workplace culture and climate where emotions are appropriately expressed increases engagement and moves things forward. In order for people to be fully engaged, they need to feel they are following leaders who inspire them emotionally. Engagement is most influenced by how their leaders behave.
Positive Engagement
The No. 1 reason why most Americans leave their jobs is the feeling they’re not appreciated. In fact, 65% of people surveyed said they received no recognition for good work in a previous year, according to Tom Rath and Donald O. Clifton, authors of How Full Is Your Bucket? Positive Strategies for Work and Life (2004).
According to newer Gallup research, what employees want most — along with competitive pay — is quality management. When they feel unappreciated and disapprove of their managers, they leave or stop trying.
Almost 25% of U.S. employees would fire their bosses if given the chance, and about 50% of actively disengaged workers would follow suit.
A Gallup Management Journal survey found that, of all 24.7 million U.S. workers, roughly 18% are actively disengaged. Gallup estimates the lower productivity of actively disengaged workers costs the U.S. economy about $382 billion (http://gmj.gallup.com/content/28867/Many-Employees-Would-Fire-Their-Boss.aspx).
Because of current economic realities, people may not be leaving their jobs. Instead, they join the ranks of the disengaged and become “missing in action.” It rests upon managers to learn better ways of interacting with the people on whom they depend. Executive coaching can help leaders develop a positive mindset, and connect with the hearts and minds of their people.
The benefits of developing a positive or growth mindset follow:
Ten Benefits of a Positive Mindset
1. Positive people live longer.
2, Positive people are more resilient when facing stressful challenges.
3. Positive work environments outperform negative work environments.
4. Positive, optimistic salespeople sell more than pessimistic salespeople.
5. Positive leaders make better decisions under pressure.
6. Successful marriages are likely to experience a 5-to-1 ratio of positive to negative interactions.
7. Positive people are able to maintain a broader perspective and identify solutions.
8. Positive thoughts and emotions are the antidote to the negative effects of stress.
9. Positive emotions such as gratitude and appreciation help athletes perform at a higher level.
10. Positive leaders are more likely to achieve greater success in the workplace.
You can develop a more positive mindset and company culture by working with an executive coach. The investment is well worth the reward: your ability to influence your organization’s future, your career and your personal-development capabilities.
Are you working in a company where executive coaches provide leadership development to help leaders put positive leadership into action? Does your organization provide executive coaching for leaders who need to be more positive? Positive leaders tap into their emotional intelligence and social intelligence skills to create a more fulfilling future.
One of the most powerful questions you can ask yourself is “Am I a positive leader who helps individuals and organizations achieve their highest potential, flourish at work, experience elevating energy and achieve levels of effectiveness difficult to attain otherwise?” Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent organizations provide executive coaching to help leaders develop more positive teams.
Working with a seasoned executive coach and leadership consultant trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-I, CPI 260 and Denison Culture Survey can help leaders nurture positivity in the workplace. You can become a more positive leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become fully engaged with the vision, mission and strategy of your company or law firm.
Working Resources is a San Francisco Bay Area Executive Coaching Firm Helping Innovative Companies and Law Firms Assess, Select, Coach, Engage and Retain Emotionally Intelligent Leaders; Executive Coaching; Leadership Development; Performance-Based Interviewing; Competency Modeling; Succession Management; Culture Change; Career Coaching and Leadership Retreats
...About Dr. Maynard Brusman
Dr. Maynard Brusman
Consulting Psychologist and Executive Coach|
Trusted Advisor to Executive Leadership Teams
Mindfulness & Emotional Intelligence Workplace Expert
Dr. Maynard Brusman is a consulting psychologist and executive coach. He is the president of Working Resources, a leadership consulting and executive coaching firm. We specialize in helping San Francisco Bay Area companies select and develop emotionally intelligent leaders. Maynard is a highly sought-after speaker and workshop leader. He facilitates leadership retreats in Northern California and Costa Rica. The Society for Advancement of Consulting (SAC) awarded Dr. Maynard Brusman "Board Approved" designations in the specialties of Executive Coaching and Leadership Development.
“Maynard Brusman is one of the foremost coaches in the United States. He utilizes a wide variety of assessments in his work with senior executives and upper level managers, and is adept at helping his clients both develop higher levels of emotional intelligence and achieve breakthrough business results. As a senior leader in the executive coaching field, Dr. Brusman brings an exceptional level of wisdom, energy, and creativity to his work.” — Jeffrey E. Auerbach, Ph.D., President, College of Executive Coaching
For more information, please go to http://www.workingresources.com, write to [email protected], or call 415-546-1252.
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