AI Conversations features realistic scenarios that managers might encounter in their own workplace, such as coaching conversations and delegation challenges. You get the chance to talk with a team member who’s brought to life by AI technology.

Like a character in a story, they have their own personalities and realistic responses. Your conversation ends with detailed feedback and suggestions for improvement when you have those challenging conversations in real life.

In this blog, I share our experience of working on this innovative new product. We’ll cover how we approached the process of crafting skillful AI-human interactions from a Content perspective, and what we learned in the process.

Getting to Grips With AI

No one on our team began this process as an AI expert. In fact, some of us were nervous about its potential to take our jobs! Many of us had tried it out a bit, asking ChatGPT to summarize ideas or generate poems in, say, the style of Roald Dahl.

At work, we’d just started exploring its potential uses. Generative AI could be fun, and with increasing exposure, we recognized that it could be a powerful tool for learning and creation.

When the AI Conversations project was first proposed, excitement mingled with trepidation. We worried that it was big and complicated for our small team, especially given the ambitious timescale.

Would we have to imagine entire workplace conversations? And how would we feed those into the AI? But a few chats with our project partners at Learning Pool reassured us. We learned that we’d create realistic management scenarios, and the AI would produce the conversations. We embraced this new challenge and moved ahead.

Deciding on Topics for AI Conversations

We know that having challenging conversations is one of the things that managers often dread. Armed with data around popular and highly requested topics from our client base, we focused on six key topic areas we know will resonate with line managers, regardless of their industry or sector. We also wanted to reflect the move, for many, to virtual or hybrid working environments.

The six scenarios that we developed were:

1. Managing Poor Performance

2. Goal Setting with the GROW Coaching Model

3. Getting a Project Back on Schedule

4. Delegating Customer Service Tasks

5. Managing Resistance to Hybrid Work Requirements

6. Managing a Disengaged Member of your Virtual Team

Developing Realistic AI Scenarios

The scenario development process began with Managing Editor Keith Jackson and Senior Editor/Writer Jonathan Hancock meeting at a seaside café. I’ll let Keith tell you about it in his own words:

“Fuelled by industrial amounts of coffee, we did what we do best: write compelling, engaging, yet practical and relevant scenarios. Jonathan and I are experienced journeymen in the field of work and management. We both had long experience of difficult management situations, and we were able to use that experience to write characters and scenes that our learners will encounter in their own careers.”

Given that we were adopting new skills, the Content Team used a buddying approach to develop the scenarios further. Once the first one was refined, the writer shared their learning and expertise with the next writer, and so on. This helped us to develop robust scenarios – and the skills to create them at pace.

Developing the Key Characters

So, we had our scenarios fleshed out. Time to create the characters that users would converse with! Each team member took charge of a scenario and imagined three different personalities that they might find in that situation.

For example, what type of people were likely to struggle with time management at work? Perhaps a new manager who lacked confidence, an employee with ADHD, or someone who focused on relationships at the expense of productivity.

Each of these became a character for whom we wrote AI prompts to program different priorities and speech patterns. With AI Conversations, when users select a scenario, the character they interact with is chosen at random.

So, you might meet a change-resistant team member who won’t return to the office; a disengaged direct report who feels cut adrift in the world of remote working; or an ambitious worker angling for promotion.

How We Prompted and Tested AI Conversations

Because we were working with a new technology, there were a few kinks to work out. Before testing our scenarios, the Learning Pool team gave us feedback on what elements we should tweak.

A key skill when writing prompts is not to overdo it! If you tell a generative AI program that your character “uses emojis,” it’s likely to use them in every statement. So, you have to temper your wording – saying, for example, that the character uses emojis “occasionally.”

Once we’d adjusted our prompts, it was time for Learning Pool to see how our scenarios performed!

AI Conversations Come to Life

Our partners at Learning Pool tested the AI interactions in a “sandbox” area, and we went through a final round of quality assurance to iron out a few wrinkles.

It was amazing to see the characters that we’d created interacting with us! We were surprised to see how realistic they were. Like humans, some of them did their best to wriggle out of tough conversations, while others checked in about your feelings. One team member ran a test where they tried to speak about anything other than the scenario, and the AI brought them back to the topic.

Once managers have practised having these challenging conversations, and received their feedback, that’s not the end of the story. Each module is supported by a package of carefully curated Mind Tools resources. These include videos, animations, infographics, and articles to help embed and expand the learner’s knowledge and skills.

Final Thoughts on Creating AI Conversations

The Mind Tools Content Team found it a refreshing and highly rewarding experience to work with Learning Pool on this project. We were out of our comfort zones, working with cutting-edge technology, and we learned a great deal from the process.

We’ve ended up with a high-quality, credible, effective learning tool that we’re confident can carry the Mind Tools and Learning Pool names into the market. We look forward to seeing managers and leaders interacting with the characters we created and practice navigating difficult conversations in an innovative way!

See AI Conversations in action! Find out more about AI Conversations, watch a quick overview video and book a full demo with the Mind Tools team.

The post How We Built AI Conversations appeared first on Mind Tools.

Performance support can mean different things to different people. Here at Mind Tools, we feel it can best be described as a self-directed tool or job aid that provides specific task-related guidance precisely at the moment of need.

Why performance support matters

Remote working environments have fast-tracked the demand for self-directed learning, as opposed to more traditional in-person learning activities.

This shift was very much in evidence in our 2022 Learner Intelligence Report. It showed that by 2021, employees were becoming more motivated to learn for their own personal development. Whereas in the past, learners were more likely to engage with learning because they felt they had to.

During a Mind Tools client webinar, Cat Greenwood of ActionAid UK pointed out that the charity has seen a move away from learners expecting the organization to deliver learning to them.

"Learning is happening all the time, and for me, it’s about people noticing that." - Cat Greenwood, ActionAid UK
Her organization now encourages a culture of ongoing reflection, with individuals encouraged to recognize their own development needs.

Many organizations now offer a hybrid approach to meet a range of needs. ActionAid, for example, might use more traditional classroom delivery sessions to signpost toolkit resources that learners can then access in the flow of work.

Creating a learning culture

For your learning culture to change, it’s essential to educate and engage stakeholders across your organization about the benefits of performance support. This might include lunch and learn sessions, webinars, managers’ one-on-ones, and promoting it as part of employee onboarding. Signposting where people can find the right resources is also key.

Another way to promote engagement is to help draw comparisons with other parts of learners’ lives. In our Mind Tools Performance Support webinar, Kerry Gabriel O’Sullivan of the RSPCA pointed out that, with devices in our pockets and search engines a mere click away, we expect immediate answers to questions. And to be able to watch or listen to anything we want at any time. Why should learning be any different? Performance support-style delivery simply makes sense as it’s served in the way people expect – whether they realize it or not!

Performance support can help drive inclusion

Providing in-the-moment learning allows every learner access to the same information around a topic of interest. And without having to wait for dedicated time to study it in a classroom environment. Similarly, in organizations that have a widely dispersed workforce, Mind Tools’ “pull” rather than “push” approach to learning allows employees to access it in their own way.

At ActionAid, with staff mostly office-based, inclusivity is focused on delivering specific tools for specific needs and ensuring that the breadth of content is suited to learners of all levels. By choosing performance support from Mind Tools, they have been able to offer a solution to learners who may be time-poor, feel less confident in the classroom environment, or learn better in a certain style.

Amanda Walters, L&D Business Partner at housing association Home Group, also described how Mind Tools’ functionality can be used to increase awareness about inclusivity at work. For example, her team put together playlists on their toolkit around cultural events that reflect the diversity of their workforce.

Cat Greenwood did something similar to support ActionAid’s feminist leadership approach: as well as curating playlists, she has created a calendar of internal learning events. This includes ActionAid’s own materials on their customized version of the toolkit to help it feel more familiar and provide a one-stop shop for learning.

The post What is Performance Support? appeared first on Mind Tools.

Think about it: Every day, employees are responding to hundreds of emails and instant messages, attending back-to-back meetings, and working on projects with tight deadlines. When do they have time to take a breath? To walk away from their desk without feeling like they are missing out? To take some time to recharge so they can return fresh and more productive?

This constant demand for productivity and responsiveness can take a toll on employees' physical and mental health, leading to higher stress and anxiety levels, lower productivity, increased turnover rates, and potentially costly mistakes.

Unfortunately, even when employee well-being is known to be an issue, it is often overshadowed by the pressure to complete projects, launch initiatives, and achieve business goals.

So, what's the answer?

While new well-being programs and benefits may help some employees, the underlying organizational issue of how the work is done still needs to be fixed. It requires a dismantling of the always-on culture.

Leaders can pave the way for that to happen by re-engineering how work and daily schedules are structured to provide employees with the necessary space to work with reduced stress, increased energy, and improved mental clarity.

Let's explore three actionable ways to incorporate well-being throughout the workday.

1. Make space in the workday for breaks

In today's fast-paced work environment, the constant influx of information can overwhelm our cognitive capacities, leaving little time for processing and reflection. And continuous task-switching with no break in between can deplete our physical and mental energy throughout the day, and lead to increased stress levels and diminished creativity.

Prioritizing regular breaks during the workday is a crucial building block for employee well-being.

Applying this can be easy:

• Incorporate dedicated break times into your daily schedule to remind yourself and your team to step away from work.
• Avoid reaching for your phone or responding to work matters, so you can truly disconnect and recharge.
• Gaze at the clouds, go for a walk outdoors, or connect with a colleague.
• Consider holding shorter meetings and encouraging participants to take a stretch break or walk after the meeting concludes.

2. Make setting boundaries cool again

Let's face it; the fear of missing out is real and can drive us to overcommit ourselves. Sometimes, we assume we must attend every meeting or take on every new project, even when it's not explicitly required.

This sense of obligation is often self-imposed, assuming that others expect our constant availability. However, it's crucial to recognize that team members should have the freedom to evaluate their workload and confidently say no when necessary.

While specific tasks are non-negotiable, it's essential to create a work culture where setting boundaries is not only accepted but encouraged.

Putting this into practice:

• Foster a culture that values and respects boundaries by leading by example. As a leader, prioritize setting your own boundaries and make it known that you support your team members in doing the same.
• Encourage your team to reflect on their priorities to identify areas where they can assert their limits without compromising their responsibilities. For example, try saying no to a meeting where your attendance isn't vital to the outcome.
• Celebrate instances when team members confidently say no to commitments that aren't urgent or aligned with their core tasks.

Remember, by empowering your team to set and honor their boundaries, you foster trust and support their mental and physical well-being, leading to increased job satisfaction and productivity.
It's not about saying no all the time, but ensuring everyone has the space to thrive while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

3. Normalize talking about it

As a leader, do you regularly hold conversations with your team about their workload, well-being and job satisfaction? If not, it's time to start.

Don't assume your team will proactively share their challenges; they may hesitate to voice their concerns, fearing they'll be perceived as complainers. And don't rely on the vague "I'm fine" responses - they often hide the real challenges that can lead to burnout and disengagement.

The truth is, stress from heavy workloads, toxic environments, or disengaging tasks can gradually accumulate and lead to burnout.

What to do next:

• Incorporate regular workload conversations with your team. It's not just about the quantity of tasks but also the quality and fulfilment they derive from their work.
• Help them visualize their "job jar" – is it overflowing, or does it contain engaging and meaningful projects? Discussing this will empower employees to share their concerns and highlight areas they need support. Take a cue from a former boss who asked, "Is your job jar overflowing, and are you finding fulfilment in your tasks?" This simple analogy eased the conversation and enabled me to express when I needed help.
• Encourage them to share honestly and candidly, knowing their well-being is a priority. You'll gain valuable insights to make the necessary adjustments by actively seeking their input and understanding their needs.

It’s important to lead by example

Leaders set the tone and inspire their employees to follow their example.

A balanced work culture begins with the leader's commitment to their own well-being. This means taking breaks, setting boundaries, and being open about the importance of well-being. When employees witness their leaders prioritizing self-care, they feel more supported and empowered to follow suit.

In the relentless hustle of today's hyper-connected workplace, prioritizing well-being isn't just a luxury; it's a necessity. By taking action consistently, we can break free from the "always-on" culture and create a thriving work environment.

So, let's lead by example, embracing breaks, setting boundaries, and having open conversations about well-being. We'll foster a healthier, more engaged workforce that shines with productivity and innovation.

References:

Deloitte. "Employee Well-being." Deloitte Insights, Deloitte, https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/topics/talent/employee-wellbeing.html.

Tugend, Alina. "How to Take Better Breaks at Work, According to Research." Harvard Business Review, 4 May 2023, https://hbr.org/2023/05/how-to-take-better-breaks-at-work-according-to-research.

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The global financial cost in terms of lost productivity is enormous, with Gallup putting this at $7.8 trillion – or 11percent of global GDP. [2]

How can employee engagement improve business performance?

For us to improve employee engagement, we need to understand what it really is and why it's important to organizational success.

According to engagement expert, David MacLeod, employee engagement is concerned with “how we create the conditions in which employees offer more of their capability and potential.”[3] It’s about helping employees to feel:

• committed to their organization’s goals and values
• motivated to contribute to organizational succes
• ​supported in terms of their own wellbeing

Organizations that fail to engage their employees can expect this to impact their bottom line, through greater staff turnover, higher absenteeism and lower customer satisfaction.

Global consulting firm, DDI, offers up some key signs of low engagement to look out for in your employees,[4] including:

• reduced job performance
• resistance to change
• withdrawal of discretionary effort
• ​focusing on problems, rather than problem-solving

What are the key enablers of employee engagement?

Improving employee engagement can be tricky  – particularly if the organization has a very rigid culture, or if human resources budgets are tight. The truth is that improving employee engagement often requires a cultural change, and a long-term effort from everyone involved, from the CEO down.

In the UK, highly regarded research by David Macleod and Nita Clark of Engage for Success identified that organizations which showed high employee engagement and performance shared four "enablers," for success. Let’s take a look at each of these enablers in turn.

1. Strategic narrative

When a company fails to communicate its purpose to its people, they inevitably "fill the gap" with their own story. This often leads to rumors spreading, and causes people to lose focus and purpose. According to MacLeod, strategic narrative is "a story that people understand about where the organization's been, where it is today, and where it aspires to go in the future." He adds that this strategic narrative is a common language that inspires everyone in the organization. It gives meaning and purpose to each job and activity.

The narrative must have a beginning, a middle and a future. It also needs to be a compelling and authentic story. One that people can believe in, and which "ignites passion" in their hearts. Crucially, strategic narrative only works if leaders are "visible." For instance, by launching a personal blog, having an "open door hour" one day a week, going back to the shop floor, and having regular one-on-ones and weekly briefings with staff.

2. Engaging managers

The relationship between managers and their people can make or break the performance of an organization. So, managers must build strong bonds with their team members by helping them to focus on their personal and professional goals, treating them as individuals, and coaching and challenging them. As MacLeod explains, "The people who're managing organizations with an engaged workforce do three things well."

The first, he says, is that "they're clear what 'success' in their role will look like, and they're given scope to bring themselves to that role, to harness their creativity and energy to bring about what 'success' in the job will look like. "Moreover," he continues, "engaged workers feel that their manager treats them, not as a mere 'human resource,' but as a human being. That relationship encourages workers to bring more of themselves to work.

"The third thing that successful managers are doing is coaching their people - usually at least once a week," MacLeod says. "This doesn't always have to be via a formal coaching session, but it will acknowledge good behavior and address dysfunctional behaviors in a positive way."

3. Employee voice

Giving people a voice empowers them. They feel listened to and are encouraged to use their knowledge to improve the business, and to innovate. As Nita Clarke explains, "If you see your workers as part of the solution, and not as part of the problem, you make them partners in the organization's success." She adds: "The third thing that organizations that engage their staff do well is that they listen - – and allow their people to talk across silos.

In any organization, the indications are that, whenever something's going to go wrong, somebody knows. "So, if you've got a good 'listening organization' where your workers trust you, they'll tell you when something's about to go wrong. That's a cheaper way of protecting your organization's reputation than lawyers or PR companies getting to work after an event."

Often, giving employees a voice is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to improve engagement. It could be as simple as setting up an employee engagement survey or a suggestions box. Or installing an "Idea Street," where staff can post their ideas online, comments can be added, and people can vote on them. You can also try hosting more formal events designed to encourage employee engagement. For example, a World Cafe, or a solutions group using Ohmae's 3C Model.

4. Integrity

The fourth and final enabler is about having a "say-do" attitude. This means keeping the promises that you make, and providing a clear explanation if you are unable to do so. As MacLeod says, "The fourth thing that we found was a sense of integrity. What they said their values were, were reflected in day-to-day behaviors - – how people acted and what the culture of the organization was. If you have a gap between who you say you are and what you actually are, that creates huge mistrust. And you don't get engaged employees in an organization where there's distrust."

If an organization has integrity, it can also build trust. But, for it to be truly effective, integrity needs to be upheld by everyone from board members to frontline staff. Managers need to be held to account and good behavior must be acknowledged through recognition and reward schemes. Building trust, however, can take time. According to MacLeod and Clarke, organizations that have good engagement achieve it by:

• Setting, enforcing and reinforcing the behavioral expectations of staff. That means rewarding desired behavior and punishing those that show bad behavior, such as discrimination or bullying.
• Encouraging all staff to tell the truth. For instance, by sharing information, or sharing credit with those who deserve it. And by making sure that messages and actions taken are consistent across the organization.
• Reporting back. Providing regular feedback on goals, priorities, and promised actions.
• Going back to the shop floor. Senior leaders spending time with junior employees to gain a first-hand view of the challenges they face.

[1] Gallup, State of the Global Workplace: 2022 Report. Available here.

[2] Ryan Pendell, ‘The World’s $7.8 Trillion Workplace Problem’ (June 14, 2022). Available here.

[3] Engage for Success, ‘What is Employee Engagement’. Available here.

[4] Mark Smedley, ‘Signs of Low Employee Engagement’ (February 17, 2021). Available here.

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What is ikigai?

Ikigai can be translated as "reason (gai) for being (iki) " – essentially, what is the source of your daily motivation?
Ikigai can be adopted as a practical philosophy for life, a way to find strength in tough times, and even as a long-term career planner. It can give value to mundane, humdrum activities, while also helping you to identify what it is that you truly value. So, how can you find your ikigai?

The four elements of ikigai

A Venn diagram of 'the four elements' of ikigai has blazed a trail through office cubicles, boardrooms, and HR presentations in recent years.

This way of applying ikigai was popularized by Albert Liebermann and Hector Garcia in their book Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life.[1]

The diagram shows ikigai as the convergence of four areas of life: what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for.

The very center, where each area overlaps, is your ikigai – your reason for getting up in the morning and where you should focus your efforts to find ultimate fulfilment. Whether you're a janitor, journalist or Jeff Bezos, if you find your ikigai, you'll find pleasure and value in what you do.

The five pillars of ikigai

Beyond your career, ikigai can also become a framework for approaching life in general. Tokyo-based neuroscientist and author Ken Mogi [2] identifies the five central pillars of ikigai as:

1. Starting small
2. Releasing yourself
3. Harmony and sustainability
4. The joy of little things
5. Being in the here and now

Much like mindfulness, the key is to be present in the moment and to not get caught up in your thoughts. At the same time, it's unmistakably about looking forward and savoring special moments when they arrive.

Where Buddhism teaches you to shed the things you crave to find freedom and peace, ikigai is more generous. It teaches us simply to appreciate and consciously enjoy things once we have them. And those things can be small – the anticipation of a decent cup of coffee, your lunchtime run, or tending to your windowsill pot plants.

How to discover your ikigai

Ikigai and your career

Taking the cue from the four elements diagram, seeking your ikigai is akin to finding your perfect, dream job. Imagine combining what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and – the kicker – what you can get paid for. Is it even possible?

Finding your calling

This might seem especially difficult if, like many people, you haven't got a clue what you want for dinner, let alone what your ultimate calling in life is.

We've all heard stories of dramatic career changes in pursuit of dreams. Like ditching the nine-to-five to become a ski instructor, or quitting a high-powered corporate role to retrain as a midwife.

But it doesn't have to be so drastic.

Consider which types of tasks give you the most pleasure in your current job:

• Do you enjoy managing people or working in isolation on technical tasks?
• Do you get satisfaction from solving complex issues or giving presentations and chairing interviews?
• Do you like directly managing stakeholders or prefer to get stuck into a spreadsheet?

By slowly sifting out the aspects of your work you don't enjoy, and increasing what you do, you can start to gain a sense of your ikigai.

Saving the world

But does this cover the trickiest aspect to ascertain: is what you do something the world needs?
This selfless, giving aspect of ikigai traditionally manifests as giving yourself over to something other than yourself. This isn't perhaps as difficult as it first appears.

You don't need to quit your job to go retrain as a vet or start a charity. Remember that the first pillar of ikigai teaches us to "start small." Giving yourself over to something else can be as simple as offering to buy your elderly neighbor some groceries, taking a day out to volunteer, or providing apprenticeships to underprivileged community members.

Small moments and gestures of kindness can have a dramatic impact on how you feel about the other areas of your life, especially when you're struggling to find motivation.
Many organizations already engage with the third pillar of ikigai ("harmony and sustainability") by adopting a "triple bottom line" [3] – placing profit alongside the impact on the planet and people as a measure of success.
This approach to social responsibility can provide a greater sense of purpose that has a subtle, but powerful, effect on how we relate to our work. Especially on a dreary Monday morning.

Finding flow

You might think that finding your ultimate calling is all well and good, but right now you're struggling to feel engaged in your job. Ikigai, as a way of life, doesn't just have to be about finding your mission: it can help you today – right now!
Japanese scientist, Ken Mogi, vouches for pleasure through absorption in an activity. Work can become an end in itself – not something to endure to get something else, like a promotion or bonus.
Mogi uses Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's concept of being "in flow" [4] to show how getting lost in even the dreariest of tasks can bring a sense of reward and freedom. (This is related to the pillars "releasing yourself" and "being in the here and now"). With the satisfaction that comes from being "in the flow," even the most dreaded task can become, not just bearable, but rewarding.

Looking forward

Ikigai isn't only about powering forward in your career, it can have a powerful effect on your motivation and focus every day.
By combining the career-honing powers of the Venn diagram with the more foundational five pillars, you can start to build up to something new, while making the most out your current situation – seeing you through both the bad times and the good.

References

[1] Albert Liebermann and Hector Garcia, Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life (Hutchinson, 2016).
[2] Ken Mogi, The Little Book of Ikigai: The Essential Japanese Way to Finding Your Purpose in Life (Quercus, 2017)
[3] ‘Triple bottom line’. Available at: https://www.economist.com/news/2009/11/17/triplebottom-line (accessed 8 June 2023).
[4] Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Flow: The Psychology of Happiness (Rider, 2002)

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We all make mistakes. Sometimes we say things in the heat of the moment that we immediately regret. But for managers, off-the-cuff comments to an employee can cause irreparable damage. From demotivation to resentment, guilt to open conflict; one ill-thought remark could go so far as to damage your entire organization.

Some things are non-negotiable: managers shouldn't engage in gossip, make threats, hurl insults, or banter inappropriately with employees. And seemingly innocuous remarks can cause more harm than we realize.

A recent poll of over 2,000 U.K. employees found that more than two in five had left a job because of a manager, and over half claimed they were considering leaving because of their manager.

What Is A Manager For?

Unfortunately, everyone has bad days, and it can be easy to lash out when work is getting on top of you. That's why the best leaders always think before they speak. After all, as American author and businessman, Stephen Covey, said, "Leadership is a choice, not a position."

Managers are there to be supportive and encourage growth in their employees, through nurturing talent and building strengths, to everyone's advantage. But in recent years, employee engagement has been at an all-time low. What can managers do to improve the situation?

The following statistics show the problem with employee engagement and how good management has a part to play in fixing it:

• According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace: 2022 Report, a mere 21 percent of U.S. employees are engaged at work.
• The report also estimates that low engagement costs the world economy a staggering $7.8 trillion a year.
• Another report from Gallup shows that employees who receive daily feedback from their manager are three times more likely to be engaged than those who receive it once a year or less.
• A recent paper in the Human Resource Management Journal showed that skillful management coaching has a direct impact on team performance.

What Should A Manager Not Say (And What Should They Say)?

You need employees to feel appreciated and valuable. So managers should demonstrate the key attributes of patience, understanding and focus. As an organization, encourage managers to abandon their verbal "auto-replies." Instead, teach them to use their words wisely by following these 10 tips for what managers should and shouldn’t say.

1. Don't say, "I don't have the time." Say, "Can we book some time to discuss this later?"

Saying that you don't have time for your employees suggests that they aren't important enough. This could foster their insecurities and drag down their motivation and performance. If an employee has an issue then you do, too. As a manager, there's nothing more important than the well-being of your team.

Plus, it might have taken a lot of effort for your team member to come to you in the first place. I once spent a morning rehearsing a difficult conversation in the bathroom mirror and in my car en route to the office, only to be shot down painfully with, "Send me an email."

It's in everyone's best interest to try to resolve problems swiftly and compassionately. As mentioned in the bullet list above, research shows that employees who have some form of daily communication with their managers exhibit higher engagement levels.

2. Don't say, "Leave it at the door." Say, "Would you like to talk about what's on your mind?" 

Personal problems, and mental health, have a huge impact on employees at work. It's much healthier to work through these issues than to shut them away in a box and pretend that they're not happening.

Everyone needs support sometimes. A 2018 State of the Workplace study by Businessolver found that 96 percent of employees believe that showing empathy is an important way to advance employee retention. Their following 2019 study also revealed a startling disconnect – while 92 percent of CEOs feel their organization is empathic, only 72 percent of their employees agree.

Be the sort of boss you would want to have. You may end up helping someone through a bad situation – like my friend, Joe. A young woman in his team was becoming easily upset and frustrated at work. Inviting her to talk in the coffee room led her to open up about depression, and eventually seek counselling.

A word of warning, however – be cautious of oversharing. As a manager, you must still maintain boundaries.

3. Don't say, "You have big shoes to fill!" Say, "We're excited to see what you bring to the role." 

I've heard this at the start of nearly every new role and seen its effect on others. It's always said in jest, but it's more demoralizing and intimidating than it is motivating. It can instil a sense of pressure and self-doubt. Not a nice feeling on day one of a new job!

Each new employee is hired based on their own potential; no one wants to be considered as a replica of their predecessor.

4. Don't say, "Good job today." Say, "How did you get on with...today?"

All praise is positive, right? Well, not if it sounds generic and insincere - it can actually have the opposite effect on an employee. Praise is only effective if it aids a person's growth.  

So, be specific and constructive with feedback. Tailor it to individuals and their achievements so that they'll apply the same efforts elsewhere in their work.

A few thoughtful words can make someone feel like they're walking on a cloud and provide a new-found burst of pride and energy.

It's always best to check in with team members to gauge how they feel about their accomplishments. They may have done a great job at holding a campaign together, but they could now be suffering from burnout as a result. Never assume that you know how an employee is feeling.

5. Don't say, "I'm not paying you so that I can do your job for you." Say, "How can I support you?" 

We can all feel overwhelmed and out of our comfort zone at times. Perhaps a task has revealed a need for some additional training? Managers should deal with this in a supportive and constructive way. Putting in additional effort now will enable you to build a more confident, proficient and skilled team.  

Gallup found that 67 percent of employees felt more engaged when their managers focused on their strengths, compared with only 31 percent whose managers focused on their weaknesses. What's more, a Zenger Folkman study of 35,279 leaders found that better coaches saw over three times as many employees willing to go the extra mile.

6. Don't say, "Why did/didn't you do it like this?" Say, "How can we do this differently next time?" 

I once witnessed my colleague Steph be brought to tears as her manager berated her loudly in an open plan office.

Steph was inexperienced, had asked for support that she never received, and consequently messed up badly on a huge email blast. She was still learning, but her manager's reaction made Steph doubt her potential to the point that she quit the company and changed career paths.

Even if someone is to blame, anger and finger-pointing are not the answer. Playing the blame game makes people feel beaten-down, and demoralized. Focus on facts, not feelings, and approach difficult feedback from a constructive standpoint.   

7. Don't say, "No one else has a problem with it." Say, "Shall we discuss what's not working for you?" 

Good managers don't tell their employees how they should and shouldn't feel. Instead of acting defensively to complaints or concerns, view them as a clear warning sign that someone needs your help. If performance is an issue, then it's yours to help resolve. 

Or maybe it's a case of training and providing support for an employee who isn’t up to speed. Or perhaps it’s something else, and the employee just needs to have a conversation and work it out for themselves. That’s where good coaching comes in.

The best managers seek feedback and input from their teams. Responding compassionately builds trust and means employees will feel more confident about opening up to you.

8. Don't say, "Failure is not an option." Say, "What's our Plan B?" 

"Management is nothing more than motivating other people," says American Executive, Lee Iacocca. So, make your team members feel valued by inviting them to discuss creative, alternative solutions that can act as a safety net. And you never know, you might just strike gold “great ideas don't only come from the boardroom, after all.

Abandon any aggressive sports metaphors when communicating expectations or delivering bad news. Often, they are less motivational and helpful than you might think, and can stir insecurity or resentment in your team.

9. Don't say, "I hate this job/client/co-worker." Say, "What do we think makes [X] so challenging?"

A throwaway comment may seem harmless, but it could come back to haunt you later.

During a particularly stressful week, my friend, Marissa, was going above and beyond the call of duty because she loved the company and challenging herself. But when her boss, Graham, breezed past her desk and said, "I wish I had your job instead; it'd be so much easier", it crushed her spirit.  

And whatever you do, don't be like my old manager. He used to say how much he hated his job as a way to bond with employees. But this attitude didn't inspire any confidence or respect. Instead, it "poisoned the well" for everyone. It also backfired on him, when he was quoted by an employee to the very boss he'd moaned about.

10. Don't say, "It's always been this way. I don't want questions; I just want it done." Say, "How else could we approach this?" 

Don't be a "my way or the highway" sort of manager. Change is not something to resist or be frightened of. We should always be striving for continuous improvement. A truly great organization and its managers seek input from people at all levels. Asking questions clarifies understanding – and proposing new ideas shows that employees are engaged and want to feel involved.

By keeping focus on maintaining and growing relationships with your employees, everyone benefits – and so does your bottom line. You'll increase people's confidence, satisfaction and performance, and in return, you and your business can identify, retain and benefit from the best talent.

If ever you think you've said something you shouldn't have, don't just push it out of your mind: assess whether you need to address it, apologize for your mistake, and explain what you should have said instead. It will calm emotions and show your growth and caring nature as a manager.

Have you ever said anything to an employee that you regretted? How was it taken? Has a manager ever said anything that upset you at work? How did you handle it? Would you do anything differently?

The post 10 things managers should never say - and what to say instead appeared first on Mind Tools.

It’s undoubtedly a turbulent time for finance leaders. But organizations have been quick to learn from previous downturns by accelerating investment in bold technological investments designed to make them faster and leaner.

According to our latest leadership report, the top priorities for financial organizations, as of 2023, were reducing operational costs (37 percent of respondents) and building digital environment and capabilities (34 percent). [1]

Autonomous finance has seen significant growth as a result. This involves using AI technology to provide real-time and predictive insights, greater compliance and improved forecasting. All of which allows financial organizations to remain agile, flexible and responsive to markets. In fact, 92 percent of CFOs said that they plan to increase investment in technology like this – up from 70 percent in 2021. [2]

20.8 percent of financial jobs are at risk of displacement

However, technological advancements, coupled with a need to reduce costs, have meant that 20.8 percent of the financial services workforce in the UK are at risk of displacement. [3]

Ironically, the investment in and growth of new technologies has resulted in increased demand for new roles, specifically data and technical specialists, despite others becoming obsolete. As a result, many organizations are looking at upskilling current staff into these areas to avoid redundancies and improve staff retention.

Nonetheless, research shows that many organizations are not upskilling quickly enough. Only 14 percent of finance leaders have made significant progress in establishing an upskilling program to tackle this issue. [4]

Upskilling saves money and retains talent

Research by the Financial Services Skills Commission (FSSC) reveals that failing to prioritize skills development can actually increase costs. For example, in terms of recruitment, lack of innovation, and stalled projects and product development. It pinpoints technical skills such as data analysis, software development and digital literacy as key in-demand skills. [5]

The research demonstrates that learning must go beyond technical skills to include soft skills if employees are to be truly successful. Creativity, coaching, problem-solving and decision-making skills are still needed to ensure that employees are effectively utilizing analytics, AI tools and automated processes in a way that supports the organization’s goals.

And, despite increased reliance on automation to provide some customer service, face-to-face customer experiences remain crucial to the success of many financial organizations. This is particularly the case in a competitive market facing economic pressures , where a poor customer experience can result in people switching service provider.

Research from Deloitte shows that soft skills are still rated more highly by corporate clients than technical skills as the most important attributes needed by relationship managers. With “being proactive” and having “a solutions mindset” topping the list at 73 percent and 70 percent, respectively. [6]

Employee engagement in learning is falling

So how are organizations planning to upskill their workforce so that they continue to remain resilient in the face of changing market pressures?

Since the pandemic, many companies have opted to retain a hybrid work environment, which has resulted in a rapid digitalization of learning. While this initially resulted in an uplift in supporting new ways of working, innovation and response times, these same achievements plummeted in 2022. This suggests that organizations are struggling to sustain the short-term learning gains they made in 2021, at the height of the pandemic. [7]

Our own research reveals that the problem lies primarily in attitudes among employees toward learning, which dropped to its lowest point in three years in 2022. In other words, employees simply aren’t as engaged in learning as they were during the pandemic. [7]

People first, technology second

Although these findings paint a somewhat concerning picture, they reveal a much bigger issue – it is not simply enough for organizations to invest in tech and digital learning. They also need to encourage employee engagement by developing a strong internal learning culture.

Our 2022 Learning Performance Benchmark suggests a number of ways organizations can achieve this, for example:

• Investing in collaboration tools that support social learning among peers.
• Using data to identify skills gaps and create targeted learning that addresses these gaps.
• Communicating performance impacts and linking learning with organizational goals.
• Integrating learning into the flow of work by making it accessible to all employees (for example, by choosing learning tools that are easy to use and are signposted correctly).

Discover more about how Mind Tools for Business can support your digital learning capabilities, and ensure that your people are learning the skills they need to achieve success.

References

[1] Mind Tools for Business. (2023.) ‘Turning Pressures Into Opportunities.’ Available here.

[7] Mind Tools for Business. (2022). ‘Is your learning culture keeping pace with rapid digitalization? Annual L&D Benchmark Report 2022.’ Available here.

The post How can learning support the financial industry? appeared first on Mind Tools.

But to be effective, feedback must be part of your working culture. Here’s how to make it happen.

1. Explain to people why feedback is important

Why do you want your employees to give and receive feedback? Is it to recognize achievements? To show people how their work impacts others and your organization? Or identify areas for individuals and teams to develop?

Communicate openly with everyone in your business – explaining why you want people to solicit feedback. Do that and they’ll give more accurate, honest and helpful responses.

2. Give people a steer

It can be tough to know where to start when giving feedback. To help, you can share learning resources that detail the type of information you want people to collect. In Job Feedback, [1] Manuel London highlights three areas to consider:

• Task performance – how well a person does their job, and how their skills help produce your company’s goods or services.
• Contextual performance – characteristics such as loyalty, helpfulness and interpersonal skills.

• Adaptive performance – how well an employee can perform and adapt in situations of uncertainty and stress.. [2]

Knowing the types of things to look for will help people structure the feedback they give and better understand the observations they receive.

3. Get diverse perspectives

Encourage employees to cast their feedback net wide. People from different teams – and from different backgrounds – bring fresh perspectives. Clients, for example, can help you assess your customer service skills. You can try:

• 180-and 360-degree feedback to offer a rounded picture of an employee’s performance.
• Upward feedback to increase self-awareness and help develop managers.
• Anonymous feedback to help people be honest without fear of hurting relationships or suffering reprisals.
• Self-assessments to help employees think about their own performance and areas to improve.

These tools help form the process of feedback, allow you to track progress, and show that real change comes from it.

But results should be delivered in a meaningful way. If you provide performance ratings, for example, give context by showing the highest, lowest and average scores for each area, plus figures for peers in similar positions. And alongside ratings, open comments can help employees better identify areas for learning and development.

4. Lead by example

It’s important to encourage leaders to set an example and seek out feedback from their managers, co-workers and direct reports.

As Carole Burman, managing director at MAD-HR says, “Leaders must hone their ability to give and receive feedback and set the example. They must consistently ask for feedback, at all levels, and visibly show that they receive feedback well.” [3]

Showing you’ve taken feedback on board also builds personal accountability. Leaders can hold their hands up for the actions they take, acknowledge any mistakes made, or admit when initiatives fall short. This inspires others to be accountable and continue to take risks.

5. Make feedback a habit

To bake in feedback, it must happen outside of quarterly reviews or just when something goes wrong. As Forbes writer Heidi Lynne Kurter, says, “When something such as feedback becomes a habit, it naturally becomes a part of the company culture.” So, consider:

• Making feedback training part of your on-boarding program.
• Running workshops – safe spaces for all employees to practice giving and receiving feedback. These can be face-to-face or online.
• Encouraging regular one-on-ones between employees and managers.

Follow our tips to make feedback part of your organization’s culture. It may take time to see the benefits, but you can send that email or fist bump emoji to praise someone right now. 

Sources

[1] Manual London, (2003) Job Feedback, Article. [Accessed February 14, 2023.]

[2] John Spacey, (2020). 16 Examples of Adaptive Performance [online]. Available here. [Accessed February 14, 2023.]

[3] Heidi Lynne Kurter, (2020). 6 Ways To Build A Feedback Driven Culture That Inspires Healthy Communication [online[. Available here. [ Accessed February 14, 2023.]

The post How to create a culture of feedback appeared first on Mind Tools.

A big part of that is engagement. Here’s how Mind Tools can help engage your employees.

What engages workers? Is it salary? Perks? Office vibe? You may be surprised to hear that learning consistently comes up as one of the top responses in employee engagement studies.

A Culture Amp survey, for example, found that staff with access to the right L&D are 21 percent more engaged. What’s more, over half of employee retention comes from the belief that companies contribute to their growth and development. [1]

What employees want from learning

People want to learn throughout their careers. But not all L&D is born equal. Here’s what employees want from your learning offering.

1. On-demand resources

A 2018 LinkedIn report found that employees want to learn at their own pace and “at the point of need.” [2] Mind Tools toolkits offer just that. On-demand, digital resources that people can access anywhere, any time. We make them easy to digest so your people can dip in, learn, and move on.

2. In-demand topics

Are your people empowered? A CIPD report found that engaged employees have the skills and confidence to do their job well. [3] Our toolkits, off-the-shelf eLearning modules and custom learning can help your people up- and re-skill.

That includes capabilities like problem-solving plus soft skills such as communication. Our research also reveals people are looking for wellbeing support right now. Here at Mind Tools we make it our mission to respond to these evolving needs.

3. Job-specific content

People also need job and company-specific skills to work smarter. That’s why we have Client Partners with expertise in your industry to work with you to support your employees with their unique development needs. Find out more about the type of industries we work with:

• Manufacturing
• ​Banking & Financial Services
• Public Sector
• Pharmaceuticals
• Professional Services
• Transport & Logistics
• Universities & Education

Want to learn more about how we work with organizations? Read our case studies to see how Mind Tools for Business is helping all types of businesses in a wide variety of industries.

4. Always-on resources

Our research reveals that top-performing organizations have “self-determined learners.” They manage their own L&D, but demand it’s ready when they are, in the format they’re looking for.

That’s why we offer on-demand learning resources in a wide-range of formats. Your employees will find audio interviews, articles, videos, animations, quizzes, how-to guides and more.

What’s more, your dedicated Client Partner will work with you to offer marketing support that nudges people to your content. And you can help them feel at home by branding your Content Library just how you like it. You can even integrate our products with your existing LMS.

5. Content that gets better and better

Resilience. Change management. Creativity. Some topics are classics. But we also study search-term analysis to find out what employees want to learn – now.

You’ll have access to this data, too. Your toolkit dashboard will show you analytics like team stats, login frequency, and total time spent learning. So, you’ll see what your learners really need from you. We also get feedback from user comments, pop-up survey results, and through talking to clients.

Want to dive deeper? Our Learning Performance Benchmark lets you compare your L&D efforts with other organizations – including your peers!

6. Resources they can rely on

No fake news here. Whether you choose one of our toolkits, off-the-shelf eLearning or custom learning, our in-house writers, editors, designers, and developers are always producing engaging and credible content. And every resource goes through our quality control process to ensure it’s accurate and up to scratch.

7. Shareable content

People like to share; it’s in our nature. Research reveals top organizations have “growth mindsets.” Their employees apply what they have learned to their jobs – and share knowledge with their colleagues. [4]

With the Mind Tools toolkits, your people can comment on, like and share – including on Microsoft Teams. They can share playlists, too. These curated pages can hold our content and yours – helping employees develop the skillsets your organization needs most.

Want to see what Mind Tools can do to help engage your people? Explore our learning solutions to find out. 

Sources
[1] Croswel, L. Focus on learning and development to increase retention [online] Available here. [Accessed February 9, 2023].
[2] LinkedIn. 2018 Workplace Learning Report [online]. Available here. [ Accessed February 9, 2023].
[3] CIPD, Employee engagement: an evidence review. [online] Available here. [ Accessed February 9, 2023].
[4] Lutin, L. (2020). Superlearning: Reskilling, upskilling and outskilling for a future-proof workforce [online]. Available here. [ Accessed February 9, 2023].

The post 7 ways Mind Tools will engage your employees appeared first on Mind Tools.

We are an approved provider of learning solutions on “G Cloud”, the U.K. Government’s Digital Marketplace, and our multimedia resources are accessible immediately on any device.

Every one of our clients is assigned their own Client Partner, dedicated to working alongside you to increase usage of our learning solutions and to maximize their impact.

But why should you trust Mind Tools to deliver the learning solutions your organization needs? We asked Account Director Colin Howell, and Client Partners Gillian Reid and Naz Askander for all the answers…

1. Right for you

GILLIAN REID: Public sector organizations deliver a wide range of different services under one “roof.” We understand that is unique to the public sector and the challenges that brings. This means we’re committed to delivering only those development solutions best suited to your public sector environment.

NAZ ASKANDER: Today, it's more important than ever to invest in the development of your employees. A solid learning and development (L&D) strategy can help your organization achieve its goals and retain top talent.

Mind Tools’ comprehensive toolkit can support your L&D strategy in three key ways:

• Personal and Professional Skill Development: Our resources help employees develop and improve critical skills such as communication, problem-solving and time management, as well as helping them to look after their wellbeing.
• Performance Management: The Content Library includes resources for performance management, including feedback and coaching. It also offers learners the ability to track their own learning in order to help them reach their full potential.
• Leadership Development: Mind Tools offers a wealth of resources for leadership development, including articles, e-learning modules, and assessments – to help your organization find and develop its future leaders.

2. Easy to set up

NA: Plain and simple, we work with you – at your pace – to launch and bring your learners on board.

Your dedicated Client partner will be working alongside a client experience team member with you to ensure your onboarding process runs as smoothly as possible. In six short weeks, we'll help you launch a fully customized learning Content Library that's tailored to your unique needs and goals. This means, for example, you can bring your own specific content into the toolkit to sit alongside our resources.

COLIN HOWELL: And we can set up access to your Small Business Content Library in as little as 24 hours.

3. Flexible and scalable

GR: We work with you to build a Content Library that’s distinctly yours, with your own customized content, features and branding. To see how it can look, see our RSPCA Case Study.

NA: By customizing and branding your Content Library to match your company's needs, it looks familiar to your end users and becomes an extension to your existing L&D strategy.

How do we do it?

• In Week 2, you'll get a first draft of your toolkit and have the opportunity to provide feedback. Our team will then work with you on creating unique playlists and your "All About" section.
• Week 3 is all about improvements and updates. Based on your feedback, we'll make the necessary changes to your toolkit and get it ready for preview.
• In Week 4, it's finally launch time! Your Content Library is live and ready for use. You'll receive login credentials, and our team will guide you through the essential admin tools you need.
• Our priority is your success, so in Week 5 we'll develop an engagement plan aligned with your company's key incentives to get your learners excited and engaged.
• Finally, in Week 6, we'll have a final Content Library review and schedule welcome webinars to ensure your learners get the most out of their experience. Get ready for launch!

NA: At Mind Tools, we understand that engagement and progress go hand in hand. That's why your dedicated client partner will be with you every step of the way providing support such as on-going customizations, webinars and sharing best practice from other clients in the public sector.

CH: Customizing your toolkit can also include adding or removing menus and content. That’s especially useful when a public sector organization wants to share content with select organizations within their community. This adds up to full flexibility on how the Content Library looks, feels and who can access your content.

4. Endlessly engaging

NA: Are you tired of sifting through unreliable information on Google for your learning and development needs?

• Our team of expert writers, editors, and designers create evidence-based, highly researched, and fact-checked resources that you can trust. You can expect:
• Resources that support learners throughout their career, whether you are a brand new starter, an aspiring manager or someone who has many years leadership experience.
• New topical content around global and U.K. based themes.
• The bitesize nature of our content means you can consume and apply skills learned in under five minutes!

Mind Tools for Business also provides a range of tools and metrics to help your organization make informed decisions around learning by understanding the impact and effectiveness of your learning initiatives.

CH: We're adding new content to our customer Content Libraries every week and place a heavy emphasis on topical subjects to remain “on trend.” That could be content around financial wellbeing, mental health and ED&I, as well as core topics in management, leadership and personal effectiveness.

5. Robust and secure

GR: We have stringent security processes in place, guaranteeing safe and confidential handling of your data, which you can access anytime.

CH: Our Client Experience team have worked with many public sector organizations and are fully conversant with the strict IT and Privacy policies in place. We work closely with IT departments to ensure that data remains safe.

6. Tried and tested

Our solutions are proven to boost the performance of people and the organizations they work in.

So, there you have it, our six reasons for you to trust our learning solutions. Get in touch today to find out how you can test drive our resources.

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