It may sound like a simple concept, change your skillset and you’ll change your outcome, but it’s actually more complicated than just taking a few courses. Changing your skillset is not only a decision to change, advance, or be better, it’s also choosing not to fall back on old habits. The best way to maximize the bottom line of your company is to invigorate your people and your processes. I’m not talking about putting together a great PowerPoint presentation or creating dashboards that no one really does anything with, I mean really shaking things up. Documenting processes is one thing, deciding that we’re going to do this better is another. This is a big decision that will require an even bigger commitment to see it to the end. The undertaking of identifying processes, although often minimized or simplified is far more complicated than a novice may present.

Where your team stands in this

To be completely honest, you’re probably quite detached from the day-to-day operations, even if you deny it. There’s a lot within your business that you’re unaware of. Your team is the face of your business, engaging with clients, vendors, and each other daily. Evaluate their current methods of communication and collaboration to enhance your business. Encourage them to discover new ways to better meet your client’s needs. Not all your employees are comfortable with change and may resist it, but by providing support, guidance, and training, they can adapt more easily. Allow them to express their thoughts and ideas on how processes can be improved and implemented in a way that works for everyone. Collaborative efforts will create a sense of ownership and pride within your team members. This not only increases productivity but also boosts employee satisfaction and retention.

The Importance of Training and Development

Investing in training and development is beneficial for both the company and its employees. It allows individuals to expand their skillset, improve their performance, and take on new challenges. This not only benefits the individual but also contributes to the overall growth of the company. Employees who feel valued by their employer are more likely to be engaged and motivated, leading to increased productivity and better results. Training can also help identify areas where employees may need additional support or resources, allowing for targeted development plans.

Embracing Technology

In today’s fast-paced business world, technology is constantly evolving. Embracing new technologies not only improves efficiency but also allows for more innovative and effective processes. It’s important to stay up-to-date with industry advancements and incorporate them into your business strategy. This can include automation software, project management tools, or customer relationship management systems. By embracing technology, you show your team that you are committed to staying competitive and continuously improving. This can also attract top talent who are looking to work with cutting-edge technology.

Continuously Evaluate and Adapt

Change is an ongoing process, and it’s important to continuously evaluate and adapt your processes to stay current and efficient. Encourage feedback from your team and clients on what is working well and where there may be room for improvement. Regularly revisit your processes and make adjustments as needed. This shows that your company is committed to growth and improvement, creating a culture of continuous learning and development.

In conclusion, changing your skillset and invigorating your team’s processes requires commitment, open-mindedness, and adaptability. By investing in training, embracing technology, and continuously evaluating and adapting, you can create a culture of growth and improvement within your organization. Your team will feel valued, engaged, and motivated, leading to increased productivity and better results for your business. So don’t just settle for the status quo, strive for continuous improvement and success. Keep in mind that change can be challenging and may not always produce immediate results.

Changing your skillset is  

Meanwhile, your processes should allow your people to operate in the most efficient way possible. They often are counterproductive when they become cumbersome, manual, or layered meaning copy and pasted information. These two areas, people and process are interrelated to help your organization reach its ultimate potential. Your people are the building blocks that determine the strength of your organization’s processes, which will result in optimized performance. This begs the question — with the constant change of technology, how do you plan to empower your employees?

One way to empower your employees is through continuous improvement. Encourage them to constantly seek out ways to improve their processes and make suggestions for new technologies or methods that could enhance their work. This not only shows that you value their input, but it also creates a culture of innovation within your company. Another way to empower your employees is by providing them with the necessary training and resources to succeed. This includes not only technical skills but also soft skills such as communication, time management, and problem-solving. By investing in their development, you show that you are committed to their growth and success within the company.

In addition to empowering your employees, it’s important to create a culture of accountability. This means clearly defining roles and responsibilities, setting expectations, and holding individuals accountable for their actions. With clear guidelines in place, your team will feel more ownership over their work and be more motivated to meet deadlines and produce quality results.

Finally, communication is key to successful people and process management. Regularly communicate with your team about changes, updates

Another important aspect of continuous improvement is the willingness to adapt and evolve.

Why empower your employees?

When I make a statement to do, or not to do something I will back it up with facts, and of course my experience. To address the question, why empower your employees, I’m going to use an interactive example. Before we move on to the scenario you may have an issue with the word empower because it implies: we as leaders give someone else power or make them stronger. No one needs another person’s permission or give the power to make them stronger. I’m only talking about you as a leader now who has been there before. So, where does this power come from then? Employees feel empowered when they have the necessary resources, knowledge, and support to do their job effectively. They also feel empowered when they have a sense of ownership over their work and are encouraged to take initiative.

Now for the example: Imagine you’re running a small business and your team is in charge of creating social media content. One of your employees, let’s call her Sarah, comes to you with the idea of using Instagram Stories for promotions. You may be hesitant and think it’s not worth the time and effort, but instead, you encourage Sarah to do some research and present a proposal on how this could benefit the business. After doing so, Sarah presents a well-thought-out plan that shows potential for increased engagement and sales. You decide to give it a try and it turns out to be a successful strategy. Sarah feels empowered because her idea was not only heard but also implemented, and the business benefits from her contribution.

In this scenario, by empowering your employees through open communication, support, and encouragement of new ideas, you have not only improved your processes but also increased employee satisfaction and engagement. This highlights the importance of empowering your employees to drive continuous improvement within your organization.

Continuously evaluating and adapting, empowering your employees, holding them accountable, and maintaining effective communication are all essential components of driving continuous improvement in both people and processes. By creating a culture that values growth and innovation, you can position your organization for long-term success and stay ahead of the ever-changing business landscape. So don’t be afraid to embrace change, invest in your team’s development, and strive for continuous improvement in all aspects of your organization. So keep pushing yourself and your team towards growth and improvement, as it will ultimately lead to a thriving and successful business. Remember, there is always room for improvement, and the journey toward excellence is a continuous one.

Keep exploring new ideas and technologies, encourage open communication, and empower your employees to drive change and growth within your organization. With these principles in place, you can create a strong foundation for continuous improvement and success for your business. So keep pushing yourself and your team towards growth and improvement, as it will ultimately lead to a thriving and successful business. Remember, there is always room for improvement, and the journey toward excellence is a continuous one. So don’t be afraid to embrace change, invest in your team’s development, and strive for continuous improvement in all aspects of your organization.

By implementing these strategies and creating a culture of continuous improvement, you can set your business apart from the competition and position it for long-term success. So start empowering your employees, encouraging open communication, and embracing change today to see the positive impact on your organization’s growth and performance tomorrow. So don’t wait, take action now and create a culture of continuous improvement in your business or organization.

Scenario:

• Think back to a job you’ve had in your life; hopefully, you’ve had a job outside of a family business so you can recall this time in your life.
• If you remember what it was like to work there, something had to have happened that was memorable to you.
• Think about your onboarding process, was it sit in the seat and figure it out, or was it a program where someone walked you through how to do what was expected of you?
• What was your manager like were they authoritative, collaborative, or passive? I’m sure you remember their name.
• You likely remember the very first time, or maybe even every time you made a mistake, an epic mistake!
• When you tell this story to your friends and family what is it like? Usually, one of those memories you look back on and are thankful it’s over, right?

Now that you’ve gone back to that time in your life in the early days, you’ll likely also remember a good job you’ve had. A manager that inspired you, supported you, maybe you had a mentor or worked for or with someone that informally took you under their wing. Maybe a better way to position this if you take issue with empowering is Not to empower people because they already have it in them but to create an environment for them to thrive and grow.

“It’s the job of the manager not to light the fire of motivation, but to create an environment to let each person’s personal spark of motivation blaze.”

– Frederick Herzberg, American psychologist

Unless you are one of the fortunate ones, those roles were likely two different companies. They both left an impression on you, but both were very different impressions, regardless of the outcome or reason you no longer work there.

Back to why I’m encouraging you to empower your employees because it has a lasting effect on people. The kind of corporate culture you have, the way in which you value the people that work for you, and the management team you hired to carry on your mission and vision to the greater team matters. It matters to you and your business, your clients, and to those who work for you.

How employee engagement empowers your business

Investing in your people increases engagement and ultimately allows your company to grow exponentially. According to MSW Research, only 29% of U.S. employees are fully engaged, and 26% are disengaged. Those drastic numbers are affecting businesses around the country and ultimately increasing costs rather than increasing revenue.

So how do we increase employee engagement? Engagement starts with asking questions that relate to your team’s commitment. In other words, is your team invested in the success of your business? This concept is driven by the leaders of the organization. When you have great leadership, you have a team that truly understands the nature of the business,

believes in your mission, and wants to better serve your clients. One way to build great leadership is to invest in the success of your team. According to Gallup, companies with engaged employees outperform others with disengaged employees up to 202%. Employees that see their organization is investing in them are more likely to be engaged and gain a greater sense of confidence when it comes to being successful in their role.

Engagement will ultimately lead to employee satisfaction, which will reinvigorate your people to take command of their daily tasks. Altogether, a focus on creating a culture that offers challenges and opportunities to grow is ideal to build a satisfying work experience. This positive change of performance will foster an increase in productivity and allow your employees to work at their maximum level.

The streamline of people, processes, and technology will require continuous adaptation through skillset development.

Professional training and development will always be a continuous effort. This is especially essential when an organization is going through a change initiative. Whether it is adding technology, people, or revising workflows, it is important to optimize training and development and effectively learn how to utilize them. Whether you are improving managerial skills, learning to sell more effectively, or simply working on team collaboration, there will always be a need for workplace training.

For instance, at Cornerstone Paradigm Consulting, a business operations consulting firm, we focus on helping people with the processes, systems, and software implementation to streamline your business operations and improve your customer experience. Concurrently, when there is business operational change then there is always a need to upskill your talent with these changes.

This is where we help you make the decision on how and who to upskill when automation replaces manual workflows. We help your people perform at their maximum level and be the best version of themselves with new training and development. Upskilling allows them to learn and grow with your business’s improved operations confidently. As a result, your people will be able to use new software and collaborate at a higher level, which is why we look at your business holistically reinforcing seamless workflows and organizational growth.

All in all, investing in your process and employees will benefit a company in an exponential fashion. Change is an inevitable part of business, and one must initiate development throughout the organization to obtain a resilient culture. Even though we are facing unprecedented times, now is not the time to stay on the sideline, we must conquer each challenge by finding new opportunities to grow. Leveraging the expertise of our highly skilled professionals and partner resources can help you achieve a unique growth advantage.

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