Business

In today’s 24/7 business environment, burnout is a major problem among business executives. How much time and money is your company losing because of executive burnout? Do you know you can avoid burnout in your staff–and reap higher profits? Here are four things you can do this week to avoid business burnout now and in the future:

Focus on self-transformation. For example, practice re-writing your job description given your evolving challenges, and think about how to become the perfect candidate for the job you already have. A leader who focuses first on self-transformation will have the energy and perspective needed to thrive. A focus on self-transformation also inspires confidence from employees, and can keep a leader attuned to issues of organizational transformation. Bob Carlson, board member and recently retired co-CEO of Reell Precision Manufacturing in St. Paul, MN, took seriously the challenge of living up to Reell’s values and principles and in the process, found himself transformed: “Having to frame decisions within the context of Reell’s values and principles, has made me a better person.” As a result, he found that he had more energy, made better decisions, and that employees had more confidence in him.

Empower others to take ownership of the organization’s values and mission. Help employees to find their personal passions and connect those to the organization’s values and mission. Once employees share the vision for the organization’s future, the leader’s personal load is lightened. Jean Quinn, co-director of Sophia Housing in Dublin, Ireland, is committed to empowering everyone in her organization. She recently trained her managers in how to see themselves as leaders so they would feel comfortable taking more responsibility. Her load was lightened and the organization’s effectiveness increased dramatically.

Practice listening. Listening is a powerful tool for understanding an organization, building relationships, and knowing how to invest energy strategically. This practice manifests as leaders listen to themselves, to their senior leadership team, to individual employees, and to a higher power. A leader can also provide guidelines for employees that encourage respectful listening. The resources of everyone’s inner wisdom then are brought to bear on problem-solving and more effective decisions result. Focused listening times can be employed during staff meetings, daily briefings, or during separate designated listening times. Jim Fitzpatrick, CEO of Mercy Medical Center in Mason City, Iowa, commits himself to listening to the pulse of the organization, especially when making major decisions. Recently he appointed a Mission Discernment task force to help him listen to the wisdom of clinicians, financial managers, and chaplains in deciding how to address pre-adolescent mental health needs. The result? An effective partnership with a local outpatient mental health agency that increased energy and vision for all concerned.

Take breaks. Everyone needs times of pulling away for refreshment and perspective. Leaders can’t afford not to take time apart for renewal. This can be as simple as a walk outside at lunch, or a commute listening to music that feeds one’s soul. Seeking out supportive friends or mentors both inside and outside of the organization can also help refresh the leader. Furthermore, leaders can provide opportunities for their teams to be refreshed, thus lightening their load. Etta Erickson, program director of oncology programs at HealthEast, a healthcare system in the Twin Cities in Minnesota, holds an annual overnight retreat for the oncology leaders’ partnership council. Retreats include meditation time as well as time for telling funny stories and playing golf. Frequent breaks renew energy, give new perspective, and increase creativity and productivity.

There are dozens more ways to avoid burnout and achieve greater effectiveness by bringing spirituality into the workplace, but just start by following these four simple strategies and see how quickly your energy is renewed.

About The Author
Margaret Benefiel, PhD, teaches spirituality and organizational leadership at Andover Newton Theological School in Boston, and is CEO of ExecutiveSoul.com. Author of Soul at Work: Spiritual Leadership in Organizations (Seabury Books, 2005), she speaks widely, leads workshops and retreats, and offers spiritual direction to executives and organizations. She serves as Program Chair of the Academy of Management’s Management, Spirituality, and Religion Group. Over 300 executives, managers, and other leaders have participated in her seminars and courses. Learn more at http://www.ExecutiveSoul.com.

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Imagine This!
I am going to have to ask you to use your imagination a bit. Picture a middle-aged male, 6 feet tall, long, wavy blond hair, about 185lbs. Now for the fun part, he is dressed in a yellow tutu, a tiara adorns his head; he has a magic wand in one hand, a megaphone in the other and a toothbrush in his mouth.

For the record, the picture you have conjured up is me. So why the picture you ask or maybe it is more like why and what the? The picture was taken at an event called the Avon Breast Cancer 3-Day. In this event over 3000 people walked 67 miles from Leominster MA to Boston. You heard it, 67 miles in 3 days on 2 feet. My wife and I had walked it the first year and for the next two years we joined the crew of 500 or so volunteers that supported the walkers. Our crew team ran a pit stop; our goal was to provide treats, fluids and moral support for the walkers. As you might have guessed our team theme was tooth fairies. Sometimes you have to step outside of your comfort zone and adopt a less serious approach. At the end of those three days, despite the benefit of that megaphone I had no voice left. Let me tell you, it is some challenge to keep people charged when they are physically and emotionally worn. Let’ s face it, these people walked for a lot of reasons. Some of them are breast cancer survivors themselves, others are walking in honor of loved ones lost to or still battling this devastating disease. For me, it was in memory of my Mom who had breast cancer yet died of other causes and a dear friend who at the time was battling the disease and who ultimately succumbed, this past year.

Don’t Be Sad
But this is not a sad story; in fact this experience was the most life-changing of my time on this earth. Each of my three years participating in this event I was fortunate to be amongst amazingly selfless people. To say I was humbled does not come close to describing the feelings that surged through me. The tears flowed freely as did the joy, the cheers and the hope. There is no place I would rather have been, no experience that would have satisfied me more profoundly. I discovered strength and passion in me I had no idea existed, not to mention what I learned of so many others.

Business Is First and Foremost About People
OK, so what does this have to do with business anyway? Well, here are my thoughts. A business is first, about people; employees, clients, the public at large, and so on. The common denominator in business is people. Yet, when we get caught up in running a business (or for that matter being in business) it’s easy to lose our appreciation for those people upon whom our business depends. That is not something we can afford to do. My 3-Day experience taught me a lot about how I look at myself and at others.

Take a Walk Alongside Yourself- You Will be Amazed
You have heard the old adage ‘walk a mile in my shoes’. How about walking a mile alongside yourself? What would that be like? Take a close look at your day to day. How does it feel? What would it be like to be your own employee, a client or even your boss? Do you know yourself this well? If you do I congratulate you as I suspect you are in the minority. If you do not, my challenge to you is that you start the journey. When you do, you will be enriched in ways you cannot imagine. I know; it took me three days and 67 miles.

Start walking…

Since 1996, under the name E & D Associates, Ed Drozda has facilitated the success of businesses of all sizes through effective management of comprehensive projects and strategically delivered business/executive coaching. He earned his BS in Medical Technology from Marquette University and his MBA in Health Care Administration from Bryant University; he is also a graduate of the Coach University Coach Training Program. Ed is a board certified blood bank specialist and has enjoyed over 20 years in the field of clinical operations and healthcare administration. As a project manager, he has worked with major pharmaceutical, medical device manufacturing and blood collection companies. As a business/executive coach Ed enjoys working with dynamic executives and business owners who seek to develop and grow small to mid-size businesses. He challenges and leads these clients to clarify and maximize their goals while discovering and exploiting their inherent strengths.

Visit on the web at http://www.4eandd.com.

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What is a Remarkable Business?

My definition of a remarkable business is - a business that serves its customers like no other on the planet.

The only purpose of any business - whatever the size - is to provide the highest possible service, value and result to every single person that inquires of you, asks advice from you and buys or invest from you.

If your business is a remarkable one, your competition will have no chance. Your business WILL be the compelling choice to your customers! You and Your business will be constantly written about, interviewed and publicised.

Let me share something by Seth Godin:

This is an essay about what it takes to create and sell something remarkable. It is a plea for originality, passion, guts and daring. You can’t be remarkable by following someone else who’s remarkable. One way to figure out a theory is to look at what’s working in the real world and determine what the successes have in common. But what could the Four Seasons and Motel 6 possibly have in common? Or Neiman-Marcus and Wal*Mart? Or Nokia (bringing out new hardware every 30 days or so) and Nintendo (marketing the same Game Boy 14 years in a row)? It’s like trying to drive looking in the rearview mirror. The thing that all these companies have in common is that they have nothing in common. They are outliers. They’re on the fringes. Superfast or superslow. Very exclusive or very cheap. Extremely big or extremely small. The reason it’s so hard to follow the leader is this: The leader is the leader precisely because he did something remarkable. And that remarkable thing is now takenso it’s no longer remarkable when you decide to do it.” Seth Godin, Fast Company/02.2003

My question to you is, as a small business where do you start? Where do you start turning your business in to a “Remarkable” one?

Go back to your Vision Statement (if you have one!). Make it your businesses Primary Purpose to be a remarkable one in your industry, county, country or worldwide and so on…

Look at every single process in your business and ask the question “how can i make it remarkable”?

What is the alternative? If you do not deliberately choose to be remarkable.. you are choosing to be ordinary. Ordinary businesses are always chasing customers, profits and what ever they can grab on the way. Long hours, poor team morale, dismal profits, too much hard work for very little return, price driven competition are typical symptoms of an ordinary (me too) business.

To be ordinary or “Remarkable” - it your choice!

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Ravi is a Business Coach and an Entreprenuer. He is passionate about “Unlocking” the potential that exists within the Business Owner and the Business. By helping to unlock the potential within all of us -our business will ultimately give the life we so richly deserve.

Website: http://www.ultimate-marketing-manual.com

Email: info@ultimate-marketing-manual.com

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