Young Innovative Professionals Logo

Is TikTok bad for business?

Concerns about security on the app TikTok continue to mount as provincial and municipal governments consider or implement plans to restrict employees from accessing the platform on their work devices.

 

At the end of February, the federal government officially announced it was removing TikTok from all its mobile devices, joining a growing list of governments worldwide doing the same, despite assurances from the Chinese company Bytedance which owns the app that it does not share data with the Chinese government or store it in the country. 

 

All Canadian provinces are implementing or considering bans, however, at this time it remains unclear if the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut will do the same.

 

Other organizations, including Waterloo Regional Police Service and Conestoga College, have also banned the app on work devices.

 

But what does this mean for businesses, many of whom now rely on the popular social media platform to promote their business?

 

 

We asked Cambridge Chamber of Commerce Members and marketing experts, Ashley Gould of Cinis Marketing and Cathy Lumb of Cali Marketing Communications, to share their insight:

 

 

Q. What are some of the key benefits for businesses who use TikTok?

 

Ashley: TikTok is a great form of marketing for businesses looking to attract a younger audience. They also currently have a huge user base and extremely high engagement, so it is an easier platform to grow your audience on.

The third benefit is that less businesses are using TikTok which translates to less competition, meaning that your posts will be seen more favourably and if you engage in paid ads the cost per engagement will be lower.

 

Cathy: TikTok lets you tell your business’s story with short, fun, and entertaining content that will attract and keep people’s attention. It’s ideal for fun interactive activities and challenges to keep your audience involved and growing. A benefit for your customers is that they won’t feel they are being advertised to, as with some traditional advertising.

Businesses can get a great idea of what their customers like about their products or services as well as what needs to be improved. But it’s important to answer the question: Is my audience on TikTok?

 

 

Q, What has made it such an attractive social media tool for them, and can they rely on it too much?

 

Ashley: The pandemic helped tremendously with the success of TikTok as a platform. Suddenly, people found themselves with extra time and TikTok was a great place to find the most recent dance or trend that you could then try for yourself. Now, TikTok has a billion active users, who are on the app daily looking to be entertained.

Relying on TikTok as your main form of marketing only works for a very small number of businesses, specifically those who can ship internationally and who are geared to a younger audience.

Though TikTok can be helpful for other businesses, it is equally important to spend time on platforms like Instagram Reels that take into account, geographic location on a broader scale.

 

Cathy: It feels more personal and is interactive, videos can be quickly created to be current and in the moment. (You still do need to carefully plan and create engaging material on TikTok.) It is easy to create content with TikTok’s dynamic music and graphics. It’s also a great way to work with influencers who are using your product or service.

If your main target audience is on TikTok then it would be hard not to be there. If TikTok is your only social media platform and at some point, feel you want to get off, it is best to be building your audience on other platforms.

 

 

Q. Should businesses be concerned about their information being compromised and shared?

 

Ashley: Mainstream media has made it readily known that the majority of apps access more data on our devices than they need to. That said, what is on your device should play into that decision. If your phone holds confidential information that could compromise the government, or a hospital, yes keep TikTok off that device.

If the most private thing you have is your banking app, studies thus far have shown you are OK to keep the app at this time.

 

Cathy: This is a big concern as we never want our or our customers’ confidential information to be compromised and used by others. We have already seen many examples of data being collected by other companies and put at risk by being passed on to third parties, without their customers’ consent. TikTok is very good at collecting a lot of information about its users and we can’t be sure where it will end up. More investigation is needed. 

 

 

Q. What are some steps businesses can take to protect themselves? Or can they?

 

Ashley: There is definitely something to be said about keeping TikTok on your personal device only and off your work device. TikTok has developed several strategies for keeping your information more private from an audience perspective, but not from a downloading and data collection perspective.

 

Cathy: As with all social media platforms and search engines, TikTok collects a lot of information from its users so they can effectively target ads. It is impossible for a business or individual to fully protect themselves as there is no way to opt out of all the information TikTok collects.

It’s up to each business and individual to manage their privacy, security and cookies consent on TikTok as well as their browser settings. Even so, it’s impossible to fully protect yourself from your data being collected and possibly shared as there is no opt out for all information being gathered.

A business or individual can minimize some risk by choosing not to post easily identifiable locations in TikTok videos. Individuals can set their TikTok to private to reduce risk.  

 

 

Q. Do you see businesses moving away from using this platform?

 

Ashley: The answer to this question is complicated as it is extremely industry specific. If government employees can no longer download TikTok on their devices, then businesses that are using social media as a means of marketing to this demographic will have to find alternative routes.

That said, for the majority of businesses the opposite is true, where more and more businesses are starting to create TikTok strategies.

 

Cathy: I think it will be a tough call to make if a business’s customers and competitors continue to use TikTok, especially if the business is benefitting. A lot will depend on what we learn in the coming weeks about TikTok, as well as what the consumer decides to do. I do think that if a business is not benefitting in a tangible way, then they may be more inclined to move away from it. 

We know that Facebook has faced criticism over the past few years, as has Twitter, but it has not stopped people from using these platforms.

However, major advertisers recently moved away from Twitter in droves, so we can see that if businesses are not happy with a social media platform, they will take action. Many individuals on social media do not feel the need to stop using it and some find it hard to understand how they can be of any interest to TikTok or Facebook. 

 

 

Q. Are there any social media platforms that are ‘foolproof’ when it comes to security concerns?

 

Ashley:  In my opinion, no. Apps are always collecting data, it is part of how they are created, and that data is meant to further your user experience. Therefore, there is always some kind of security concern with an app. 

 

Cathy: All social media platforms have their strong and weak points regarding security, and all are collecting data about us. Users of social media need to adjust the security, privacy, and advertising cookie settings to the levels they are most comfortable with.

Businesses on social media platforms need to keep a close eye on their social media accounts, monitor frequently and address any concerns right away. 

Regularly review your analytics to determine if your business’s marketing objectives are being achieved on social media.

 

Subscribe to this Blog Like on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn

Ghosting haunts businesses

It has become an all too familiar scenario for many small businesses: a potential employee doesn’t show up for the interview or a new employee, perhaps after a single day or a few weeks, suddenly disappears, never to be heard from again.

 

For businesses already struggling with labour shortages, the phenomenon of ‘ghosting’ has grown into a real challenge as our economy continues to rebuild.

 

“The last time we checked, we had about 30% participation in live interviews,” says Mike Black, owner/operator of Valet Car Wash in Cambridge and eight other locations. “I’m also finding that many people go onto Indeed and apply to dozens of job postings and they have no idea why you are even contacting them because they have so many irons in the fire and are just picking and choosing.”

 

He’s not alone in this regard. According to a survey conducted by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), 37% of small business owners who responded said they have had potential hires suddenly disappear without explanation, while one out of three who’ve hired someone during the last year either had that employee not show up their first day or had them stop coming in shortly after being hired.

 

While salary is a clear motivator for many job seekers, Mike also believes there has been a cultural ‘shift’ as opposed to just an economic one in terms of how people currently look for work.

 

“There almost seems to be a complete lack of courtesy and respect for others,” he says, noting the adage ‘never burn a bridge’ no longer seems to apply.

 

Janice McVey, Manager Partner at the Dean Group which specializes in employment recruitment, says the fact there are so many jobs available and that accountability no longer seems to be there when it comes to referencing, are a few of the key factors.

 

“It used to be that having a good job reference was important and not having one used to be a real impediment,” she says. “Now, again with unemployment so low and good people hard to find, companies are lowering the bar. The job candidate understands that lack of investment from the client’s perspective, so it becomes a bit of a two-way street.”

 

Janice says conducting a short Zoom interview may not necessarily win over a potential employee and make them feel invested enough to sign on.  However, she acknowledges that most companies also no longer have the luxury due to staff shortages to properly acclimate a new employee –spending additional time on training or introducing them to all their co-workers - because they need them to start working immediately.

 

“As a result of tightening up the interview process, they actually lose that ability to truly engage somebody in the role and therefore they can lose them,” says Janice, noting ‘A list’ companies that offer higher salaries and benefits tend to have fewer ghosting issues. “I think what it boils down to is there are too many options out there and therefore people do not worry about not finding a job when they need one.”

 

To help combat this, she encourages her clients to really promote why a person should want to work for them.

 

“You have to make sure what you’ve got to offer is what the candidate is really looking for. You as an employer, have to be clear on why people want to work for your organization,” says Janice. “Because now, they’re interviewing you more than you’re interviewing them.”

 

And if the candidate accepts the job but there is a concern they could soon be looking elsewhere, she recommends reminding them why they accepted the job in the first place.

 

“What was their motivation; if money was the reason, you’re never going to keep those people because they’re going to go to the next guy who pays them more,” says Janice. “I think you’ve got to make sure you’re lining up what it is you’ve got to offer with what it is an individual is looking for.”

 

Mike agrees noting potential employees are paying much closer attention to a company’s core values and how it projects itself, especially online.

 

“You are definitely selling yourself more today,” he says, adding that communication is vital, especially during the initial interview process and explains how his company keeps in close touch with a potential employee once contact has been made.

 

“We stay in constant touch with that candidate, reminding them about the interview and confirming the date and time,” says Mike, adding they have had great success with video interviews which can also lead to an in-person meeting depending on the position they’re trying to fill.  

 

Also, he says that close communication continues for the first few months after a new person has been hired.

 

“You really need to build a relationship that makes them feel welcomed and appreciated, and make sure they have everything they need,” says Mike. “You also have to be aware of how your employees are interacting with your new hires because they can play a major factor on whether they will stay or leave. It only takes a couple of bad apples to taint someone.”

 

Janice agrees, explaining leveraging your internal network can help an organization retain new employees.

 

“Your best salespeople as a good organization are your current employees,” she says, adding the pandemic has made the work of HR departments even harder. “I’m afraid the downside is they haven’t been able to do some of things that helped with engagement of candidates like they used to.”

 

When it comes to recruitment, Mike has purposely entrusted that responsibility to someone else in his organization.

 

“If it’s not something you’re comfortable with, you really have to delegate it to someone who is,” he says, adding each January his company conducts an analysis of its turnover rate during the previous year. “We compare it with previous years to see if we’re getting better or worse. If we’re getting worse, then we really need to look at why and look at solutions as to why that rate when up.”

 

 

Employment turnover at a glance: 

 

  • More than one-third of Canadian companies (35%) say employee turnover has increased compared to last year, a significant rise from the nearly a quarter (24%) who said the same thing in 2021.
  • According to the survey, employee turnover costs companies an average of over $41,000 each year (including the cost to rehire, lost productivity and more). Those costs are even higher for some employers, with more than 1 in 10 hiring managers (16%) reporting $100,000 or more per year in turnover expenses.
  • For companies with increased turnover this year, the main causes identified include better pay and/or benefits offered elsewhere (36%), employees resigning (35%), employees feeling overworked (33%), retirements (30%), increased workplace demands (29%) and better perks elsewhere such as summer Fridays and unlimited vacation days (28%).
  • Two-thirds of companies agree that employee turnover places a heavy burden on existing employees (64%). This is especially the case with large employers with 100 or more employees (75%) compared to small businesses with fewer than 10 employees (50%). With the added complexity of the current labour shortage, companies are having to lean heavily on their current employees.

 

•    Info provided by The Harris Poll commissioned by Express Employment Professionals

Subscribe to this Blog Like on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn

Video messaging big for business

The arrival of the pandemic has altered our lives in many ways, especially how business is now being conducted.

 

As more businesses and organizations look for ways to present their message to potential customers and supporters, creating quality videos should be the method near the top of their list.

 

“In light of COVID-19, we have seen the world turn to video as a lifeline not only professionally, but personally,” says expert video strategist Sheryl Plouffe. “It is the way of the future and businesses that do not integrate video will fail over the next decade.”

 

The international speaker and successful entrepreneur will share some of her valuable insight at our next YIP Growth Learning Series event that focuses on video messaging, which experts say is a great way to connect on an emotional level with your audience compared to other content.

 

“I see a lot of people watching their competition using video, taking their prospects and clients away from them because they’re not willing to face their fear or nervousness about stepping in front of the camera,” says Sheryl. “A lot of people are hanging onto a level of perfectionism that is hindering their growth.”

 

Known for using simple, yet strategic storytelling, she will share some of her best on-camera strategies to assist participants in creating polished and professional products, with an emphasis on how video messaging can benefit their business by making bigger impacts.

 

“My intent is that they’ll feel motivated to take those first few important steps towards building a video strategy that builds their platform and brand,” says Sheryl, adding she’s an ‘open book’ when it comes video. “I also consider myself a video marketing crash test dummy to some degree, so I feel like people who come to this presentation will benefit from asking me anything.”

 

Find out more by joining our session, YIP Growth Learning Series: Video Messaging, on Tuesday, April 6 from 11 a.m. to noon. sponsored by Deluxe.

 

To register, visit: https://bit.ly/3smSWPY

add a comment
Subscribe to this Blog Like on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn

Learning to adapt the ‘4Ps’ in a COVID world

The pandemic has not only dramatically altered our lives, but also the way we do business.

 

Conducting business online has become paramount for many operations which makes the

the importance of effective marketing even more vital to ensure a strong client base.

 

“Is your website SEO and is it navigational intuitive? Have you thought about using Google ads?” asks Mike Jennings, president of the Cambridge-based digital marketing agency MoreSALES.

 

These are just some of the many questions that will form the base of the discussion he will lead at our next YIP Growth Learning Series event later this month ‘Marketing 101: 4 Ps of Marketing – Place, Price, Promotion, Product’.

 

This seminar is aimed at assisting entrepreneurs in understanding how to effectively market their product/service by utilizing the basic ‘4Ps’ strategy to create a sales and marketing strategy.

Mike says the onset of COVID-19 has resulted in many marketing changes.

 

“Prices aren’t going to change that much,” he says. “But promotion is going to be the main difference in a COVID world. How do you promote your product?”

 

He says the seminar will focus heavily on digital marketing, which has been his speciality for many years, and the importance of being able to shift when it comes to doing business.

 

“Do you shift your price to be more attractive on e-commerce?” asks Mike, noting that e-commerce is a vital tool for businesses when it comes to competing. “People are not going to be rushing back to your building. They’re still going to want to buy online and those businesses that are easy to buy from are the ones that are going to get the business.”

 

He says an important takeaway for seminar participants will be to realize these changes don’t have to signify the end for their business.

 

“There are ways to adjust,” says Mike, adding looking at the expected trajectory of the market is key. “You have to think six to 12 months ahead and how you apply these principles (4 Ps).”

He says a business will never ‘lose’ using e-commerce and digital marketing.

 

“It’s only going to compound the return to normalcy and accelerate that return to normalcy,” says Mike.

 

‘Marketing 101: 4 Ps of Marketing – Place, Price, Promotion, Product’ takes place Wednesday, Feb. 24 from 11 a.m. to noon and is sponsored by Deluxe.  Click here to register.

add a comment
Subscribe to this Blog Like on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn

Defining mental health during COVID-19

Depression. Anxiety. Addiction.

 

These issues have intensified over the course of the last few months as COVID-19 continues to take its toll on our mental health, just ask Angela Englander, a registered psychotherapist and trauma specialist who operates Ways to Wellbeing Therapy in Cambridge and Tillsonburg.

 

“I’ve had clients who were perfectly stable pre-pandemic and now have completely fallen apart,” she says, noting some are in the healthcare profession which is facing much strain as this health crisis continues. “I’ve talked to a lot of doctors and nurses who want to go on leave. These people are the webbing of our health system and if their mental health crashes, everyone is going to fall through that gap.”

 

Identifying what mental health is, as well as trauma and therapy, will form the base of her discussion at our YIP Growth Learning series event on November 19.

 

“People have such a small amount of knowledge they’re working from when it comes to mental health,” she says, adding the amount of stress people are under right now is skyrocketing as the second wave of the pandemic appears to be escalating.

 

According to a CTV report, a recent federal study has highlighted a jump in alcohol and drug use during COVID-19, as well as an increase in opioid deaths. Also, according to that same CTV story, overdose calls in Waterloo Region have spiked higher since August and 68 people have fatally overdosed so far this year compared to 63 deaths in 2019.

 

Angela says at the start of the pandemic in March adrenaline was high as people went into ‘crisis mode’, putting their emotions on the backburner as they adapted to this new reality.

 

“But the bigger risks will be over the next year because that excitement and adrenaline has started to wear out,” she says. “People are starting to feel more hopeless and facing depression and anxiety.”

 

Angela says the approaching winter will only add to that negative situation since unlike the past few months, many won’t have the option to go outdoors and enjoy the sunshine and nicer weather.

“I’ve already talked to people who say they’re experiencing SAD (seasonal affective disorder) and are already getting their winter blues and we’re only in October.”

 

Besides current concerns such as increased addiction issues and a rise in suicides, Angela fears the ripple effect of COVID-19 could manifest in other mental health problems over the next several generations.

 

“Many people may become germaphobes or even become agoraphobic,” she says, adding people must learn to accept the negative emotions they may be facing now in order to deal with them in a healthy way.

 

“We are a very emotion-phobic society. The truth is you have to be willing to step towards those emotions and feel them and accept the reality that is.”

 

During her YIP presentation, Angela hopes to break down how the brain functions into several categories pertaining to mental health and outline how trauma works.

 

She intends to provide participants with some valuable takeaways.

 

“They’re going to get a lot of self-awareness and coping skills,” says Angela, noting more typical coping skills such ‘date nights’ with a partner or hanging out with a few family members may not be sufficient enough for some during this pandemic.

 

She says self-care and emotional awareness will play key roles in the presentation in hopes of giving people more understanding.

 

“No one is above this virus,” says Angela.

 

Our YIP Growth Learning series virtual event ‘Mental Health for Young Professionals’ sponsored by Deluxe will take place Thursday, Nov. 19, from 9-10 a.m. For more, visit: https://bit.ly/3efsfGG

 

add a comment
Subscribe to this Blog Like on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn

Wellness key to surviving stressful times: expert

Erin Moraghan describes herself as a born mover.

 

As the founder of Revkor Fitness + Lifestyle Training in Cambridge, she has made it her vocation to help others become ‘movers’ after leaving a healthcare philanthropy career in Toronto in 2013 to make this happen.

 

Her passion to assist others centres on promoting workplace wellness which came about after a decade of working in healthcare.

 

“We can’t get through stressful times without wellness at the forefront,” says the wellness expert.

 

The current COVID-19 crisis is clearly one of the most stressful situations facing all us, not just economically but emotionally and physically. In fact, experts are predicting a ‘tsunami’ of mental-health issues to develop in wake of this pandemic.

 

At our next YIP virtual workshop ‘Better Work Life Balance for Young Professionals’ on May 21, Erin will offer advice and tips aimed at empowering participants with the tools they need to reduce stress and improve productivity.

 

But more importantly, she hopes to inspire them in work and life.

 

“The entrepreneur culture often celebrates the non-stop grind,” says Erin. “But the reality is, rest and a calm, controlled mind are in the key to managing challenges and staying on course.”

 

She has already helped thousands across Canada by initiating programming focused on preventing and minimizing chronic pain and depression by embracing the power of mindful movement.

Erin can highlight some simple habits that can help accomplish amazing results, such as nutrition shifts to alter productivity, an eight-minute morning mindset practice that can ‘train’ your brain to be goal-centred, and a few suggestions for more quality sleep.

 

“This is the information you need to get and stay on track, striving strong during this unforgettable time in history,” she says.

 

Our virtual YIP (Young Innovative Professionals) session ‘Better Work Life Balance for Young Professionals’ takes place Thursday, May 21, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

 

For information, please visit:  https://bit.ly/2WCBOXU

 

The Canadian Mental Health Association offers these tips to creating better work-life balance:

 

At Work

  • Schedule brief breaks for yourself throughout the day. Your productivity and effectiveness will increase if you take even a ten-minute break every two hours and overall, you will get more accomplished.
  • At the end of each day, set your priorities for the following day. Be realistic about what you can achieve in the time you have available.
  • Only respond to email once or twice a day. Then, shut off your email program to avoid being distracted as messages come in.
  •  Make a distinction between work and the rest of your life. Protect your private time by turning off electronic communications. Don’t be available 24/7.

 

At Home

  • Create a buffer between work and home. After work, take a brief walk, do a crossword puzzle, or listen to some music before beginning the evening’s routine.
  • Decide what chores can be shared or let go. Determine which household chores are critical and which can be done by someone else. Let the rest go.
  • Exercise. Even if it’s only for 15 minutes at a time, you’ll feel more energized and refreshed.
  • Create and implement a household budget. Start by setting aside some money from each pay cheque for the future.
add a comment
Subscribe to this Blog Like on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn

Life Tips For New Grads

 

After graduation, it’s often difficult to gauge what your next steps are and how to make them. Like most new grads, you’re eager to impress and succeed in your field of work. That's why it's important to strengthen your professional and personal skills. Don’t forget that most of your work life is going to rely on your ability to work and get along with others.

 

With that said, here are five tips you can use as you enter the workforce. 

 

1. Strengthen Your Social Skills

 

Strengthening your social skills will not only help you in your personal life, but will make a great deal of difference in your professional one. Being able to communicate effectively with your employer and your co-workers is extremely important. There are many ways to strengthen these skills, all it takes is practice. Introduce yourself to someone new, take an interest in what they’re saying and use that as a reference to build your questions off of. The more you socialize, the easier it will become, and trust me, you will thank yourself come promotion time. 

 

2. Lower Your Standard

 

At first, the idea of lowering your standard might sound crazy, but I promise you that it’s not. After graduation, almost all new grads are hungry for success. For the first time, you actually feel prepared to work in the field your passionate about. Your hopes are set on landing the ideal job - a job that pays well and offers advancement opportunities. Truth is, things don’t always pan out that way. Thanks to a fluctuating job market, getting that dream job doesn’t always happen overnight, even if you do have the education to back it. Instead of beating yourself up for not reaching your goals right away, be patient and give yourself time. Be realistic and understand that life is full of ups and downs and just because you haven’t succeeded right out of the gate, doesn’t mean you never will. 

 

3. Narrow Your Focus

 

The world is full of potential. No matter where you look, there is always another door just waiting for you to walk through. This can often be overwhelming when entering the workforce. With so many opportunities at your fingertips, it may be hard to choose exactly what direction you want to go in. However, in order to achieve your dreams, it’s important to narrow your focus. Once you do that, you can create specific and achievable steps that you can take that will get you closer to your goal. Looking at the big picture has the potential to swallow you up in it. Writing your ideas down is a good way to purge all of those ideas you have. Once you get those out, it will be easier to focus on what you need to do in order to get what you want. 

 

4. Allow Room For Mistakes

 

It never feels good to make a mistake. Most of that is due to the feeling it gives us after we’ve made it. We feel like we’ve failed which can lead to the feeling of fear. 

 

Am I going to get fired? Am I really that bad at my job? 

 

The answer is no. If we didn’t make mistakes, we’d be robots. One mistake doesn’t mean game over. It means you have to get up and try again. Now that you’ve learned, your chance of making another mistake is low and even if you do, it’s not the end of the world. Remember, you’re still learning. Learning doesn’t stop in college, it continues throughout our daily lives. Mistakes are important, and in most cases, necessary. 

 

5. Develop Healthy Habits Early

 

A lot of people believe that it’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks. 

 

That’s because it is. 

 

The habits you make now will follow throughout your entire adult life. Those bad habits you picked up in college will follow you into your professional life. If you’re used to procrastinating or sleeping in, it’s time to change that. Before you land a job, gradually start waking up earlier in order to get your body used to it. That goes for any other bad habits you have. Slowly integrate healthier lifestyle choices into your daily routine and stick to them. It will be an adjustment, but it’s more than worth it. 

 

 

 

 

 

add a comment
Subscribe to this Blog Like on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn

Strong Mentorships

If you were to ask yourself who were your best mentors in your life, I’m sure several people would come to mind from your childhood to even a person you currently see on a daily basis. Perhaps they were a great school teacher, a coach, an academic program advisor, or a supervisor from your first summer job. When you think about those mentors, can you truly remember what exactly they said to you that made you feel ...Supported? Inspired? Captivated? Chances are you don’t remember what they said, or what their hairstyle was, what they were wearing or their overall mannerisms. Often what shines though and has us thinking and reflecting about our time with them is how they made us FEEL. They encouraged, inspired, motivated, and enabled us to see a part of the world that we had not yet been exposed.


Now I’m going to ask you to reflect on another mentoring note – who were your WORST mentors in your life? Who were the tedious teachers, the exhausting coaches, the leaders with lack of patience or who showed favoritism to team members and did not foster teamwork? Those are unfortunately the people who had a large effect on your life in terms of your goals and your career choices. They may be a current co-worker or employer who doesn’t like to your ideas, micro manages you, and frustrates you to the point that you can’t focus on your actual work tasks. Fortunately, there is a silver lining to these negative individuals whom you have crossed paths in your life. It is the negative influence leaders who you should remember, and strongly take note of the choices they make since their role in your life demonstrates an exact OPPOSITE model of who you want to be when you are a leader, a mentor and a role model. Harness the energy, emotions and time you have had for these individuals and in turn, know that you will make choices as a leader to promote the passion of life-long learning, engage in new ideas and be patient as everyone cultivates into professionals and agents of change at a different rate.


I share these thoughts on positive and negative influence leaders in our lives because it is a great responsibility to be a mentor to others. It’s also a privilege. I have had the opportunity to not only mentor fellow colleagues but also be linked with a post-graduate school to be a preceptor to a specific student for 4, 6, and 8 week placements at a time. These weeks can feel more exhausting than a normal work week because all of your moves are being watched by a young professional starving to grow and make a contribution to the real world. Being a professional leader is often focused on the student in training yet what happens in a positive mentor/protégé relationship is that the mentor is the one who learns just as much as the student. I love when students/young colleagues ask me questions such as “Can you tell me why you decided to complete that task first?” or “How did you come to make that decision?” because these are the questions that we often forget to ask ourselves on a daily basis in the midst of our busy lifestyles and careers.


So the next time you are asked to take on a student or a new colleague in training, please don’t hesitate to help as you will benefit in your career as well. Mentorship is a beautiful experience full of reflection and engagement of both parties, bringing everyone to a level of asking more questions and deeper understanding of their careers – and quite possible themselves.  Remember, you could be that positive, influential role model that this young professional needs.
 

add a comment
Subscribe to this Blog Like on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn

Secrets of Successful Leadership

Being a leader may come natural to some, being a successful leader is an entirely different story. Orrin Woodward once said, "Average leaders raise the bar on themselves; good leaders raise the bar for others; great leaders inspire others to raise their own bar." Below, I will share what I believe to be the secrets of successful leadership:


Lead by example – a successful leader is a person of authenticity, a role model, an influencer, someone that others follow because they want to, not because they have to. So, make an example out of yourself and demonstrate the energy and passion that you have for the work you want your team to do.


Communicate – a successful leader never assumes, instead they paint a really clear picture for the team to ensure that they are up to speed and in the know. Keep the momentum going, by re-visiting goals and encourage your team to share their successes and their challenges with each other, giving them every opportunity for growth.


Anticipate obstacles – a successful leader is ready for any road bump along the way, because there will always be road bumps! Be prepared to conquer obstacles and keep the team moving in the forward direction; a successful leader will not allow the team to lose momentum when a crisis occurs.


Keep your team engaged – ROLE PLAY if and when possible, and have some fun! If your team is not a close knit team, allow them to get to know each other. Trainings and team meetings are perfect opportunities for team building activities; present them with a challenge and allow them to work through it, and be excited about what they have just accomplished… together! 


Acknowledge - John Maxwell says, "A good leader is a person who takes a little more than his share of the blame and a little less than his share of the credit." Successful leaders always acknowledge their team and give credit whenever possible. A little ‘thanks’ and ‘great job’ goes a long way! Say it often.


Becoming a successful leader is not easy, being mindful of the attributes and actions listed above will definitely get you on the path to becoming one. For anyone still doubting that they can go from being an average leader to a great one, I will leave you with one last thought from Donald McGannon, "Leadership is an action, not a position." So what are you waiting for? It’s time to take action!
 

Subscribe to this Blog Like on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn

Contributors

Brian Rodnick
14
March 13, 2023
show Brian's posts
Lisa Durocher
2
September 14, 2018
show Lisa's posts

Archive

Current

Show Latest Posts

2023

March
Is TikTok bad for busi ...
January
Ghosting haunts busine ...

2021

April
Learning to work remot ...
March
Video messaging big fo ...
Managing priorities ke ...
February
Learning to adapt the ...

2020

November
Defining mental health ...
September
Mentoring based on fri ...
May
Wellness key to surviv ...
April
Deliberate communicati ...
January
Leveraging your leader ...

2019

December
Harnessing your passio ...
November
Yes, You Really Do Bel ...
May
Selling yourself key t ...
February
Email Etiquette
January
Pets in the Office: Ya ...
How to Mentally Commit ...
Why Young Professional ...
Is Listening to Music ...
How Bullet Journaling ...
New Year, New Habits
Success Later In Life
6 Things You Should Do ...

2018

December
Why Resolutions Are St ...
Imposter Syndrome
Life Tips For New Grad ...
Office Phrases Everyon ...
September
3 New Books to Help Yo ...
August
10 Safe Practice Netwo ...

2015

February
Strong Mentorships
January
Navigating the Multige ...
Secrets of Successful ...
What is a young profes ...

Tags

Everything Young Professionals Networking Connections Building Social Networks Personal Growth Lead Generation Leading Leadership Communicate Engage Team Multigenerational Communication Workplace Baby-Boomer Gen Xer Gen Yer Millenial Covid-19 Stress Mental Health Wellness Entrepreneur Revkor Fitness Emotionally and Physically Marketing Marketing in COVID World Time Management Time Video Storytelling
spacer
Program Sponsors: