Employee Engagement | Full Sail Leadership Academy

5 Reasons to Attend the Annual Leadership Summit in Salem

Employee Engagement, Leadership Development, Team Building

4 min read

Sailing looks glamorous from the outside. You see a crew rushing around the dock for a few minutes before casting off and gliding to sea. In reality, that was no small feat. Preparation for sailing takes DAYS.

Even casting off requires hours of preparation. Yet, that behind-the-scenes prep that often doesn’t make it to the big screen or in adventure novels is what makes for a successful voyage.

When you want to create a successful business, it starts with the proper preparation for you and your crew. Most importantly, it’s about building trust and strong ties with those teammates who will be with you along the journey.

During the annual Leadership Development & Team Building Summit in Salem, you will lay the groundwork for smooth waters later, saving you hours and avoiding problems arising from a disorganized or burnt-out crew.

The knowledge you gain won’t come from textbooks or generic YouTube tutorials. You’ll learn through hands-on training and dive deeper into your leadership style to bring out the most effective leader.

Are you ready to set sail?

Then hoist your anchors and cast off!

What Is Salem’s Leadership Summit About?

Just over three-quarters of employees experience burnout.

Burnout leads to decreased productivity, high turnover rates, low engagement, and poor health.

Have you seen those signs around your workplace? You might even be feeling those effects yourself.

It’s time to steer your boat away from the choppy waters of burnout. You can become the type of captain who encourages the crew to keep their eyes on new horizons rather than keeping one foot on land.

The annual leadership summit in Salem is a 3-day excursion by Full Sail Leadership Academy that teaches team engagement and transformative leadership. We take learning seriously and understand that most of what people take home won’t be general content they read in books. It’s about the experiences and personalized learning.

That’s why we create an experiential learning environment that combines our popular Full Sail workshops and lectures with hands-on learning aboard a sailboat. You have options between full and half-day sessions that help fit your busy schedules.

Through our unique approach, you will learn how to:

Lead using your strengths (and what those strengths are)
Be a Steward Leader
Use the power of shared language in leadership
Build a high-functioning team through motivation and engagement

5 Reasons You Won’t Want to Miss Full Sail’s Leadership Summit

Let’s prepare your business for your next adventure with a fully prepared ship and crew. Here are the five benefits of preparing yourself and your crew at Full Sail’s leadership summit.

1. Learn the Latest Team Engagement and Leadership Insights

When your team is fully engaged, you benefit from:

59% less turnover
21% higher profitability
20% higher sales
41% lower absenteeism

What produces that level of engagement?

You don’t have to discover that through trial and error. At the leadership summit, certified experts will teach you the best leader development techniques based on personal experience and the latest research.

These lessons are taught both in the classroom and integrated into every aspect of your weekend, from leisurely networking opportunities on a cruise to hands-on workshops with experienced coaches.

2. Benefit from Transformational, Immersive Learning

How often have you read a book and walked away, not remembering a single word you read?

When navigating the seas of the business world, you want your leadership skills to become second nature. That type of learning comes from experiences beyond what you might learn in a virtual webinar or industry magazine.

We create a memorable learning environment using several different techniques and learning styles. We offer lectures, workshops, and even excursions out on the water. Each piece leads to a transformational learning experience that will stick with you even in the toughest leadership situations.

3. Receive a Personalized Action Plan

You won’t walk away empty-handed with nothing but fond memories, though we hope you do create lifetime memories here.

We want everyone to come away knowing what comes next.

Each person will not just learn how to become a better leader and improve team engagement. You will also create a personalized action plan that gives you the next steps you need to take to reach your leadership goals.

We use the CliftonStrengths leadership approach to help you discover your unique strengths. Then, work with a personal coach to learn how best to use those strengths to build your team and become a more effective leader.

4. Challenge Your Comfort Zones

The most significant storms are where a sailor’s true talents show. You don’t need to be an expert to navigate calm waters. However, you must understand every corner of your ship to work through a storm safely.

We want to test each leader in the course through training and workshops to bring out the best version of themselves. You will be pushed beyond your comfort zone of learning to grow as an individual and, in turn, as a leader.

5. Feel Reenergized as a Leader

You have been out sailing for a while. It’s time to return to shore and dock for a weekend as you recharge and re-supply your sailboat.

We aren’t just talking about the recharge you get after a vacation to Maui, though a little beach and sun can also be highly beneficial. We are talking about recharging you as a leader.

This type of recharge comes from connecting with friends and mentors.

You will have the unique opportunity to network with leaders from around the country, sharing insights and building each other up. You will also have the chance to connect personally with coaches and mentors who pour into you after you’ve spent so long pouring into others.

After the summit, you will leave with renewed energy and motivation to reach new heights as a leader, both personally and with your team.

Sign Up for the Full Sail Leadership Summit Today

We now accept reservations for our 2024 Full Sail Leadership Summit in Salem, Massachusetts. We would love to see you September 18-20 and support you as you discover the best leader you can be.

It’s time to set aside work stress and embark on an adventure that refreshes the soul while sharpening the mind in a fully immersive learning experience.

Visit the event page for more details and to RSVP. We can’t wait to see you there!

August 26, 2024/by Justin Staples

Encouragement in the Workplace During an Unpredictable Economy

Employee Engagement, Leadership Development, Team Building

6 min read

What can make a person’s palms sweat? Knees knock? Mouth run dry?

There are many answers, of course. But let me press you to be introspective for a moment. What have been some of the most nerve-racking moments in your life?

When facing an imposing obstacle? When you’re down to your last dollar?

When you must honestly, vulnerably express how you feel?

Putting your heart on the line can be terrifying. Maybe that’s why many wedding proposals are so elaborate! Even when you know they will “say yes,” it can still feel unnerving to put your heart in the hands of another.

This dynamic is also at play when you humbly encourage others. You open yourself up and become vulnerable. For a moment, you put yourself at their mercy.

You drop your guard, put your cards on the table, and expose a part of your heart. This puts the other in a position of power – to receive, reject, dismiss, or try to take advantage of your openness.

To encourage is to be vulnerable.

That vulnerability holds the power to galvanize your team so that you can sail through the stormiest seas. It can give your business an edge over the competition.

Encouragement in the workplace is essential. It can be the difference between surviving an unstable economy and closing up shop.

Creating a culture of encouragement in the workplace starts at the top. If you dare to encourage your team vulnerably, you will make an impact that stretches much further than a dollar.

You’ll make the world a better place.

The Current State of Encouragement in the Workplace

The American Psychological Association recently found that nearly 20% of employees feel they are enduring a very or somewhat toxic workplace environment.

What are the repercussions of a toxic workplace culture? According to research done by MIT, a toxic workplace culture is ten times more likely to cause employees to leave.

Don’t overlook the ripple effects of this.

If a parent is discouraged at work, how engaged will they be at home?
If a workplace is toxic, how much energy will a person have to help their neighbors?

There is a silver lining, though, for quality leaders who care about their employees. Jeff Bezos once said, “Your margin is my opportunity.”

Well, their toxicity and discouragement are YOUR opportunity!

Patrick Lencioni hits the nail on the head when he says that “health trumps everything else” in business.

People want to be valued and treated with dignity. Most employees don’t mind working hard. They, like you, want their work to be fulfilling and make a difference in the world.

Cultivating a culture of encouragement in the workplace can accomplish this. And this may be the best part for leaders – it’s free!

What Encouragement in the Workplace is Not

Before we can process how to encourage others at work, we must clarify what encouragement is not.

Encouragement is not:

Flattery
Manipulation
Praising Evaluatively
Cheerleading

If you mistake encouragement for any of these categories, you’ll create either a shallow or skeptical environment.

Flattery, praise, and cheerleading can be shallow when they are superficial in focus. And they allow you to keep your guard up.

“Encouraging” employees for the primary purpose of productivity or change – is manipulative. Of course, there is nothing wrong with encouraging an employee to complete their tasks.

Like people cheering others on at the end of a marathon.

But that’s different from coercive positive affirmation to influence others to make decisions they wouldn’t intrinsically desire.

It’s like a kid who talks their sibling into doing their chores because of “how good they are at taking out the garbage.”

Eventually, people will see through this. When that happens, it will create a culture of skepticism. People deserve better. You can give them better. You must.

Genuine encouragement in the workplace is currently a rare commodity. Lack of encouragement in the workplace is driving good employees away from many companies.

4 Steps to Cultivate a Culture of Encouragement in the Workplace

Several dictionaries offer the following definition for encouragement:

“To inspire with courage, spirit, or confidence. To stimulate by assistance, approval, etc.”

This is more than positive affirmation, though that is included. It’s vulnerably approving who people are and appreciating the skills they bring to the table.

Genuine encouragement is taking the risk to vulnerably express how you feel about your team.

Here are four steps you can take – for free – to cultivate a culture of encouragement in your company.

1: Being an Encouraging Leader Starts by Encouraging Yourself

GiANT Co-Founder Jeremie Kubicek encourages leaders to identify how they talk to themselves.

How do you encourage yourself?

How you encourage you is likely how you will encourage others. Consider the following questions.

How do you talk to yourself when you make a mistake?
What thoughts run through your head when work gets overwhelming?
What do you think when you achieve success?
When you’re ready to quit – what do you say to you?
Why?

Do you find that you beat yourself up? Blame others? Take responsibility, try to learn from mistakes, and move forward.

Knowing how you encourage yourself will help you – and your team – understand how you lead others. And why you lead them that way.

2: Be Honest About How You View Your Employees

You’re not going to be best friends with every employee. You’ll enjoy some more than others. Some will have higher competency, better availability, or greater EQ.

That’s not in question. It’s just reality.

The question you must ask yourself is – how do you view your employees? Do you see them as holistic human beings with a life outside the office?

Do you understand that they may have hopes and fears that have nothing to do with work?

Are you willing to listen to them without judgment to understand where they may come from?

Even if difficult conversations or decisions are needed – you can still do so in an encouraging way. Every person adds value to this world beyond what they produce at work.

Embrace the inherent value of each employee’s humanity – and your heart will open up to offer more substantial encouragement.

3: Invite Feedback From Your Team

“Being boss doesn’t mean you have all the answers, just the brains to recognize the right one when you hear it.”

Just like Jack Kelly did in the Newsies, we all need someone like Katherine Plumber to give it to us straight!

Inviting feedback from your team amplifies encouragement. Asking your employees for their perspective demonstrates how much you value them.

That’s encouraging!

When people are invited to the table, something powerful happens. You gain insight. They feel empowered. Comradery grows. Momentum builds.

One of the critical factors in employee engagement is whether they feel heard. 95% of highly engaged employees report feeling heard, while 55% of the actively disengaged report not feeling heard.

When you hear how your employees would feel encouraged, you’ll find they may desire something other than what you naturally offer.

That’s ok! Having clarifying conversations builds trust and provides an opportunity for everyone to grow – together.

Whether it’s a survey, conversation, retreat – just be intentional. Once you gain the feedback you need to offer meaningful encouragement, the next step is implementing what’s reasonable and achievable.

4: Take Practical Steps to Cultivate a Culture of Encouragement in the Workplace

Begin by reflecting on the previous three steps.

How do you encourage you?
How do you view your employees?
How can you invite feedback?

Learn how you encourage yourself – and how you want to be encouraged. Change starts with the person in the mirror.

Put in the work necessary to view the individuals on your team as holistic human beings.

Determine the forms of feedback you want to pursue and schedule a time to engage in that process.

Once you have this information, then you’ll be able to develop an implementation plan. That requires personalization beyond the scope of this article.

But not beyond the scope of Full Sail Leadership Academy!

Start Your Journey of Leadership with Encouragement Today!

You don’t have to go it alone. We’re here for you. Our workshops provide a tailor-made experience to reveal the information you need and provide the support required to catalyze positive change.

We’ll get your whole team on the sea for a teambuilding experience they’ll never forget!

But first, we start in the classroom. During this time, we ensure everyone understands their role on the vessel, gains shared language and can contribute safely.

Then, we hit the water! Few experiences require unified teamwork more than sailing. The lessons learned on the sea will have a lasting impact on your organization.

Our debriefing time will make sure of it! Once we’re on the land, we’ll process major learning points – not just of sailing, but of your team culture, the strengths you can build from, and areas that may need to be strengthened.

You’ll leave with an actionable plan and have access to our consultants to help you stay on course.

The time is now. This is your opportunity. Together, we can make the world a better place by making your workplace better.

Reach out today!

November 24, 2023/by Tim Dittloff

How to Handle Disrespect in the Workplace in a Healthy and Productive Manner

Employee Engagement, Leadership Development

6 min read

Wildfires consumed massive acreage of Canadian land in the summer of 2023. The smoke from the fires was so pervasive that it spread throughout much of the United States.

Air quality alerts warned folks to stay inside for days at a time. The air was poisonous to breathe. Taking a hike without a respirator was like smoking packs of cigarettes as you went.

Ash covered vehicles and spread throughout cities, creating a post-apocalyptic scene worthy of an Oscar in cinematography.

Source: Instagram/eeppiursinofficial

The smoke consumed everything.

Weddings. Funerals. Vacations. Getting the mail.

It did not matter how lovely, meaningful, or mundane the event – the poisonous, ash-filled air dominated everyone’s attention.

Disrespect has a similar impact on people in the workplace. It dominates. An atmosphere of disrespect clouds everything, regardless of how wonderful it may be.

Ron McMillian says it well in the book Crucial Conversations.

“Respect is like air. As long as it’s present, nobody thinks about it. But if you take it away, it’s all that people can think about. The instant people perceive disrespect in a conversation, the interaction is no longer about the original purpose—it is now about defending dignity.”

Disrespect cannot be ignored.

You must know how to handle disrespect in the workplace, or your business – and the people within it – will be poisoned.

Disrespectful Behavior in the Workplace is Poisonous

Did your caregivers tell you how to deal with bullies? Perhaps you were told to “just ignore them.”

That may work in some cases. It may even be necessary. Confronting an abuser requires tremendous courage.

The challenge with ignoring disrespectful or bully-like behavior is that it just kicks the can down the road for someone else to deal with.

Leaders must know how to handle disrespect in the workplace, or they will lose the best workers in that place.

“A new Pew Research Center survey finds that low pay, a lack of opportunities for advancement, and feeling disrespected at work are the top reasons Americans quit their jobs…”

One way workers have learned to cope with a disrespectful atmosphere at work is through quiet quitting. They just disengage.

And it costs trillions.

“The global economy is losing almost $9 trillion, according to analytics firm Gallup, equivalent to as much as 9% of the world’s GDP” due to quiet quitting.

The financial cost is just the tip of the iceberg, though. The toll disrespect takes on a person’s mental health is significant. It impacts their relationships outside of the workplace.

Like the smoke and ash from the fires that started in Canada – disrespect in the workplace creates a toxic cloud that spreads.

And you must do something about it.

Knowing How to Handle Disrespect in the Workplace Can Set You Apart

President Franklin Roosevelt said, “a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.”

As a business leader, you may already feel overwhelmed by the task in front of you. You must balance the budget, increase market share, navigate overhead, and more.

It can feel like you are sailing against the wind already – and then the waves crash against your vessel, threatening your crew and voyage.

Now you have to deal with disrespectful employees on top of everything else?

Yes.

Creating a culture of respect is well within your wheelhouse. It doesn’t require an MBA. And it may give your company a competitive edge that no budget can compete with.

Think about it.

What would happen if employees were respected?

If people are jumping ship because of being disrespected, how many quality team members could be retained – or attracted – by a culture of dignity and respect?

You may not have the biggest budget, the best equipment, or a prime location. But if you treat your team respectfully, you will have more to offer than money can buy.

Seven Steps to Handle Disrespectful Behavior in the Workplace

The smoke and ash of disrespect won’t dissipate on its own. These seven simple, courageous steps will help clear the smog and get your team sailing on smooth waters again.

1: Determine if the Behavior is Disrespectful

Victims should always get the benefit of the doubt. It requires massive courage to come forward and address bully-like behavior.

Accusations of disrespect and abuse must be addressed with the utmost urgency and integrity.

To handle disrespect in the workplace appropriately, you must ensure that what you are addressing is truly disrespect.

Some people have more sensitive temperaments than others. Everyone makes mistakes. Life outside of work impacts morale.

To cultivate a culture of respect, you must not confuse an employee having a bad day for being disrespectful.

Consider the following. Look at how these values overlap but are still distinct.

Respect
Humility
Compassion
Empathy
Kindness
Excellence

One employee may not have compassion for another’s life circumstances. That does not mean they are being disrespectful.

This is not to excuse or justify any negative behaviors. It’s establishing a level of emotional intelligence that will allow you to address real issues accurately.

2: Recognize That Disrespectful Behavior is About Them, Not You

No one needs to earn respect. Every human being is worthy of dignity and respect.

Employees who act disrespectfully in the workplace reveal more about their character than those they disrespect.

Take a step back and recognize that as personal as the attack may feel, it’s ultimately not about the one being disrespected.

Something inside the aggressor is causing them to act out in disrespectful ways. That’s on them.

3: Turn the Other Cheek

This is one of the most common and misunderstood sayings of Jesus.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.”

Turning the other cheek is not enabling abusers nor silencing the abused. It’s empowering people to live up to the level of health and maturity they have attained.

Counselors Henry Could and John Townsand address this in their book “How People Grow.”

They rightly say that if we retaliate whenever someone wrongs us, we consign ourselves to the emotional maturity of the least mature person around us.

We can do better. We can even respectfully address disrespectful behavior.

4: Address Disrespectful Behavior in the Workplace Head On

Believing the best about others is essential in cultivating a healthy workplace. You can address disrespectful behavior in a respectful and caring way. Here’s how.

Clarify that disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated.
Ask open-ended questions
Acknowledge their life outside of work
Get below the waterline
Offer support needed to address any deeper issues

It’s only respectful to believe the best about people and call them up to a higher standard of character.

5: Document Incidents of Disrespectful Behavior in the Workplace

Skilled leaders will do the work necessary to differentiate between a disrespectful event and a pattern. An employee who behaves disrespectfully because they are having a lousy day requires a different approach than one who demonstrates a disrespectful disposition.

Documenting the incidents will help clarify the approach – and consequences – required.

6: Care for the One(s) Being Disrespected

No victim shaming allowed. Acknowledge that, just like the smoke from the Canadian wildfires made it hard for people to breathe, disrespectful behavior in the workplace makes it hard to perform.

And may have had negative repercussions on their life outside of the workplace.

Don’t be afraid to apologize. Empathize. Even if you were not the offender. You can still acknowledge that you understand how the victim(s) may feel and that you care about that.

In some cases, that may be enough.

When it’s not, offer the support needed to empower people to repair any mental health damage that may have been caused.

7: Encourage Reconciliation

Forgiveness is a gift to the forgiver. It releases them from the retraumatizing burden of falsely believing they must act as their offenders’ judge, jury, and executioner.

The old saying rings true:

“Bitterness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”

Forgiveness is not sweeping offenses under the rug. That’s dismissal.

To forgive someone, you must first name and condemn the offense – and then release the offender.

Now, that does not mean that the offender should be fully trusted. Trust must be earned. But forgiveness can be granted freely.

Make the World a Better Place by Making Your Workplace Better

The opportunity before you, leader, is astounding. You can make the world a better place by making your workplace better.

If you address disrespectful behavior in the workplace:

Productivity will increase
Top talent will be attracted
Emotional health will improve
The world will become a better place

No one should live with an impending sense of dread, filled with anxiety, because they anticipate spending their day in a disrespectful work environment.

Implementing the seven steps discussed here will blow away the smoke and ash caused by disrespectful behavior in the workplace. It will allow your team to see clearly, breathe deeply, and work productively.

We’re here to help you put this into motion. Our team building workshops will uncover issues and equip you to resolve them.

We’ll train your team in the classroom, get you out on the water, and dedicate time to providing you with an actionable plan to guide you toward the progress you desire.

Reach out today for a free consultation!

October 3, 2023/by Tim Dittloff

How to Address Burnout in the Workplace and Make the World a Better Place

Employee Engagement, Team Building

6 min read

A clock, a cellphone, or a lightbulb – which do you think had the most significant impact on human history?

Some argue for the clock. From the second the sundial was invented, time could be measured and managed. Work was no longer limited to nature’s boundaries.

Others think the lightbulb should win the award. When people declared, “Let there be light!” work no longer needed to yield to the rhythms of creation.

Which makes the cell phone seem tame. Still, from 2007 onward, work would no longer be confined to a place.

Could it be that through all of this “progress,” humanity lost a part of its soul?

These technologies provide incalculable benefits: health, safety, relational connectivity, and more. Few people would want to turn back the clock to turn off the light.

And yet, the history-shaping advancements have come with unintended consequences.

Burnout culture is one of them.

People can work from home well past when the sun has set. Businesses can plow for progress through the winter seasons of rest.

Wise leaders must ask – what does our progress cost? It’s time to prioritize learning how to address burnout in the workplace.

Burnout in the Workplace Sabotages Progress

76% of employees report experiencing burnout. The consequences of employee burnout are massive. Business.com lists four:

Decreased Productivity
High Turnover Rate
Low Employee Engagement
Negative Health Impacts

And that’s just considering the impact burnout has on the workplace. Consider the cost for the community.

WebMD has found that employee burnout is linked to the following mental health issues:

Anxiety
Depression
Distress
Poor decision-making
Shortened attention span
Lack of motivation
Negative or cynical outlook on life

When 76% of employees feel burned out, these consequences inevitably spill out. It pollutes your workplace and the neighborhoods and families your employees return to.

It’s time to face this ugly reality head-on. If you’ve ever wondered how to differentiate your brand – this is it.

Create a culture that respects the limitations of people’s humanity and submits to the rhythms of creation.

Here’s how.

Mitigating Burnout in the Workplace with Lessons from the Sea

“Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.” This mantra comes to you courtesy of the Navy SEALs. You would do well to meditate on it and implement its wisdom into your business strategy.

Few organizations in the world work with stakes higher than the Navy SEALs. They engage in – and train for – life-or-death scenarios regularly. And that, not just for their lives. But for yours.

What do you think it means for slow to be smooth and smooth to be fast in your workplace?

When sailing on the sea, there are times when a crew needs a break but can’t anchor because the water is too deep. So you have to “hove to.”

To complete a “hove to” maneuver, the skipper turns the boat as if he or she were going to tack (turn the boat through the wind) but does not move the foresail.

Once these steps have been taken, the steering wheel or tiller is tied down to keep the boat in the wind. This allows the vessel – and the crew – to rest.

Sailors and SEALs know that it will do more harm than good to press on beyond the physical limitations of the team.

Wise leaders recognize and yield to the same reality in the workplace.

Lead with Empathy to Restore Employee Morale

Empathy could be the key to counteracting burnout. 76% of employees report experiencing burnout. Ironically – research conducted by Catalyst found that “76% of people with highly empathic senior leaders report often or always being engaged.”

Coincidence?

Leaders often make the mistake of wanting to appear wise or exceptional in some way. But the truth remains that people don’t care what you know until they know you care.

Some people are naturally more empathetic than others. You may need to invest intentional energy into cultivating empathy within yourself and the workplace.

But you can’t dismiss the importance of leading with empathy. Your empathetic disposition can contribute to emotional and mental health that will have benefits extending far beyond your company’s bottom line.

How much value can you ascribe to a working mother who feels so energized at work – in your company – that she actually has a greater emotional capacity to engage with her family’s needs at home?

Beyond this, empathy is the glue that creates trust between a company and its employees.

And trust has enormous value in the workplace. Harvard Business Review discovered that organizations where employees trust their management have:

13% fewer sick days
29% more life satisfaction
40% less burnout
50% higher productivity
74% less stress
76% more engagement
106% more energy at work

🤯

All the leadership tips, tricks, and techniques CANNOT COMPARE to a leader who simply and genuinely cares about their employees’ feelings.

How can you put empathy to work as the antidote to employee burnout?

Create regular rhythms of rest and connection with your employees. Listen to them without judgment. Collaborate to establish reasonable expectations that allow your team to maintain proper boundaries – and flourish.

Cultivate a Cadence of Connection in Your Workplace

You must have the courage to look beneath the waterline of your employees’ lives. They are human beings with lives, desires, fears, ambitions, and pain that influence their performance in the workplace.

You can honor them by implementing what Anna Barnhill at Forbes terms the Three C’s of Team Loyalty.

Care: Lead with Empathy and Compassion

Looks like the secret is out! Everywhere you turn, researchers are uncovering the incalculable value of leading with empathy.

Author Michael Hyatt says, “When your team needs a breakthrough, sometimes you just need a break.”

If you want to unleash the power of empathy in your workplace, you must be intentional. Schedule meetings with your team where you have enough space to hear their hearts.

Don’t get sucked into the vortex of counterfeit, short-term productivity. The gift of a regular time of connection with an empathetic leader has been repeatedly proven to yield exceptional returns.

Curiosity: Demonstrate Genuine Interest and Understanding

One of the most incredible benefits of leading with humility is that you don’t need to have all the answers! You can trust that the people on your team bring value to the table.

There’s a reason that the TV show Undercover Boss became a sensation. Empathy erupts from the leader’s heart as they interact directly with their employees – with no power distinction.

And leaders learn – not from books or conferences, but from the people they are paying to keep the business running.

Don’t wait for CBS to call you for an audition. You can access the resource of the wisdom of your team – today.

Get curious. Ask questions. Trust that your team wants your company to succeed. Recognize the benefit of their unique perspective to solving the company’s problems.

Let your team know that you value them by inviting their opinions.

Courage: Act with Authenticity and Assertiveness

Acting with courage requires implementing the previous steps. Being assertive without empathy or humility will contribute to the dread and burnout people can feel in the workplace.

However, if your team knows that you care about them, assume the best about them, and desire to see them flourish in all aspects of their lives – then being assertive and authentic can have manifold benefits.

Being empathetic does not mean you agree. It just means you care.

Being humble doesn’t mean you think less of yourself. It just means you think of yourself less.

Empathy and humility are like the guardrails of bumper bowling. They absorb what might cause a conversation to fall into the gutter – and keep it moving toward the proper destination.

Leading with empathy empowers you to offer “tough love” and “constructive criticism.”

Humility lets you listen with objectivity and without an agenda. You can evaluate ideas and perspectives based on their merit, not on who they might be coming from.

When you have established an environment of humility and empathy, acting courageously will unleash innovation, inspire endurance, and create loyalty.

You have the power to make the world a better place by making your workplace better!

Learn How You Can Address Burnout in the Workplace Today

Can you see, can you feel how taking a break may create a breakthrough? Do you want to learn how to unleash the power of empathy and humility in your workplace?

I would be honored to guide you in this crucial process.

Full Sail Leadership Academy has developed a customized workshop experience so that you can maximize the health of your workplace.

We’ll get your team sailing – literally. But first, we start on the land to ensure everyone knows their role and we’re communicating with a shared language.

From there, the playing field will be level as we work together to enjoy a dynamic sailing experience. After that, we’ll debrief and set you up with a personalized action plan.

It’s hard to describe how unified teams become during our workshops. You’ll just have to experience it for yourself!

Are you ready to learn more? Reach out today for a free consultation. Let’s make the world a better place by making workplaces better!

September 7, 2023/by Tim Dittloff

The Staggering Impact of Creating a Culture of Encouragement in Your Workplace

Employee Engagement, Team Building

6 min read

Don’t you love a good rudder? Isn’t it a relief when you don’t have to lose any sleep worrying about the quality of your rudder?

Wait.

Your mind doesn’t randomly roam to your rudder?

Most people don’t daydream about the mechanical components of a ship. But if you ever step foot on a sailboat and intend to return to land, you need one.

A rudder is essential to the entire function of a sailboat. Even though it is small in comparison to the ship – and makes its living under the waterline – a rudder is responsible to direct the ship.

This small, easily overlooked piece of hardware is essential to your vessel functioning as intended. It’s best to pay attention to them.

Just like the perspective of each member of your team. You may not always see it, but it is pivotal to the functioning of your business.

Skilled leaders know how to draw out the best in people and utilize individual strengths for the good of the whole.

Without this, your business may quickly become lost at sea.

What Happens When Employees Don’t Feel Encouraged at Work?

What do you think is your team’s greatest motivation for showing up to work?

Money? Resume building? Comradery? Mission?

Do you want to increase the level of ownership your team has in the mission of your company? Most leaders do.

Why?

Nothing beats intrinsic motivation. When an employee feels personal ownership of the mission and vision of the company, everything changes.

People want to live a life they are passionate about. No one wants to invest their best years grinding away just to survive.

If leaders want their team members to own the vision and team members want to have their work connect to their passions – then why is 18% of the workforce actively disengaged?

This is the $500 billion question. Leader – you hold the keys to unlock the treasure.

It’s not about technique or skill. You don’t need an AI tool to do the heavy lifting for you.

You simply need to value your rudder. That is, YOU need to intrinsically value the perspectives of your team members – and encourage them.

What would you give to see:

Problems within your organization when they are small versus in crisis?
Each member of the team working from and maximizing their strengths?
Your team energized and eager to come to work?

Then you’ll love learning from the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard Rule 5 for Preventing Collisions at Sea

“Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper look-out by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions to make a full appraisal of the situation and/or the risk of collision.”

Don Doggett simplifies Rule #5: “A vessel has to have a lookout at all times, in all directions using all means possible!”

This sounds simple enough. It’s easy for leaders to assume that your team wants your company to succeed as much as you do.

But that’s rarely true.

The people on your team have massive concerns outside of your company. They may be raising families, caring for sick family members, wrestling through trauma, buried in student loan debt, priced out of the housing market….the list goes on.

So does their joy! The people on your team may be falling in love, volunteering their discretionary time, discovering new hobbies, training a new pet, and so much more.

Your company’s success may be one of the most essential things in your life. But probably not in theirs.

Encourage this. See your employees as people. Acknowledge their pain – and their passion. This will set the course for how your team views your company and treats each other.

People who feel encouraged will WANT to look out for the good of others.

Create a Culture of Encouragement by Harnessing the Best Ideas

“Being a boss doesn’t mean you have all the answers, just the brain to recognize the right one when you hear it.”

Katherine famously instructed Jack with these words in the Broadway sensation, The Newsies. We would be wise to heed her advice.

The most influential leaders are not unquestionably wise or impenetrably strong. They have a meek, humble disposition that assumes the people around them bring value to the table.

And have the desire and sill to draw that out.

What would happen if, instead of positioning yourself as a “thought leader,” you labored to become a “thought incubator?”

That is, you invested more effort and energy into drawing out the good ideas that others have than promoting the insight you think you have.

Maybe you wouldn’t get as much recognition. But you would also have far less pressure on your shoulders! And a far more motivated, healthy, and loyal team.

This doesn’t mean you must give the same weight to every opinion. You don’t even have to feel obligated to follow through on every recommendation every person offers.

Patrick Lencioni says that most people don’t need to have every idea implemented. They just need to know they’re heard.

A Culture of Encouragement is Contagious

Titles don’t equal influence.

In fact, they often have the opposite effect. A study done by the Harvard Business Review found that 58% of people trust strangers more than their boss.

A gold-plated name tag on a corner office may symbolize status. Power.

Apparently, it’s also a signal of distrust.

Trust in authority has been consistently eroding since the 1950s. The Viet Nam War and Watergate opened up the floodgates of distrust.

Occupy Wallstreet. Me too. Black Lives Matter. Fake News.

To harness the best ideas from your people and create a culture of encouragement – you have to earn it.

This is a layered opportunity.

Networks form organically and structurally in every organization. Tap into this. You can unleash extraordinary ideas and harness insightful critiques – through the credibility others have established.

And then – you can pass the credit where it belongs and reinforce the culture of teamwork and encouragement you’re striving to cultivate.

Where there are issues of safety to address, you can step into them full stop. It’s one thing to be ignorant. It’s another to be negligent.

Press in. Let yourself be inconvenienced by other people’s concerns. Everyone will be better for it, including your company.

Step Outside of the Office to See Encouragement Come Alive

Helping your team see and embrace the value of other teammates and departments is incisively powerful. Several years ago, a client with a productivity and profitability challenge came to us.

This firm is in the architectural art industry. At the time, the architects would design the structure, then hand it off to the artists.

The artists often responded with, “We can’t do anything with that,” and the architects would have to return to the “drawing board.”

This costs the firm time lost productivity and money.

We asked our client why the artists felt they couldn’t provide input early in the process. The owners told us that the artist’s most common response was, “We aren’t as smart as those guys, and we don’t know what will work.”

The problem wasn’t a lack of communication; the problem came down to poor attitude and appreciation.

Our workshop was the first time they processed how the interdependence of the two departments was critical to the organization’s success.

The insight struck like a lightning bolt while we were on the water.

We raised the sails and asked the artists to take the wheel and drive the boat. Their first reaction was, “We’ve never driven a sailboat before; we can’t do that!”

When the architects heard this, they said, “That sounds exactly like what they say in the office!” This dialogue brought the issue to life.

After a bit of encouraging, coaching, and cheering from the rest of the team, the artists took the helm and drove the boat for a good portion of the sailing.

Before this moment, they never checked the rudder of interdependence and mutual appreciation. This oversight caused them to waste enormous energy steering the sailboat.

But once they did, the team could sail with greater efficiency and energy than ever.

Underperformance. Miscommunication. Inefficient process.

This plague every business. Sometimes, they can ALL be solved by simply empowering your team to walk across the hall and encourage their teammates.

In the End – We’re Building People

Profit margins matter. Bolstering brands is essential. As Donald Miller says, “You may not be in business to make money, but if you don’t make money, you won’t stay in business.”

At Full Sail Leadership Academy, our mission is to make the world a better place by making better workplaces.

In the end – we’re building people. So are you. If you’re not, then we may not be the right guide for your journey.

But if you want to see human beings thrive, communities beautified, and the quality of lives enhanced, we would be honored to guide you on that journey.

We have resources prepared for you to foster a culture of encouragement. We’d welcome a conversation, and if you’re ready to take a leap onto the water – our workshops can equip you to lead your company to the bright horizons you deserve.

Don’t wait any longer to check on your rudder. Giving them some attention may be just what you need to give your company the direction you need!

Reach out today!

May 30, 2023/by Tim Dittloff

4 Ways Skilled Leaders Face Fear in the Workplace and Conquer Comfort Zones

Employee Engagement, Leadership Development

7 min read

How would you feel if you knew a spider was within 10 feet of where you are? It’s more likely no more than three feet away, but still.

If that potential messes with your pulse, you may be among the 15 % of people who are arachnophobic. That is, clinically afraid of spiders.

Fear is fascinating. It mobilizes some and paralyzes others. But no one escapes it. Some even profit from it.

Horror is the most profitable and among the most popular genres of movies.

How many candidates are elected to office due to the fears they promise to protect people from?

How many businesses are stunted because of fear? What about yours?

Fear cannot be escaped or avoided. It must be overcome. Learning how to identify, confront, and triumph over fear in your workplace will empower you to flourish.

Move out of the Comfort Zone into the Growth Zone

No one likes change. Except for a baby with a dirty diaper! And not even them, sometimes.

Our comfort zones pretend to provide safety. But it’s an illusion. Human beings are not designed to live within comfort zones. We flourish in the growth zone.

A ship in the harbor is safe. But that’s not what it is designed for. Neither were you, your employees, or your company.

The truth is comfort can kill.

A body that’s always comfortable doesn’t exercise, stretch, or exert itself – it malfunctions in extreme ways. The CDC reports that $117 billion is spent on annual healthcare costs related to low physical activity.

Researchers at Yale recently unlocked one key to learning: being uncomfortable. Brains that are comfortable essentially shut down their learning centers.

Allowing a culture of comfort to take root is exceptionally dangerous. And expensive.

How Much Are You Paying Your Team to Stay in its Comfort Zone?

Mary Ellen Cagnassola with Money.com reports, “32% of full- and part-time employees said they are engaged with their work, while 18% are actively disengaged.”

A recent Gallup estimated that employee disengagement costs $1,800 for every $10,000 spent on an employee. If these stats ring true for your business, then you’re paying one more “employee” to do nothing for every ten employees on your payroll.

The Washington Post recently reported that in the first quarter of 2022, worker productivity plummeted to the lowest rate since 1947.

Could fear be keeping your employees from engaging with their work?

Fear of failure.

Fear of conflict.

Fear of embarrassment.

Can you imagine the difference engaged, confident, courageous employees could make in your workplace?

Embrace These 4 Steps to Face Fear in the Workplace and Conquer Comfort Zones

Ready to move into the growth zone? Let’s dive in! Here are four steps to help you and your team overcome fear in the workplace:

1. Cultivate a Culture of Safety in Your Company

If you want to eliminate fear from the factors of employee disengagement, you will need to take a paradoxical step.

You must cultivate a culture of emotional and psychological safety among your team.

Safety is essential for overcoming fear. It’s why the best sailors practice the basics over and over again so that they remain safe and can overcome fear. Psychologists observe this in children and see the impact throughout life.

Children who feel emotionally secure and have learned they can trust their caregivers are more willing to face their fears and take risks.

Social scientists see the same dynamic in the workplace. McKinsey and Company found that:

“When employees feel comfortable asking for help, sharing suggestions informally, or challenging the status quo without fear of negative social consequences, organizations are more likely to innovate quickly, unlock the benefits of diversity, and adapt well to change.”

Cultivating a safe workplace environment is about more than techniques. You have to personally care about your employees.

One of the most critical and overlooked components of a healthy workplace is vulnerability, specifically from the leader.

When leaders take the risk of nurturing a safe, healthy workplace culture – because they sincerely desire to see their team thrive – employees will be far more engaged and willing to face their fears.

2. Identify Fears in the Workplace

What a person is afraid of is important. Why they are afraid of it matters even more.

Consider an employee who is afraid of failing. One person may fear losing their job. Another may fear embarrassment. Some people are scared to stand out for any reason – success or failure.

If you don’t know why someone is afraid, you may prescribe the wrong solution.

How can you identify what people are afraid of and why they are afraid of it? The solution is simple. But simple doesn’t mean easy.

You need to make yourself available to listen to your employees.

Vulnerability and trust create a safe place for honesty. These are the essential building blocks for a healthy workplace that encourages people to face their fears so all can flourish.

3. Directly Confront Fears in the Workplace

Should you throw people into the deep end of whatever they fear? Have everyone take one step at a time? Organize a company-wide trust fall?

You may be the only one who can answer this question. But you can’t do it alone. You must collaborate with the employees who will be directly impacted.

Taking risks and facing fears has a ripple effect throughout your organization. Beyond productivity. Beyond your workplace, even.

It impacts interpersonal relationships, families, neighborhoods, and communities.

Confront Fear in the Workplace by Exposing False Narratives

Some people may be shackled by unfounded fear. Consider the person who thinks that if they fail, they’ll be fired.

What if that’s just not true? What if people are bound up and weighed down by a multitude of false narratives that keep them from facing their fears?

You can expose some lies, replace them with truth, and inspire change.

Take Baby Steps to Confront Fear in the Workplace

Most of us need to walk before we can crawl. Do not despise the days of small beginnings.

One person’s fears may seem insignificant to another. That’s ok. Most of our fears develop, evolve, and sometimes dissolve.

The same person who may have been afraid to ride a bike as a child can grow up to love riding motorcycles.

It all starts with taking a single step of facing fears.

Dive into the Deep End to Face Workplace Fears

Immersion therapy is what some people require. Due to how they are wired or their personal experiences shaped them, they must first jump in feet-first to face their fears.

What could this look like for an employee in your workplace?

Those are the questions you must collaborate on with your team to cultivate a sense of trust and safety that will empower people.

4. Celebrate Triumphing Over Fear in the Workplace

Celebrate! How much of your company’s budget is dedicated to celebrating “wins”? What wins are recognized?

The old business proverb rings true, “what gets celebrated gets repeated.”

Life is about more than achievement. The human beings whom you employ matter beyond their productivity.

Honoring people’s courageous steps to overcome fear is not a frivolous use of company resources. It encourages people, improves chemistry, and inspires others.

And it’s expedient. If over 10% of an employee’s salary is wasted on disengagement, imagine what could happen if you prioritized celebrating in ways that increased engagement?

Unless you’re afraid to celebrate 😉

Now, don’t mistake triumphing over fear for “success.” Someone may face their fears and fail, and that’s OK!

You may reinforce some people’s fear if you only recognize the successful attempts. Courage is more valuable than success.

When you nurture emotional safety in your workplace, built on a foundation of mutual trust, your team will have the courage to identify, confront, and triumph over their fears.

We can help you get there.

Triumph Over Fear Through Leading by Example

It starts with you.

Your team must see that you are willing to get out of your comfort zone.

My comfort zone was crossed at 23 degrees 48′ N and -64 degrees West. That’s roughly 350 miles north of St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands.

And 600 miles south of our destination in Bermuda.

I was in the middle of the ocean with four other sailors. Sailing across expanded miles of the ocean takes great mental, emotional, and sailing skills. At times, the number of hours yet to be crossed looms larger than the biggest swells on the sea. I was in the middle of the ocean with four other sailors.

Skilled leaders will learn to recognize when team members are trapped in their comfort zones and work with the team member to gradually overcome the barriers that hold them back.

The process of confronting fear is more important than the particulars. Personalization is paramount. Each person should be given the respect of charting their course.

When you care about your employees, know what they fear, and understand why, you can work collaboratively with them to chart a course for them to confront their fears.

When you honor and believe in your employees, you can encourage them to take the risks necessary to maximize their potential.

Address Fears Outside of the Workplace with Full Sail Leadership Academy Workshops

We offer workshops that get teams out on the water. Our workshops address a variety of fears people have.

Growing in confidence and overcoming fear in one area of our lives has a massive impact on the rest. When a team of coworkers shares this experience – the benefits are astounding.

At Full Sail, we are resolutely committed to making the world better by making better workplaces.

Our workshops have been expertly crafted to maximize your investment. We’ll spend time on the water, but we won’t leave you out to sea!

We incorporate a personalized, post-sailing action plan with accountable improvement goals over 12 months.

Reach out today! We will be honored to guide you in creating a healthier, more courageous workplace.

May 10, 2023/by Tim Dittloff

Feedback That Allows Your Team to Flourish

Employee Engagement, Leadership Development, Team Building

5 min read

Kelly Clarkson took the world by storm in the early 2000s. She cruised through a competition that captivated America’s attention.

American Idol mixed the elements of a story that grabbed America by the lapels and demanded we do not look away.

Drama. Talent. Risk. Humor.

Much of the humor came at the expense of people who did not know they had no place sharing a stage with Kelly Clarkson.

Someone somewhere should have told some of the contestants that their future was not as a vocalist.

But no one gave them that feedback. And they suffered because of it.

Providing meaningful feedback is an essential responsibility entrusted to leaders. Leaders are uniquely positioned to guide people toward paths they can flourish on.

Leaders can help people build on areas of strength, growing from good to great.

Most importantly, leaders can help people embrace the reality that their value runs deeper than what they achieve or how they perform.

How can you provide the kind of feedback that causes your team to flourish?

Evaluating Beneath the Waterline

Before you can provide healthy feedback to others, you first need to be able to assess your motivation. John Maxwell convincingly demonstrates how emotional intelligence is an indispensable skill for leaders.

To see beneath the waterline, ask yourself these four questions:

How do you feel about providing feedback to your team members?
Why do you feel that way?
How do you feel about the people on your team?
Do you know why you feel that way?

Some leaders avoid providing constructive criticism because they like being liked.

Others may feel overwhelmed by their responsibilities; they don’t have the margin to provide meaningful feedback.

Of course, some leaders may look forward to having objective documentation to justify discipline or even termination.

In reality, most leaders experience all of this at some point.

The key is – are you self-aware enough to know how you feel and why?

If you aren’t, it will overflow onto your team.

Golden Rule for Providing Golden Feedback

While there is a multitude of forms, processes, and procedures for providing feedback, there is one perspective most people can agree on: we ought to treat others as we want to be treated.

Your feedback will be markedly improved if you apply this principle.

The impact will be felt not only in what you say, but in how you say it, and why.

As a sailboat captain, I help my crew members fulfill their roles to the best of their ability. For the good – and enjoyment – of the entire team.

I also want my crew to be safe. The open water requires constant attention. Currents can impact our course. The wind and waves can try to throw us off course.

What’s beneath the waterline – the things we cannot see – may pose the greatest threat.

The crew cannot see all of this. They must rely on their captain’s feedback to sail successfully.

By doing so we are not only kept safe, but energized. We return to the shore – and our lives – motivated to engage more fully with our loved ones.

A healthy leader can create this kind of culture in their workplace. A culture where everyone is valued, understands their role, is allowed to improve, and is viewed as more than an employee.

When employees know you desire their absolute best, they may even be eager to receive constructive criticism.

Most people want to grow. To improve. They want a trusted coach on their side. Your influence can have a ripple effect in people’s lives that spreads much further than the company’s bottom line.

When you treat your team this way, they will know that you do not equate professional performance with personal value.

Paradoxically, this will most likely improve performance.

Three Components of Healthy Feedback that Cultivate a Healthy Workplace

Healthy evaluation should affirm employees in at least these three ways:

They are talented
They are valued on the team
They are valued beyond the team

They are talented

Every team member brings something to the table. Research has found that building off strengths is more beneficial than correcting weaknesses.

Further, employees need the opportunity to improve and the tools to get there. You may not be able to personally provide direct coaching to each employee. [JS8]

But you should be able to point them to other tools and resources to help them in their journey. Full Sail Leadership Academy is here to help you get there.

They are valued on the team

In his book, Building a StoryBrand, Donald Miller points out that humans are wired to belong to a tribe. A community. An employee evaluation provides a unique opportunity to affirm value.

Most people feel vulnerable when being evaluated. Letting your employees know they are accepted for who they are and not just what they do will fill their sails with wind.

When employees know you care about them, positive feedback will feel sincere and constructive criticism will feel helpful.

They are valued beyond the team

You cannot be a best friend to all of your employees. But that doesn’t mean you can’t take an interest in them beyond the office.

When my crew steps onto the sailboat, I must recognize that they bring bags. Fears. Worries. Hopes. Dreams.

Grandparents don’t stop worrying about their kids just because they’re at work.

An evaluation allows you to acknowledge the whole person in front of you. Recognizing an employee’s life outside work demonstrates that you understand they are more than a cog in a machine.

You can extend gratitude to a spouse or wish them well in a hobby. But don’t confuse this with a “technique.” It’s caring about your employees enough to take an interest in them and affirm their value beyond your company.

Build up your team by providing an unforgettable experience

Cultivating a healthy culture in the workplace doesn’t happen overnight. But there are ways to jumpstart it.

Our upcoming leadership summit is one of those ways. For over 15 years we have intentionally designed this experience to maximize the values that contribute to creating healthy workplaces.

Teamwork. Evaluation. Trust. Fun.

Reach out today to learn how Full Sail Leadership Academy can help you make the world a better place by making your workplace better.

July 18, 2022/by Tim Dittloff

Connecting Company Vision with Employee Passion

Employee Engagement

5 min read

A child’s first word may be “mama.” Or “dada.” But it doesn’t take long until their favorite word is “no.” When that phase is done, many children love the next word: “why?”

Why’s that?

Ingrained deep in the fabric of human nature is a quest for meaning. A child asks “why” when they are told to look both ways before crossing the street.

A teenager asks “why” when they are told they can’t have access to certain types of social media.

During our workshops, we get asked “why” as we explain the roles of each crew member and how the crew must work together.

Your employees also ask “why.” Though, perhaps not directly.

They ask “why” through the level of their engagement – and disengagement. Both in their work and relationships with coworkers. Including their boss.

We live in a day where people ask “why” as they leave their jobs in historic numbers. Healthy leaders cannot afford to ignore this question.

It provides a remarkable opportunity.

Do you know if your employees understand why their job matters? That is, beyond paying bills and making ends meet.

Do they know why their work matters in the big picture? How does what they are doing bring meaning to their lives and goodness into the world?

The health – and success – of your business hinges on this question.

Vision Leaks out of the Workplace

One of the silent killers of all businesses is low employee engagement. We have found that a lack of engagement leads to a decrease in production, an increase in absenteeism, and overall negativity in the office culture.

How can you cultivate engagement on your team?

There is no one answer. At least, no one constant solution for all employees at all times. The currents change. The wind blows in different directions.

You have to care about your employees. Listen to them. Create a disarming culture through your vulnerability.

As Ron McMillan said in the book, Crucial Conversations,

But let’s assume that you have cultivated a culture of respect. What else can you do to increase employee engagement?

Consider a sailboat. You can have the sails up trimmed just right and all the other elements of the boat in place. But how far do you think you’ll sail if there are holes in the bottom of your boat?

Not far.

Why?

Because a boat that has major leaks can’t sail.

Just like a business. But when it comes to business, wise leaders must understand – vision leaks.

An employee’s child gets the flu – a little vision leaks.

A conflict comes up between coworkers – a little vision leaks.

An accident has traffic backed up on the way to the office – a little vision leaks.

All these factors – and more – cause vision to leak. As vision leaks, engagement decreases. When employees aren’t engaged, the bottom line suffers. The ship can even start to sink.

Casting Vision that Connects with the Heart

In our decades of experience, we’ve seen this repeatedly. We’ve felt it personally. Many companies struggle, not because they offer poor service or products, but because they don’t know how to plug the holes.

Too many employees feel like replaceable cogs in a machine instead of like meaningful crew members.

If this only impacted a company’s bottom line, that would be bad enough. But at Full Sail Leadership Academy, we view work as one component of the greater whole of people’s lives.

We are committed to making the world a better place by making workplaces better.

Vision for a Better Workplace

As the ancient proverb says, “without vision, the people perish.” Displaying your mission statement on the wall can help stop some vision from leaking. Printing it on the back of a business card may be beneficial.

But that won’t plug the holes that keep coming. Your employees need more. They deserve more. You can offer more. We can help.

Casting vision is inviting your employees into something transcendent. It’s connecting their intrinsic motivations with the mission of your company.

It’s about the specific role they have in making the world a better place every time they clock in. And that gives meaning to the place where they spend most of their time – the workplace.

We have tailor-made our workshops to help you achieve this goal. Our expert facilitators come alongside you to help clarify the vision for your company.

We create the space you need to jump into meaningful teambuilding experiences with your crew – on our sailboats.

As meaningful as all of this can be, we have found that it’s often not enough. So we developed a follow-up system to walk with you to ensure that you know how to plug the holes that threaten your ship.

The question is not if vision will leak. But – when? Where? How much?

Vision for a Better World

As a leader in your organization, you are in a remarkable position. With the right tools, coaching, and support, you can steward your platform to make the world a better place. Not just your workplace.

By caring enough about your employees to know how to connect their intrinsic desires to your company’s mission, you can take your company to another level.

More importantly, the people on your team will be more motivated and energized to engage in all of life – making the world a better place.

Currents will change. Storms will come. Vision will leak. Employee engagement will waver.

As the captain of your ship, will you make the investment necessary to sail through these seas?

Take the Next Step

Are you ready to take the next step? Reach out today for a free consultation and learn how we can come alongside you.

We have also developed a free e-book on steward leadership you can download.

If you’re ready to dive in, you can sign up for one of our workshops today. When you do, we will work together to make the world a better place by making workplaces better.

May 11, 2022/by Tim Dittloff

Can You Hear Me Now?

Employee Engagement, Team Building

4 min read

Great leaders are often heralded for their public skills. Speaking. Writing. Vision casting. Innovation. All of these are good and necessary.

Yet we all know that they aren’t enough. Just like Katherine famously told Jack in the Broadway play, The Newsies.

“Being a boss doesn’t mean you have all the answers, just the brain to recognize the right one when you hear it.”

In the third installment of our Current Leadership series, we’re going to let the boat rest on the waters and consider how we can listen to our crew and hear the right answers.

Healthy Leaders Care About Their Employees

Nothing can replace caring about your crew. According to a recent study done by MIT, the number one reason for the Great Resignation isn’t about a paycheck.

It’s because of toxic cultures in the workplace.

The best leadership and listening techniques in the world, if not paired with authentic care for others, are manipulation at best. Employees feel that. And they are jumping ship.

When leaders don’t listen, everyone loses. This is why the reality TV series Undercover Boss resonated so deeply with so many.

Each episode had a different, successful boss go “undercover” and work with the regular employees. This experience transformed the boss’ perspective.

Employees were not only humanized, they often demonstrated wisdom and perspective beyond what the boss could see.

As a leader, you need to keep your eyes on the horizon. You have to hold in tension the goals of the company with the needs of the crew. While navigating unforeseen storms and obstacles.

This is why one of the greatest advantages you can give yourself as a leader is listening to your crew. You’re limited. You cannot see or know it all.

But when you care about your employees, believing that they have something to offer beyond what you can see, then you will want to listen to what others have to offer.

Creating Margin for Health in the Workplace

Listening well involves far more than conversation. Leadership expert, Patrick Lencioni, asserts that healthy teams need to have trust. And trust requires vulnerability.

Your ability and availability to listen will not do any good if your employees don’t feel valued.

Our workshops are an excellent tool to cultivate these qualities in your team.

You may be able to lead with confidence in your field. But are you comfortable following? In front of those you lead? How would you feel if you needed to rely on your team to sail on Lake Michigan?

Can you see how an out-of-the-office, team-building experience like sailing would increase trust, vulnerability, and appreciation on your team?

Our workshop can open a door to meaningful and ongoing communication within your team. This may require you to adjust how you budget your time.

Listening well may be more art than science. At least for a leader. You can have regularly scheduled meetings. Or perhaps “open door” hours.

But we all know that our best ideas don’t come on a predictable schedule. The burst of courage required to share an insight or expose an offense may not happen within the 15 minutes between the meeting reminder and the meeting.

Further, different people process things in different ways. Some of your employees are external processors who will only be able to understand what they think and how they feel while talking.

Others are internal processors. They will need the space to leave a conversation, think about how they feel, and circle back.

As a leader, you need to chart these choppy waters. You need to inspire confidence in your team while the wind is beating against them and waves are breaking over the bow of the organization.

You’ll need to manage your margin. Not just time, but energy. And not just for you, but for your organization.

Successful companies traverse many different seasons. Sometimes the wind fills your sails. At other times, there is no wind at all to drive your team forward.

One of the best ways you can discern the season you’re in is by listening to your crew.

Leading Within Your Limitations

People in general, but leaders in particular, don’t love their limitations. You dream big dreams. Like Jim Collins recommended, you have big, hairy, audacious goals.

Taking the time to listen well can feel like an obstacle to your productivity. Like sailing upwind.

Many leaders are under an enormous amount of pressure. How can you keep profits up, achieve goals, cultivate a healthy workplace, listen to your employees, and maintain a healthy work-life harmony for yourself?

For a ship to sail, many people need to fill different roles. The helmsman can’t also be the bowman. But in order to direct the rest of the crew, the helmsman needs to hear the bowman.

This is no easy task. That’s why we all need a Katherine in our lives from time to time. Not to add more to our plate, but to take something off.

Consider this post and offer the reorienting wake-up call that Katherine gave Jack. Maybe the one you need.

Creating the space to care for your team by listening to them well eventually eases much of the self-imposed pressure you feel.

Employees who know they are cared for don’t jump ship.
Employees who know they are cared for are more engaged.
Employees who know they are cared for perform better.

These intuitive, yet verifiable benefits are accessible to every leader. It doesn’t require innate brilliance or inherited billions. It just requires ears that will listen and a heart that cares.

If you cultivate a culture of care among your crew, good ideas will fill your sails and propel you to the horizon you dream of.

After all, being the boss doesn’t mean you’ve got all the good ideas. It’s just being able to know the right ones when you hear them.

Let’s Set Sail Together

The team at Full Sail Leadership Academy is eager to listen to you. We are ready to help you take your team to the next level.

Reach out to us today for a free 30-minute consultation and learn how we can help you sail to a brighter future.

March 8, 2022/by Tim Dittloff

Caring About Others in the Workplace (Going Beyond “Techniques”)

Employee Engagement, Leadership Development

5 min read

Have you ever looked out over the water and it seemed as though it was moving in one direction? Or another? Or maybe switching directions even as you watch?

Water currents don’t work that way. Streams flow in one direction. Even though major bodies of water like Lake Michigan may have a shift in current, the water generally flows in one direction.

The water on the surface can appear to move in one direction while the current underneath pulls in the other. A body of water may appear peaceful on the surface and yet it may have a strong undertow.

You can’t measure the force of a current by the surface alone. You need to know what’s happening in the deeper water.

Amid the Great Resignation, many leaders know they need help to navigate these troubled waters. We understand this anxiety and yet still see opportunity on the horizon.

In the second part of our current leadership series, we’re going to consider one of the most critical competencies for any leader: listening.

But we’re not going to focus on category or technique. An ocean of resources is already available for you on that.

We’re going to ask you to take a vulnerable risk. Will you look beneath the surface of your current listening skills and consider your motives?

Engaging the Heart of Your Employees

The greatest resource in your company is the people. Employees are not tools to be utilized to accomplish a purpose. They are human beings with a full life.

Just as it is for a leader, so it is for a team member. Work may be a crucial part of life, but it’s just one part of a bigger whole.

Do you care about the work-life harmony of the people on your team? When you correct an employee, do you consider how it will impact their relationships outside of work?

When you see an employee settling for being good when you know they could be great – do you factor in what may be going on in their home?

Of course, no leader should try to be the best friend or counselor to everyone on the team. No human being has the capacity for that.

Our question to you is simply this – do you care?

You can be filled with vision and insight, know exactly how to chart a course to success, even navigate choppy and turbulent waters with contagious confidence.

But how deeply do you care about your crew?

Reflect on some of your favorite leaders from your life. Maybe a boss, a teacher, or a coach.

Why did they leave a lasting impression on you? Was it their skill, insight, or humor? Or was it something deeper?

Could you sense that they cared about you? Could you tell that they wanted the best for you?

People will not care what you know until they know that you care.

Leadership Beneath the Surface

This is why mastering leadership techniques can fall short. Active listening. Reflective listening. Patience with silence. All of these skills are good. Necessary, even.

But the motivational current underneath the listening skill will be felt by the team. For better and worse.

That current will influence a culture among the team that will carry it in one direction or another. Regardless of how things look on the surface.

Emotional health, trust, and vulnerability cannot be cultivated by outward skill.

As the captain of a boat, there are times when I need to give commands. Even in rapid order. That’s ok – if my crew knows that I care about them. They’ll be more likely to absorb hard coaching if they know that I have their best interest in mind.

But if I bark out the best orders to chart the safest and most efficient course all the while being irritated or annoyed by my crew, they’ll feel it.

And eventually, they’ll jump ship.

Running with the Wind

Acquiring listening skills is easy. Cultivating emotional health is hard.

At first.

But when you genuinely care about the people in your life, the people on your team, you will want to listen. You will yearn to understand. You will desire to know how you can be supportive so that they can flourish.

When that is your motivation, the skills will come easily.

Especially listening.

Actively listening while not actually caring is like trying to sail without wind.

Hoist the sail, direct the rudder, strive with all your might. You’re not going to get far.

When the wind is blowing, though, and you have the tools and the team to harness its energy, magic happens.

Building a Winning Team

What is the “win” for your team? Revenue? Platform? Contracts?

Wherever you are going, the best way to get there is with a healthy team who knows they are cared for.

A recent study by the University of Warwick found that happiness led to a 12% spike in productivity, while unhappy workers proved 10% less productive.

As the research team put it, “We find that human happiness has large and positive causal effects on productivity. Positive emotions appear to invigorate human beings.”

At the Harvard Business Review, Emma Seppälä and Kim Cameron, studying numerous sources concluded this:

“A positive workplace is more successful over time because it increases positive emotions and well-being. This, in turn, improves people’s relationships with each other and amplifies their abilities and their creativity.

It buffers against negative experiences such as stress, thus improving employees’ ability to bounce back from challenges and difficulties while bolstering their health. And, it attracts employees, making them more loyal to the leader and to the organization as well as bringing out their best strengths.”

The evidence is staggering. No doubt it matches your personal experience. When you feel cared for, trust your leaders, and get along with your team – you perform better.

Let’s Set Sail Together

At Full Sail Leadership Academy, we are equipped to support you as you navigate these waters. Reach out today for a free 30-minute consultation and learn how we can help you sail to a brighter future.

If you listen, you’ll hear the wind picking up. Let us help you hone the skills you need so that you can capitalize on the opportunity on the horizon.

February 2, 2022/by Tim Dittloff