6 Internal Communication Challenges That Kill Your Company’s Productivity

Posted on by Michelle Arios

The way we communicate with each other has changed. In some ways, it’s more convenient. In other ways, it’s holding us back. Communication is vital to your company’s productivity, and effective internal communication can make or break your business.

If done well, it will bring great results. If done poorly, it will leave your employees unable to perform at their best. What are the worst internal communication challenges to overcome? Read on to find out!

1. Is the communication lacking culture?

The recent emphasis on company culture isn’t much ado about nothing – it’s the way things will be from now on. As social consciousness and value awareness is raised among consumers, it’s also raised among employees. People are more interested in working for companies that share their perspectives on important issues, such as environmental impact and striving for positive change.

If this is part of your company culture, you need to express it regularly. Opening up communications about what your accomplishments mean for your culture and the ways you strive to be better will remind your employees why they’re working for you. They’ll see themselves beyond a mere cog in a machine – they will be part of a team on a mission.

Be sure to outline and define your workplace culture. Let it guide your communication in the right direction and talk about it on a daily basis. Keep everyone invigorated, celebrate major successes. Encourage friendliness and strong work relationships. That’s the greatest motivator your employees could possibly get, and it doesn’t cost a thing to implement.

2. Getting teams to come together

One of the worst communication breakdowns occurs between team members. Each member of the team is talented, and an expert in what they do, but they sometimes work independently. One hand needs to know what the other is doing. There can’t be any real synergy if everyone is assuming they know what everyone else is up to. There are things team members can do for other team members to streamline the completion of a project, and successful teamwork revolves around that communication.

Even if your team members work independently, make sure they meet regularly to discuss progress and ideas. Those check-ins can prevent obstacles and misunderstandings that might otherwise cause a project to last much longer than anticipated. Sometimes, you might need to re-delegate tasks. Other times, you might need to bring in some additional help to finish a project in a timely manner. A 20-minute talk could save an entire day of lost productivity.

3. Absent leaders can’t have a say

The invisible boss is no longer an acceptable concept. People want a direct relationship with their leaders, and they expect to see that their leader is holding up their end of the deal. If leaders only come to check the work after it’s been done, it can be a nightmare when revisions need to be made. All the time a team member spends doing things the wrong way gets swirled away down the drain. What’s worse, they’ll now have to spend twice as much time doing it the right way — pushing back your deadlines.

Leaders should be available as often as possible, especially to ask the team if they need anything. They need to be willing to help pick up the slack and coach team members through the things they struggle with. Team members don’t always understand that leaders are doing something important behind the scenes. They need to see the efforts made right in front of their eyes for them to fully conceptualize what the leader’s role entails.

Leaders need to have empathy for the people they are leading. An important part of that is leading by example. Show that you are willing to sit at the table with everyone else and take requests as often as you make them. This way you’ll bring the communication and unity needed to enhance productivity by reinforcing shared goals an efforts.

4. Using screens appropriately

Internal emails and messaging apps are one of the biggest conveniences you can get. Your employees want to be informed about what’s going on with the day-to-day business. This is especially true about Millennials and Gen Z, who expect to get information instantaneously.

Make sure you’re crafting amazing internal emails to get the word out. By making all of the information relevant, choosing a format that’s easy for your employees to navigate, and keeping the tone engaging, people are more likely to care about reading things they would have brushed past.

5. Mastering emergency communications

If the situation is an emergency or involves a major change, it’s better to call an impromptu or abruptly scheduled meeting to convey your message and let people get back to work.

Even though that meeting might cut into regular productivity by disrupting the workday, you can ensure that everyone received the exact same message at the exact same time. You’ve also established a two-way street where people can take turns asking questions and getting answers all at once, rather than leaving an email open to redundant and disruptive replies. Everyone will be able to get back to work much sooner and with certainty about what they’re doing.

6. Different generations communicate differently

Millennials and Gen Z don’t communicate the same way previous generations do. These generations have had social media and ease of communication their whole lives. They’ve always had quick access to information and answers at their fingertips, and it’s made them more efficient communicators. They absorb information quickly, and you’d be surprised at just how much information they seek.

They’re slightly less patient than previous generations. They want to be able to work quickly and find the most direct route to completing a task.

That’s why communication to these generations should involve the necessary resources and a bit of empowerment. They don’t respond well to micromanaging styles of communication because it’s their inclination to be more independent. Give them what they need, answer all of their questions, and empower them to do the things they do well.

Lastly, but certainly not least, ask the employees of your company what they need from their higher-ups in terms of communication. Keeping an open door is one of the best operating practices any company can have. Talk all the time — about anything and everything. It’s the best way to make everything a little better.

Have you come across internal communication challenges in your office? How did you manage to overcome them? Share your stories, comments, and ideas below!

How Your Values Can be Turned Into Profit

Posted on by Jim Antonopoulos

I own a for-profit, B Corp-accredited strategic design and innovation consultancy. We are values-led and work with clients through the lens of ‘meaningful work’. It all sounds very fluffy doesn’t it?

I’m often asked by leaders of organizations how values create value. What values and purpose have to do with the bottom line and how they might build culture. I’m at times confronted by leaders who don’t see the link between values, culture, purpose and strategy. As Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock has said, “the inextricable link between purpose and profit.”

Many years ago, in a collaborative session with the leadership group of a 2,000-person organization I was asked by the CEO (who arrived late, huffing and puffing, half-way through the session) why his organization needed values at all. The conversation before he walked in was wonderful. Purposeful. Staff that were previously disengaged were now paying attention because, for the first time they were asked how they wanted to feel when they arrived at work each day.

For the first time they were asked what they believed in and what their purpose was in the context of their vocation. When their CEO walked in — imagine Darth Vader boarding the rebel ship — a cold chill filled the room. I had observed the CEO for a few weeks and noticed that the team that surrounded him was fearful of everything he would say. His team would agree with everything and not challenge the status quo, or bring anything new to the table. There was a chokehold on innovation and the culture in the organization was at an all-time low. Customer churn was high and profits weren’t part of the conversation.

The CEO it seemed, from my observation was hyper-focused on what he thought the organization should not be doing, instead of what it ought to be doing. As he took his seat at the centre of the long board-room table, the room of 25 people fell silent.

“Why does my organization need values?”

The question broke the silence and worked its way towards me like a rocket. I aimed to answer before it hit me between the eyes and I was abruptly cut off…

What are your values Jim?
Do they create a healthy business for you?

The questions kept coming, thick and fast and the room of 25 adults slowly worked its way back to the nook of their seats in silence. All eyes were on me. I interjected and acknowledged the importance of the questions and began my own monologue. I admit, as an extroverted introvert I quite like a monologue, and an audience.

Values define decision-making, I began. They help shape what you focus on as a leader and how you and your team function. They’ll guide very decision you make and ensure you’re on track to realize your purpose and, as a leader, realize your highest potential. (The room was still silent but I noticed the COO sit up on his chair and a smile emerge on his face).

They help resolve conflict and in the face of adversity, I continued. They’ll help you deal with some the more human issues you face as an organization day-to-day. They’ll steer your conversation with a tearful customer as much as they steer you to decide what you applaud, and what you choose to ignore. They’ll bring a level of autonomy, and inspiration, to your team and you’ll find that they’ll more empowered to do their jobs without having to check in on you every single day, about every single
thing. Freeing you up to focus on your time on the things that you bring the highest value to.

Purpose, and values will ensure your 2,000 staff, when asked what they do for a living, will tell a story instead of listing a job title and a salary. This in turn builds a narrative more powerful than any other. Think IBM “Innovation that matters”, KPMG’s “We shape history”, or Google’s “Focus on the customer and all else will follow.”

Even ice-cream can have values — Ben and Jerry’s “We strive to minimize our negative impact on the environment” tells a story beyond “I serve ice-cream” for a living. Values and purpose provide the answer to the question, “What do you do?” And in turn, if that answer is profoundly inspiring, it means that people and customers are present, focussed, driven and in fact more loyal.

The CEO was now silent. Nothing more to say.

The rest of the room was now focussed, smiling and attentive. A dialogue ensued, slowly but surely. A dialogue about the importance of a positive culture where people felt safe to come to work every day. Where people felt motivated to strive towards a North Star and held the tools and resources to deal with the inevitable decisions, conversations and impacts the organization will make moving forward.

If BlackRock’s Larry Fink thinks that “purpose is not the sole pursuits of profits, but the animating force for achieving them” — we can all embrace that simple notion that they will help us towards something valuable.

www.WeAreTank.com.au

The World’s Top 50 Keynote Speakers Who Inspire us to Become Better Leaders

Posted on by Trevor Oldham

Whether you lead a Fortune 500 company or simply want to motivate yourself to rise to the next level, you can learn many lessons from the world’s top keynote speakers.

These key messages from highly accomplished men and women across a broad spectrum of business, athletic and entertainment sectors will give you and your colleagues the inspiration to craft personal and corporate strategies that deliver a competitive advantage.

Draw your inspiration from these top 50 keynote speakers and learn to become a better leader.

#50 – Jason Dorsey

Jason Dorsey is the Co-Founder and President of The Center for Generational Kinetics. He has led Millennial and Gen Z research on four continents in multiple languages.

He advises CEOs, corporate boards, VC and PE firms around the world and is a highly sought-after Millennial and Gen Z keynote speaker and researcher. He is known for delivering specific, practical solutions grounded in original research that drive measurable results. He has 180 clients on his roster represent every major industry, from global banks and software companies to automakers, consumer brands, healthcare, retailers, manufacturing, and private equity firms.

Dorsey has been featured on more than 200 television shows, including 60 Minutes, 20/20, The Today Show, CNN, CNBC, and The Early Show.

Jason Dorsey wrote his first bestselling book at age 18. His latest bestselling book is Y-Size Your Business: How Gen Y Employees Can Save You Money and Grow Your Business.

#49 – Molly Fletcher

Molly Fletcher is a polished keynote speaker who delivers more than 70 customized addresses annually for a diverse roster than includes AT&T, Bank of America, Carter’s, CVS, Dell EMC, The Home Depot, Johnson & Johnson, Leadercast, Society for Human Resource Management, Taco Bell, and TED Talks, among others.

Fletcher shares stories with her audiences from her experiences as a successful sports agent and lessons from top athletes and coaches on how to unleash potential and achieve peak performance.

She has been hailed as the “female Jerry Maguire” by CNN and will share her proven approaches that allowed her to complete more than $500 million worth of deals throughout her career.

Fletcher also empowers women to carve out their own path for success through her tenure in a male-dominated industry. 

#48 – Drew Hanlen

Drew Hanlen is the top NBA skills trainer in the world. But what many people don’t know is that he has been working behind the scenes influencing business owners and speaking for many years. 

Hanlen runs Pure Sweat Basketball, a training firm with an impressive client list of young NBA players such as Zach LaVine, Andrew Wiggins, Bradley Beal, Anthony Bennett, David Lee, Jameer Nelson, Jordan Clarkson and many others. 

Hanlen’s basketball hero growing up was Michael Jordan. He would record Bulls games, study every move Jordan made and then hit the court and practice all the same moves. That helped Hanlen develop his basketball IQ. 

Although his dream was to play in the NBA and that didn’t happen, he’s still having an impact on the league. He carries that same tenacity and work ethic to the stage as a much-in-demand keynote speaker. 

#47 – Gretchen Rubin

Gretchen Rubin is an influential and thought-provoking observer of happiness and human nature. She started her career in law and was clerking for Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor when I realized I wanted to be a writer.

Since that time, she has authored many books including New York Times bestsellers, The Four Tendencies and Better Than Before. Her book The Happiness Project has sold more than one million copies, been published in more than thirty languages, and spent more than two years on the New York Times bestseller list, including at #1.  Overall, her books have sold more than 3.5 million copies worldwide.

As a keynote speaker and an author, she draws from cutting-edge science, the wisdom of the ages, lessons from popular culture, and her own experiences to explore how people can make their lives happier, healthier, more productive, and more creative.

#46 – Darren Hardy

Darren Hardy is an author, keynote speaker, advisor, and former publisher of SUCCESS Magazine.  The New York Times best-selling author wrote The Entrepreneur Roller Coaster, Living Your Best Year Ever and The Compound Effect.

Hardy has been a central business leader in the personal growth and success industry for more than 20 years. He led three success television networks producing over 1,000 TV shows featuring most every influential thought leader of our times.

Hardy has been awarded the ‘Master of Influence’ designation by the National Speakers Association in honor of his professionalism in public speaking.

Darren is also a highly sought-after keynote speaker, media contributor with the mission to Positively Influence Influencers… and to be a guide for those who choose to be the exception.

#45 – Shawn Achor

Shawn Achor is a leading researcher on happiness. His efforts earned him accolades on the cover of Harvard Business Review, and his research and work on stress in partnership with Yale University was published in The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Achor and The Oprah Winfrey Network have created an in-depth two-part Happiness Course to help individuals impact their own lives and the lives of those around them with the Happiness Advantage.

Shawn’s, and his PBS special has been seen by millions. He has worked with over a third of the Fortune 100 companies, as well as the NFL, the NBA, the Pentagon, and the White House and has traveled to more than 50 countries to deliver his message.

Arianna Huffington has also dubbed Achor as “One of the world’s leading experts on human potential.”

#44 – Diana Nyad

Diana Nyad became known as the world’s greatest long-distance swimmer in the 1970s with her open-water achievements, including a record-breaking swim around Manhattan.

For 30 years, Nyad was a prominent sports broadcaster and journalist, filing stories for National Public Radio, ABC’S Wide World of Sports and many other outlets.

In 2013, 64 years old, Nyad became the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without the aid of a shark cage; she covered 111 miles in 53 hours from Havana to Key West.

She has also authored three books and will soon release her upcoming memoir, Find a Way.

#43 – Tom Bilyeu

Tom Bilyeu is best known as a co-founder of Quest Nutrition. It was the second-fastest-growing private company in North America on the Inc 500 for 2014. The company grew by 57,000% in its first 3 years and became a billion-dollar business within 5 years of its launch.

He is known as a serial entrepreneur and thought leader who can deliver impactful keynote speeches or lead breakout sessions on business strategy, brand building, mindset, and leadership.

Tom regularly inspires audiences of entrepreneurs, change makers, and thought leaders at some of the most prestigious conferences and seminars around the world, including Abundance 360, A-fest, and Freedom Fast Lane. His deep passion for storytelling combined with his insights from building a billion-dollar business allows him to deliver powerful speeches that routinely garner top praise.

#42 – Steve Wozniak

Steve Wozniak is the co-founder, Apple Computer. A Silicon Valley icon and philanthropist for the past three decades, Steve Wozniak helped shape the computing industry with his design of Apple’s first line of products the Apple I and II and influenced the popular Macintosh.

For his achievements at Apple Computer, Wozniak was awarded the National Medal of Technology by the President of the United States in 1985, the highest honor bestowed on America’s leading innovators.

After leaving Apple, Wozniak was involved in various business and philanthropic ventures, focusing primarily on computer capabilities in schools and stressing hands-on learning and encouraging creativity for students.

In 2000, he was inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame and was awarded the prestigious Heinz Award for Technology, The Economy and Employment. He also subsequently founded the Electronic Frontier Foundation and was the founding sponsor of the Tech Museum, Silicon Valley Ballet and Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose.

In 2006, Wozniak published his New York Times Best Selling autobiography, iWoz: From Computer Geek to Cult Icon and is a sought after keynote speaker.

#41 – Malcolm Gladwell

Malcolm Gladwell is an author and keynote speaker who has written numerous books, including The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, and David and Goliath. He is also the host of the podcast Revisionist History. His sixth book, Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don’t Know, is scheduled to be released in September 2019

Gladwell has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1996. Prior to that, he was a reporter at the Washington Post.

Gladwell’s books and articles often deal with unexpected implications of research in the social sciences and make frequent and extended use of academic work, particularly in the areas of sociology, psychology, and social psychology.

He is a frequent lecturer and keynote speaker at locations throughout the United States.

#40 – Dr. Ken Blanchard

Dr. Ken Blanchard is an author, keynote speaker, and business consultant known for his groundbreaking research in leadership. Through The Ken Blanchard Companies, he has helped to transform the daily management of companies throughout the world.  The leadership training and development company has trained millions of the world’s best managers for more than 35 years.

Blanchard has authored or coauthored 60 books and sold more than 21 million copies worldwide. His iconic 1982 classic, The One Minute Manager, coauthored with Spencer Johnson, has sold more than 13 million copies and remains on bestseller lists today.  Other notable works include Raving Fans, The Secret, andLeading at a Higher Leveland have been translated into 42 different languages.

A prominent, sought-after author, speaker, Blanchard is a trustee emeritus of the Board of Trustees at his alma mater, Cornell University, and he also teaches students in the Master of Science in Executive Leadership Program at the University of San Diego.

#39 – Rachel Hollis

Rachel Hollis was the owner of Chic Events –a high-end event planning company in LA– for over a decade. She started a blog as a way of promoting that business and eventually she sold the company when clients wanted to hire her to talk about marketing their own products and services.

After years of building Chic Media, she has morphed that into The Hollis Company, that gives people the tools to make positive and lasting change by promoting a personal growth mindset.

Hollis is also a #1 New York Times Best-Selling author and top keynote speaker.

#38 – Seth Godin

Seth Godin is the author of 19 best-selling books, including The Dip, Linchpin, Purple Cow, Tribes, and What To Do When It’s Your Turn (And It’s Always Your Turn). He writes about the post-industrial revolution, the way ideas spread, marketing, change and leadership.

He is renowned for his writing and speaking, and also founded Squidoo and Yoyodyne.

Seth recently broke new ground in the publishing industry by releasing a series of four books through Kickstarter. The campaign reached its goal after three hours and ended up becoming the most successful book project ever done this way.

In 2015, he created the altMBA, a life-changing 30 day workshop which was part of a portfolio of seminars and educational offerings that have been taken by more than 60,000. He also has five TED talks to his credit.

Godin is in the Guerrilla Marketing Hall of Fame, the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame and the Marketing Hall of Fame.

#37 – Robert O’Neill

Robert O’Neill was part of over 400 combat missions as a Navy SEAL, including being part of the team that ultimately brought Osama bin Laden to justice.

During his remarkable career, O’Neill has been decorated more than 52 times with honors. Some of those most notable military decorations include: two Silver Stars, four Bronze Stars with Valor, a Joint Service Commendation Medal with Valor, three Presidential Unit Citations and two Navy/Marine Corps Commendations with Valor.

Today, he is a keynote speaker, security consultant, philanthropist, and FOX News contributor offering expert analysis on terrorism and military strategy O’Neill is involved in a range of missions.

Through his charity, Your Grateful Nation, he works to raise awareness and financial support for special operations military personnel making the difficult transition from the battlefield to the boardroom.

His speaking engagements are highlighted by gripping stories, effective strategies and a highly motivational message that won’t soon be forgotten.

#36 – Ben Newman

Ben Newman is known as a powerhouse storyteller. He can be found with Top Fortune 500 companies in boardrooms and stages around the world as well as with some of the world’s elite sports teams.

He was featured in 2018 on ESPN’s Rolling with the Tide for his work with the Alabama Football team and is a speaker and performance coach for Microsoft, AB InBev, MTX Inc, Northwestern Mutual, Mass Mutual and other elite companies around the globe.

Newman has published several books on mental toughness, professional success, and how to drive positive changes in your life. Newman is also considered one of the top mental toughness experts.

You can also find Ben speaking and giving back to the military. If you are looking to connect to purpose and drive accountability in your organization Ben will deliver. 

#35 – Stephen Covey

Stephen Covey is the co-founder of FranklinCovey, a world leader in helping companies big and small achieve results based on changes in human behavior that lead to a durable competitive advantage. FranklinCovey now extends to more than 150 countries, with over 2,000 associates working toward a common mission.

Covey may be best known for his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, which continues to be a best seller 25 years after it was written because it ignores trends and pop psychology and focuses on timeless principles of fairness, integrity, honesty, and human dignity.

#34 – Ed Mylett

Ed Mylett was a standout Division I baseball player and had hoped to play Major League Baseball but a major injury dealt a final blow to his athletic aspirations.

He turned his drive and determination to the business world where he quickly climbed the ladder at WFG. Forbes has listed him as a Top 50 Under 50 with a net worth of more than $400 million.

A highly sought after speaker, Mylett spreads his messages of living an epic life through his podcast #MaxOut With Ed Mylett and he has recently published his first book, #MaxOut Your Life: Strategies for Becoming an Elite Performer.

Mylett also proudly supports charitable and community initiatives such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, the All for One Foundation, and the National Leadership Foundation

#33 – Brian Tracy

Brian Tracy has been a mainstay in the field of motivational speaking for decades. 

Prior to founding Brian Tracy International, he was the COO of a $265 million dollar development company and enjoyed widespread success in sales and marketing, investments, real estate development and syndication, importation, distribution, and management consulting.

He has consulted for more than 1,000 companies and addressed more than 5 million people in 5,000 talks and seminars throughout the US, Canada, and 70 other countries worldwide. As a keynote speaker and seminar leader, he addresses more than 250,000 people each year.

He is the author of over seventy books that have been translated into dozens of languages. He has written and produced more than 300 audio and video learning programs, including the worldwide, best-selling Psychology of Achievement that has been translated into more than two dozen languages.

#32 – Robert Kiyosaki

Robert Kiyosaki is best known as the author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad, considered by many to be the #1 personal finance book of all time. His series of books has been translated into 51 languages and sold over 27 million copies worldwide.

He is also the creator of the Cashflow board and software games that help educate adults and children about business and financial concepts.

As the founder of The Rich Dad Company and Rich Global LLC, Kiyosaki believes business needs both a spiritual and a business mission to be successful, especially at the beginning.

He is an entrepreneur, educator, and investor who believes that each of us has the power to makes changes in our lives, take control of our financial future, and live the rich life we deserve.

#31 – Ariana Huffington

Ariana Huffington is the founder and CEO of Thrive Global and the founder of The Huffington Post. She has authored 15 books, including international bestsellers Thrive and The Sleep Revolution. Serves on numerous boards, including Uber.

Originally from Greece, Huffington moved to England when she was 16 and graduated from Cambridge University with an MA in Economics. At 21, she became the first foreign-born student to be president of the famed debating society, The Cambridge Union. 

After graduation, she made her mark as a conservative syndicated columnist before launching The Huffington Post in 2005.

In 2009, she was named by Forbes as one of ‘The most influential women in media’; gaining 12th position in the list and in the same year Guardian included her in the top 100 media list.

#30 – Sir Richard Branson

Sir Richard Branson owes his fortune of approximately $4 billion to a conglomerate of businesses bearing the “Virgin” brand name, including Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Galactic.

He struggled in school and dropped out at age 16, a decision that ultimately led to the creation of mail-order record company Virgin Records. He expanded it into a record label first signing Mike Oldfield who recorded Tubular Bells in 1973. Branson then signed other groups to the label, including the Sex Pistols, Culture Club, the Rolling Stones, and Genesis, helping to make Virgin Music one of the top six record companies in the world.  He later sold the label for $1 billion in 1992.

His entrepreneurial projects started in the music industry and expanded into other sectors, including Virgin Atlantic airlines and the space-tourism venture Virgin Galactic.

In 2010, he moved forward with his upstart Virgin Hotels. In 2018, Virgin announced its presence in Las Vegas by taking over ownership of the Hard Rock Hotel.

Branson is also known for his adventurous spirit and sporting achievements, including crossing oceans in a hot air balloon.

#29 – Tim Grover

Tim S. Grover is the CEO of ATTACK Athletics, Inc. He is well known for his work with elite champions and Hall of Famers, including Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, and hundreds other NFL, MLB, NBA, and Olympic athletes

Grover is recognized as the preeminent authority on the science and art of physical and mental dominance and achieving excellence.

He is the author of the national bestseller RELENTLESS: From Good to Great to Unstoppable and creator of digital training platform The Relentless System. A featured columnist at SI.com and Yahoo.com, he also appears on ESPN, Fox Sports, and other media outlets.

Tim delivers keynote speaker addresses and is a consultant to business leaders, athletes, and elite achievers in any area who want to know how the best can get better in anything they do. He teaches the principles of relentless drive, results-driven performance, and mental toughness.

#28 – Sheryl Sandberg

Sheryl Sandberg is the COO of Facebook and the founder of Leanin.org.  In 2012, she became the first woman to serve on Facebook’s board of directors. Before she joined Facebook, Sandberg was vice president of global online sales and operations at Google.

She was named to the Time 100 in 2012.  She has also been ranked several times as one of the most 50 Powerful Women in Business by Fortune Magazine.

In 2015, she reported a net worth of more than $1 billion due to stock holdings in Facebook and other companies. 

She has authored two books, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead and Option B.

Lean In is for professional women to help them achieve their career goals and for men who want to contribute to a more equitable society.

#27 – Andy Frisella

Andy Frisella is the CEO of one of the world’s leading nutritional supplement companies, 1st Phorm International based in St. Louis, MO. He also founded and runs five other businesses that collectively generate $200 million in annual revenues.

He hosts The MFCEO Project, a business/success oriented podcast that been ranked as #1 ranked Business/Entrepreneurship/Personal Development podcast on the planet for nearly four years straight.

He is one of the highest paid keynote speakers in the world and has been recognized as one of the world’s leading authorities on customer retention and loyalty, company culture, and the marketing techniques it takes to build both brick-and-mortar and online direct-to-consumer retail businesses from the ground up.

He has also written a best-selling series of children’s books that promote entrepreneurial values and the success mindset.

Frisella was also named Entrepreneur of the Year in 2016 and has been featured in Forbes, INC, and Entrepreneur Magazine and many other publications.

#26 – Jocko Willink

Jocko Willink is a retired US Navy Seal co-author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, host of the top-rated Jocko Podcast.

He is also the co-founder of Echelon Front, where he serves as Chief Executive Officer, leadership instructor, speaker and strategic advisor.

Jocko served for 20 years in SEAL teams. After he returned from tours in Iraq he was named as Officer-in-Charge of training for all West Coast SEAL Teams. In this role, he spearheaded the development of leadership training and personally instructed and mentored the next generation of SEAL leaders who have continued to perform with great success on the battlefield. Jocko is the recipient of the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and numerous other personal and unit awards.

Jocko has also authored the Discipline Equals Freedom Field Manual, a New York Times Bestseller, and the best-selling children’s books: The Way of the Warrior Kid, and The Way of the Warrior Kid: Marc’s Mission.

#25 – Ray Lewis

Ray Lewis is recognized as one of the most dominant defensive players in the history of the National Football League. 

Lewis led the Baltimore Ravens to victory in Super Bowl XXXV where he was named Super Bowl MVP, and again in Super Bowl XLVII.

In 2000, he became only the second player in NFL history to win both the NFL Defensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl MVP awards in the same year.  He was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2018.

He has drawn from those experiences in his 17-year career plus valuable lessons learned from his personal life to bring a unique brand of motivation and inspiration to some of the biggest companies in the world.

#24 – Barbara Corcoran

Barbara Corcoran is the Founder of The Corcoran Group and widely known as a Shark on ABC’s “Shark Tank.” Over the past nine seasons she has been on the show, Corcoran has invested in more than 80 businesses to date.

After holding 20 jobs by the time she turned 23, Corcoran borrowed $1,000 and quit her job as a waitress to start a tiny real estate company in New York City, The Corcoran Group. 

She is the author of the bestseller Shark Tales: How I Turned $1,000 into a Billion Dollar Business! and also hosts a top business podcast “Business Unusual with Barbara Corcoran.”

As a motivational and inspirational speaker, she is a frequent small business and real estate contributor on several network outlets.  

#23 – Chris Gardner

Chris Gardner is the CEO of Happyness. His first book, The Pursuit of Happyness became a New York Times and Washington Post #1 Bestseller that has been translated into more than 40 languages.

That book also was the basis for a film starring Will Smith who earned a Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award nomination for his performance.

As a motivational speaker, Gardner shares some of the steps that he had to take and obstacles he overcame to get from where he was to create the life that he wanted to live right now.

He introduces audiences to the concept of Spiritual Genetics, the part of each human being that is beyond the scope, reach or understanding of science, medicine or technology.

Chris also details the importance of the “Ps” in our lives–Promises, Passion and having a Plan and the C-5 Complex (Clear, Concise, Compelling, Consistent and Committed to the plan). 

#22 – Earvin “Magic” Johnson

Earvin “Magic” Johnson is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Magic Johnson Enterprises, an investment conglomerate valued at an estimated $1 billion dollars.

Since retiring from the NBA over 20 years ago, the legendary basketball star has morphed into a business powerhouse who is dedicated to leaving a positive impact in underserved urban communities.

In his early years as an entrepreneur, he forged an alliance with Sony Pictures to develop Magic Johnson Theatres. In 1998, he teamed with Starbucks to become the only franchise in the history of the company, acquiring and eventually selling 125 stores that further solidified his position in the business world.

Johnson made history in 2012 when he became co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, purchased for $2 billion dollars. He also co-owns the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA and Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Football Club.

He also has controlling interests in EquiTrust, a $14 billion financial services company, ASPiRE, an African-American television network, and SodexoMAGIC, a food service and facilities management company and serves as Chairman and Founder of the non-profit Magic Johnson Foundation.  

#21 – Grant Cardone

Grant Cardone is an American author, sales trainer, real estate investor, and motivational speaker. He currently holds a real estate portfolio valued at around $350 million.

He is a New York Times best-selling author, and has written seven books:  Sell To Survive, The Closer’s Survival Guide, If You’re Not First, You’re Last, The 10X Rule, Sell or Be Sold, The Millionaire Booklet and Be Obsessed or Be Average.

Cardone is also the radio show host of The Cardone Zone and is known for television series Turnaround King (2011).

He was also named 1 of 25 Marketing Influencers to Watch in 2017 by Forbes.  He also has 10,000,000 followers, fans and connections through his various ventures and social media outlets.

In addition to working with companies like Google, Sprint, Aflac, Toyota, GM, Ford, and others, he owns and operates four companies that do almost $100 million in annual sales.

#20 – Marcus Luttrell

Marcus Luttrell is a former Navy SEAL who first came into the public’s spotlight in 2014 after the movie Lone Survivor was released. Starring Mark Wahlberg as Luttrell, the movie details how SEAL Team 10 was assigned to a mission to kill or capture Ahmad Shah, a high-ranking Taliban leader responsible for killings in eastern Afghanistan and the Hindu-Kush mountains. He was the only survivor of that mission and was awarded the Navy Cross by President George W. Bush in 2007.

In 2010, Luttrell established the Lone Survivor Foundation. The mission of the foundation is to “restore, empower, and renew hope for our wounded warriors and their families through health, wellness, and therapeutic support.”

The Lone Survivor Foundation has partnered with The Boot Campaign to show appreciation of America’s active-duty military and raise awareness of the challenges they face upon returning home.   

#19 – Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey has enjoyed unparalleled success in most every venture she undertakes.

She is a billionaire media mogul who is best known for hosting her own talk show from 1986 to 2011.  That same year, she launched her own TV network, the Oprah Winfrey Network, or OWN.

Winfrey made her acting debut in 1985 as “Sofia” in Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple, for which she received both Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations.

Through her company’s film division, Harpo Films, Oprah has produced projects based on classic and contemporary literature.

In 2002, Oprah Winfrey was named the first recipient of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Bob Hope Humanitarian Award.

Through her private charity, The Oprah Winfrey Foundation, she has awarded hundreds of grants to organizations that support the education and empowerment of women, children and families in the United States and around the world.

Her commitment to children also led her to initiate the National Child Protection Act in 1991, when she testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee to establish a national database of convicted child abusers. As a result of her efforts, President Clinton signed the national “Oprah Bill” into law in 1993

#18 – Deepak Chopra

Deepak Chopra is a prolific book author who founded the Chopra Center for Well Being in Carlsbad, California in 1995.  He remains a prominent figure in the New Age Movement.

He began his career as a doctor, but after becoming disenchanted with Western medicine, Chopra turned to alternative medicine.  Chopra’s 1993 release Ageless Body, Timeless Mind, turned him into a full-fledged celebrity, selling more than a million hardcover copies.

In June 1999, Time magazine dubbed Chopra “the poet-prophet of alternative medicine” and called him one of the top 100 heroes of the century.

He regularly brought his message to the Oprah Winfrey Show and was a confidante of pop superstar Michael Jackson.

#17 – John Maxwell

John Maxwell has written more than 100 books on motivation, leadership and personal development over the past 40 years. He helps others tap into their unseen potential by teaching and refining the understanding of what everyone needs to master growth to become the people we truly want to be.

The John Maxwell Company compels corporate leaders and consumers to inspire, challenge, and equip organizations to live out leadership and reach their potential. 

He is also the leader of The John Maxwell Team, an organization of over 13,000 trained and certified John Maxwell Coaches who empowers coaches, trainers, speakers and professionals seeking to add value to others and become top leaders as owners of their respective businesses and in their communities

EQUIP is Maxwell’s non-profit organization that trains and mobilizes Christian leaders to impact families, organizations, communities, and nations around the world. The team’s work has established six million leaders in 196 countries and changed hundreds of thousands of lives through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

#16 – Daymond John

Daymond John is a pioneer in the fashion industry but perhaps just as well known as a Shark on ABC’s Shark Tank. He is also a multiple New York Times best-selling author, branding guru and highly sought after motivational speaker.

As a businessman, he first broke through by turning an original $40 budget into FUBU, a $6 billion fashion game-changer.

In 2013, President Barack Obama appointed John a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship to focus on promoting the power and importance of entrepreneurship on a global scale

He created his brand consulting company, The Shark Group, to reveal the secrets that made FUBU a multi-billion-dollar global brand and reinvigorated the once defunct Coogi brand into the biggest fashion line in its space.

He is a charismatic speaker who brings his quintessential rags-to-riches success story of sacrifice, hard work, and perseverance to audiences worldwide.

#15 – Jim Rohn

Jim Rohn has been one of the top speakers on life strategies for more than 40 years. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential thinkers in the world. He has shared his message with 6,000 audiences and 5 million people over that time, bringing his messages of empowerment and positivity to every part of the globe. 

He authored a number of books, audio, and video programs, and helped motivate and shape an entire generation of personal-development trainers and hundreds of executives from America’s top corporations.

He has been honored with several industry awards including the coveted National Speakers Association CPAE Award and the Master of Influence Award.

#14 – Les Brown

Les Brown has been a mainstay in the world of renowned motivational speakers for many years. He is a highly-sought-after resource in business and professional circles for Fortune 500 CEOs, small business owners, non-profit and community leaders from all sectors of society looking to expand opportunity.

He is a leading speaker on achievement delivered his messages to audiences as large as 80,000 people, energizing them to meet the challenges of the world around them.

Brown received the National Speakers Association coveted Council of Peers Award of Excellence (CPAE), and its most prestigious Golden Gavel Award for achievement and leadership in communication. Toastmasters International also voted him one of the Top Five Outstanding Speakers Worldwide.

#13 – Simon Sinek

Simon Sinek is a much-in-demand thought leader best known for popularizing the concept of WHY in his first TED Talk in 2009. It became the third most watched talk on TED.com, with over 40 million views and subtitled in 47 languages. 

His 2016 interview on Millennials in the workplace garnered over 200 million views in the first month. This led to Simon being YouTube’s fifth most searched term in 2017.

Sinek is the author of several bestselling books including Start With Why (global best seller), Leaders Eat Last (New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller), Together is Better (New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller) and Find Your Why and his latest book, The Infinite Game.

In addition to working with several Fortune 500 companies, he has also shared his ideas at the United Nations, the United States Congress and with the senior-most leaders of the United States Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, Army, and Coast Guard.

Sinek is also an adjunct staff member of the RAND Corporation, one of the most highly regarded think tanks in the world.

#12 – Joe Rogan

Joe Rogan has been a stand-up comedian for more than 20 years and is the host of The Joe Rogan Experience, a long form conversation podcast with guests that is one of the most popular on iTunes. 

Rogan is also known for his color commentary for the Ultimate Fighting Championships on Pay Per View, Spike TV, and Fox. 

As a teenager, he earned his black belt and at one point held the Massachusetts full contact Tae Kwon Do championship for four consecutive years. He later won the US Open Tae Kwon Do Championship and as lightweight champion went on to beat both the middle and heavyweight title-holders to win the Grand Championship.

As an actor, he has several movie credits and was the host of the competition reality series Fear Factor for six seasons. 

He still performs stand-up routines and is available for a variety of guest speaking opportunities.

#11 – Jon Gordon

Jon Gordon is a bestselling author and keynote speaker whose work about positive leadership has inspired audiences around the world.

He is the author of 17 bestselling books including The Energy Bus, The Carpenter, Training Camp, You Win in the Locker Room FirstandThe Power of Positive Leadership.

Gordon has been featured on The Today Show, CNN, CNBC, FOX and Friends, and several newspapers and magazines.

As a highly sought-after motivational speaker, Gordon’s talks have challenged and influenced leaders in a dynamic range of industries and professions. 

His clients include The Los Angeles Dodgers, The Atlanta Falcons, Campbell Soup, Dell, Publix, Southwest Airlines, LA Clippers, Miami Heat, Pittsburgh Pirates, BB&T Bank, Clemson Football, Northwestern Mutual, Bayer, West Point Academy, and many others.

#10 – Mel Robbins

Mel Robbins is one of the most booked speakers in the world. She is an international best-selling author whose work has been translated into 36 languages.

In 2017, Robbins broke self-publishing records with her international best-seller The 5 Second Rule. It was named the #1 audiobook in the world and the fifth most read book of the year on Amazon.

When she launched her science-backed productivity planner, The 5 Second Journal, the first print run sold out worldwide within minutes.

Robbins is the co-founder and CEO of 143 Studios, a digital media company that produces content in partnership with Fortune 500 brands.

Her social media platforms reach and inspire more than 60 million people every month.

#9 – Nick Vujicic

Nick Vujicic is the founder of Life Without Limbs, an Evangelistic ministry that has delivered messages of hope and empowerment in almost 70 countries to date.

Vujicic is able to draw upon his unique experience of being born without arms or legs in 1982 with no medical reason given for his condition. 

After struggling with years of depression and loneliness, Vujicic overcame his struggles by putting his faith in God. He began life as a public speaker at age 19 and today delivers insights with his unique perspective to students, teachers, young people, business professionals and church congregations of all sizes.

Undaunted by his limitations, Vujicic is an author, musician, actor, and his hobbies include fishing, painting, and swimming.

#8 – David Goggins

David Goggins is a retired Navy SEAL and is the only member of the U.S. Armed Forces to complete SEAL training (including two Hell Weeks), the U.S. Army Ranger School (where he graduated as Enlisted Honor Man), Air Force Tactical Air Controller training and best-selling author of the book, Can’t Hurt Me.

He has also completed over 60 ultra-marathons, triathlons, and ultra-triathlons, setting new course records and regularly placing in the top five and once held the Guinness World Record for pull-ups completing 4,030 in 17 hours.

He’s an in-demand public speaker who delivers impactful messages of personal accountability and how to go beyond motivation to achieve your personal best. Goggins has shared his story with hundreds of thousands of students across the country, numerous professional sports teams, and at several Fortune 500 companies.

He is also a member of the Patriot Tour, sharing the stage with Marcus Luttrell, Taya Kyle, and other retired Special Operators.

#7 – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger is a global celebrity who first came to the public’s attention as a champion bodybuilder. He later expanded his accomplishments to include becoming a major Hollywood action hero, a successful businessman, environmentalist, bestselling author and the 38th governor of California.

At age 20, he became the youngest person to ever win the Mr. Universe title, eventually winning five Mr. Universe titles and seven Mr. Olympia titles.

His acting credits include some of the biggest box office films ever.  He broke through with Conan the Barbarian and solidified his position as an actor with James Cameron’s Terminator. 

To date, his films have grossed more than $3 billion worldwide.

He became California’s governor in 2003 and had many notable accomplishments during his tenure including passage of the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 and the Safe, Clean and Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act of 2010, among many others. 

Schwarzenegger has received numerous awards, including the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s “National Leadership Award” and the American Council On Renewable Energy’s “Renewable Energy Leader of the Decade.”

Since leaving office, Schwarzenegger co-founded the R20 Regions of Climate Action and is active in a number of philanthropic ventures.

#6 – Brene Brown

Brene Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston where she holds the Huffington – Brené Brown Endowed Chair.

Brown has spent the past two decades years extensively studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy. She is the author of five #1 New York Times bestsellers: The Gifts of Imperfection, Daring Greatly, Rising Strong, Braving the Wilderness, and Dare to Lead.

Her TED talk, The Power of Vulnerability, has more than 30 million views and remains one of the top five most viewed TED talks in the world.

#5 – Dwayne Johnson

Dwayne Johnson is better known throughout the world as “The Rock” a persona he developed during his heyday of his WWE professional wrestling career.  He moved to wrestling after a successful college football career was cut short by injuries.

Since that time, The Rock has moved on to become a highly successful actor and producer, appearing in a number of projects, including 2001’s The Mummy Returns and 2010’s Tooth Fairy. More recent credits include the HBO series Ballers (2015) and three 2017 features, The Fate of the Furious, Baywatch and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.  He is consistently ranked among the world’s highest paid actors.

Johnson made the Time 100 Most Influential People in the World list in both 2016 and 2019

In 2006, he founded the Dwayne Johnson Rock Foundation, a charity working with at-risk and terminally ill children. Among many other charitable activities, he has also worked with Make-A-Wish Foundation on a number of occasions.

#4 – Robin Sharma

Robin Sharma is one of the world’s premier speakers on leadership and personal mastery.

For nearly 20 years, Sharma has been providing insights to world-class companies such as Nike, GE, Microsoft, FedEx, PwC, HP and Oracle to NASA, Yale University and YPO.

His books, including The Leader Who Had No Title, have topped bestseller lists internationally and his social media posts reach over 600 million people a year.

Sharma has been ranked as one of the Top 5 Leadership Experts in the World in an independent survey of over 22,000 business people and appears at engagements with other speakers such as Richard Branson, Bill Clinton, Jack Welch, and Shaquille O’Neal.

#3 – Gary Vaynerchuck

Gary Vaynerchuk is the chairman of VaynerX, a media and communications holding company, and VaynerMedia, a full-service advertising agency that services many Fortune 100 clients.

A highly sought after public speaker, Vaynerchuck is also a 5-time New York Times bestselling author.

He also is an angel investor who made early investments in well-known companies such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Uber, and Venmo.

Vaynerchuck established Wine Library in the late 1990s, transitioning his father’s liquor business into one of the first e-commerce platforms for alcohol in the country, growing it from $3 million to $60 million in sales during that time.

Today, he has parlayed a number of successful ventures into a combined 12 million-plus followers across social media. 

#2 – Eric Thomas

Dr. Eric Thomas is a motivational speaker and minister who heads ETA, an education consulting, executive coaching and athletic development firm.  He specializes in giving motivational talks to college and professional athletes. In fact, LeBron James credited Thomas as part of his inspiration for winning the 2012 NBA championship.

He is a regular contributor the ESPN and Fox News and has voice-over work for Major League Baseball and the National Football League. Many of his sermons and motivational speeches are on YouTube where they have found a large following over the years.

Thomas has also published three books: The Secret to Success (2012), Greatness Is Upon You: Laying the Foundation (2014) and Average Skill Phenomenal Will (2016)

#1 – Tony Robbins

Tony Robbins is perhaps the most well-known life and business strategist in the world. For the past 40 years, he’s been #1 Life & Business Strategist, #1 New York Times Best-Selling Author, Entrepreneur and Philanthropist.

He is the author of six internationally bestselling books and has delivered his messages of empowerment to more than 50 million people from 100 countries through his audio, video, and life training programs. More than 4 million people have attended his live seminars.

Robbins is also the chairman of a holding company with more than 50 privately held businesses and combined sales of more than $6 billion a year.

His non-profit foundation has awarded more than 2,000 grants and other resources to health and human services organizations.  As part of his ongoing mission to end hunger, Robbins’ 1 Billion Meals Challenge with Feeding America has helped provide over 425 million meals in the last four years to those in need and is on track to provide 1 billion meals by 2025.

Who was your favorite keynote speaker and leader mentioned above? Let us know in the comments below!

The 5 Benefits of Increasing Your Corporate Social Responsibility

Posted on by Michele Lando

As social and environmental causes become more mainstream, people want to feel like they’re making a difference in the world.

Forty+ hour work weeks can make social responsibility and charitable efforts challenging to squeeze in, however, if this is built into company culture, it makes being socially or environmentally responsible much easier.

By integrating social responsibility into corporate culture, a company may become more attractive to prospective employees, while simultaneously increasing current employee engagement. Overall, implementing corporate social responsibility into company structure enables companies to attract and retain the best talent while positively impacting society as a whole. These are just a couple of the reasons why many employment candidates are seeking companies with a strong foundation in corporate responsibility. Here are five benefits of increasing corporate responsibility efforts.

1. Attract candidates who are focused on company mission, not the pay

The numbers are quite staggering. People are serious about making positive change in society and the environment and would go pretty far to work at a company that aligns with their beliefs. 93% of employees/job seekers agree that it’s essential to be thoughtful and informed about all aspects of a company, such as culture, values, mission, business model, and future plans before accepting a job offer.

Additionally, a recent survey of 1,000 employees at large U.S. companies showed that nearly 50% of all respondents and 75% of millennial workers will be willing to take a $5,000-$10,000 pay cut to work for a company that’s environmentally responsible.

By focusing on corporate social and environmental responsibility, you’ll attract candidates who have a connection to the company mission instead of just focusing on financial benefits. While monetary compensation is still important, the science suggests that people are willing to focus more on social impact than financial gain. So much so, that a Cone Communications study has shown that 76% of those surveyed would decline to do business with a company if it held views and supported issues that conflicted with their beliefs.

2. Reduce employee turnover

Employee turnover isn’t cheap. Between the financial cost and the human capital required to hire, onboard, train, and/or terminate employees, companies benefit hugely from maintaining employees over the long-term. To sustain employee satisfaction and reduce employee turnover, employees must feel valued and connected to the company in some way.

Surveys suggest that nearly 70% of respondents would be more likely to stay with a company long-term if the company has a healthy sustainability plan in place. Furthermore, research also shows that there is a 50% reduction in employee turnover when employees are engaged in CSR programs. By employing individuals who have a personal or emotional connection to the company’s mission or CSR plan, you’ll create a stronger sense of purpose and a stronger motivation to excel at work.

3. Engage employees

Employees want to know how companies are implementing corporate social responsibility and how they can be a part of it. 88% of Americans are interested in hearing about a businesses corporate social responsibility efforts. A sense of purpose is critical in driving job performance and satisfaction, and employees who feel a sense of purpose tend to feel less stress and fatigue. Research shows that 80% of employees feel a strong sense of purpose when the work they are doing is impactful, which suggests that CSR programs help engage employees and reduce the feeling of stress and fatigue that comes with meaningless work.

When employees are engaged in the work they are doing, everyone benefits. Employees feel a stronger sense of purpose, companies receive a higher quality of work from employees, and consumers/end users get a better quality product or service.

4. Increase employee productivity

According to a recent study, a staggering a staggering 40% of employees across various fields and positions stated that employee recognition was simply not a priority in their office, which hindered their motivation to truly excel or be productive. In addition to placing value on employee effort, it’s vital that employees feel engaged in the work they are doing. By making employees feel valued and giving them something purposeful to work towards, employee productivity will increase.

More than a third of employees have said that they’ve given more time and effort to a job because of their employer’s sustainability agenda, and research suggests that CSR engagement increases employee productivity by 13%. As stated above, a strong sense of purpose at work decreases employee stress and fatigue, but to take it a step further, research shows an increase in employee productivity when a corporate social responsibility strategy is put in place.

5. Build company loyalty

Building company loyalty, both internally (employees) and externally (consumers, investors, etc.), is an essential factor of long term viability. Ultimately, if there is no brand trust and company loyalty, it will be difficult to remain sustainable and/or profitable long term. The Nielsen Global Survey of Corporate Social Responsibility found that more than 50% of people surveyed are willing to pay more for products and services provided by companies that are committed to positive social and environmental impact and about 66% would prefer to work for such a company.

By building company loyalty from every perspective, everyone wins. Social and environmental responsibility benefits society, employees are engaged in the work they’re doing, productivity goes up, and public perception is more positive.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts have become more important than ever, and many job candidates are looking to see what CSR programs companies have in place before they look for a new job. By increasing CSR efforts and implementing a sound long-term CSR program, you’ll attract and retain the best talent, increase employee engagement and productivity, while increasing company/brand awareness.

How to Work with Purpose

Posted on by Dr. Ann Gatty

Employee happiness can no longer be an afterthought for businesses, especially when you consider that 75 percent of job seekers say that company culture is just as influential as salary.

Today’s workforce want to know they make a difference and want to be involved in a mission that helps those around them — both locally and farther afield. They want to see proof that everyone’s input adds to a more substantial organizational contribution to the community it serves.

We know that people ideally strive to realize their own personal potential through ongoing personal growth. But with the new generation, in addition to their own personal development, they like to feel a connection between the work they perform and societal impact.

This connection is what propels employees to go the extra mile. If this relationship is not fulfilled, then even extravagant perks will not keep employees inspired for very long, let alone wanting to stay as long-term employees. They want assurance that what they’re engaging each day with their work is contributing to the greater good of the world. This is especially true of Millennials.

According to a recent survey by Deloitte, six out of 10 Millennials stated that a “sense of purpose” was part of the reason they chose to work for their current employers.

The best way to unite an organization is to clearly define an organizational purpose and allow for employee input so that they feel aligned with it. Organizational purpose is the glue that holds a company together — through good times and lean times. A compelling purpose provides energy to the workforce and propels them forward.

As Roy Spence Jr. says in his book, It’s Not What You Sell, But What You Stand For: “If you have a purpose and can articulate it with clarity and passion, then everything makes sense, and everything flows.”

I believe that an organizational purpose embraced by company culture is the highest, single variable in whether employees are engaged. Smart leaders will have an ability to unite this culture by communicating an organizational purpose that allows employees to accomplish much more than just a series of daily tasks. The organizational purpose should do four things:

  1. Define how the organization contributes to society.
  2. Define how all tasks are essential contributors to this purpose.
  3. Energize and motivate the workforce.
  4. The mission/vision statement must be easily understood by everyone.

How to Craft Communications to Avoid Professional Gaffes

Posted on by Brandon Seigel

One of the most dramatic changes of the 21st Century is the increased use of technology in our communication. From iPhones, to livestream videos and social media, we’re able to communicate instantly with our family and friends, but also with complete strangers — at the tap of a screen.

The efficiency of communication has improved with technology, but there’s a growing deficit and liability in our new approach to communication. While communicating on a global scale is now possible, the levels of civility have declined dramatically. Technology has literally removed this filter from our brains. In a recent survey, companies cited an estimated loss of $62.4 million per year from poor communication between employees.

Even some of the world’s most influential leaders have made enormous gaffes by not carefully crafting their communications, and recklessly distributing it with ease.

To avoid this trap, use these three strategies to keep your proverbial foot out of your mouth:

1. Decide what you want to accomplish before you communicate. Have you ever heard the saying: “Measure twice cut once?” This applies to communication, too. Craft your communication before you deliver it. Communicating in the heat of the moment, will often result in regret later. The best strategy is to determine what you want to achieve before you begin your communication. Here are some things to keep in mind:

  • Consider who you are talking to. A customer? Employee? Partner? Family member?
  • Determine what you don’t know. For example, if a mistake occurred, and you’re trying to find out why, rather than make an accusation, give the benefit of the doubt before attacking in your message.
  • Understand what outcome you want. What is the goal of your communication?

In Jack Canfield’s book, The Success Principles, he introduces the formula, E+R=O. The “E” stands for an event, “R” stands for the response, and “O” stands for the outcome. Events happen, and it’s our response to them that determines the resulting outcome. For example, you’re scolded by your boss for a significant mistake. Your emotional reaction is to tell off your boss — which will get you fired, so that outcome isn’t in your best interest. The other option might be thanking your boss for having recognized the problem, and offering to see what you can do to resolve it. Communication is a tool, and we control the outcome of an event based on our response.

2. Don’t listen to the voices in your head. Do you recall the cartoons with a devil and an angel perched on either shoulder, both whispering something into the character’s ear? Nothing usually ends well from these scenarios. The same holds true with our choice of communication. Have you ever been so frustrated that you start writing an angry email and hit send without even taking a breath? Later that day, you realize that it wasn’t the right thing to do. With the evolution of technology, and how quickly we can communicate, the voices in our head are indeed a liability because they’re typically fueled by emotion. Thoughts create feelings and feelings create behavior. You’re always better off examining your feelings before you act on them.

It’s very easy to misinterpret an email or text message. For example, you’re running late and text your boss that you’ll be there in 10 minutes. She responds “FINE,” and you assume that she’s frustrated. This thought then fuels your anger. You believe that you’re a hard worker and you’re rarely late. Later, your boss shares that she accidentally responded in all caps, and wasn’t upset at all. Realize that terse communications can cause annoyances that get inside your head and fuel emotions. This breaks down effective communication and can result in tense situations.

3. Determine the best delivery method and don’t take the easy way out. Technology provides an opportunity to communicate in non-confrontational ways, that can result in greater miscommunications — potentially leading to conflict, liability, and lawsuits. Before you send a communication, determine the best delivery method. Should this communication take place in person, by phone, via email, through a text, in a Skype call, through the mail, or some other delivery method? Consider how the recipient would respond and decide whether it will be with a brief “yes” or “no,” an explanation, a lengthy description, or a legal action. The delivery method matters with each type of communication.

Our communication style and methods can be an asset or a liability. The ultimate goal is to utilize it as a positive tool to achieve the end result in the most empowering way.

7 Ways to Move onto the Promotion Fast Track

Posted on by Vicky Oliver

Both you and your coworker, Cathy, excelled at assignments, shared similar responsibilities, and were seemingly on fast parallel tracks. Except she just got promoted while you’re left in a holding pattern.

When you ask your boss about it, you’re politely encouraged to “keep on doing what you’re doing.” But, you’d rather be doing what she’s doing. So, what exactly is she doing?

It’s time to take a close look at how you show up in the workplace — meaning the persona you project and how others view you as a coworker or employee. You may unknowingly be holding yourself back.

Consider what characteristics could be putting the brakes on your career advancement, using these tips to move onto the fast track to a promotion.

  1. Earn relationship currency with coworkers. Keeping your head down and staying on top of assignments isn’t enough to get ahead. Conversely, playing the office clown or coming off as too laid back may mark you as unworthy for moving up. Playing well with others by always being personable and respectful to coworkers, superiors, and subordinates is a must. Try to maintain a positive demeanor in the face of stressful situations, always striving to keep things light. A positive, upbeat attitude makes you more likely to be promoted. Superiors and coworkers notice your positivity and want to work with you. Also, keep a lid on negative remarks and office gossip. People who engage in the rumor mill are rarely trusted.
  2. Break away from an outdated version of yourself. Has your manager pigeon-holed you as a less accomplished version of yourself -— before you were promoted from your assistant position or before you earned your new degree? Or, do your coworkers still equate you with a mistake you made in the past? It’s time to put the new you front and center. Don’t hesitate to speak to those who haven’t recognized your progress. Give them concrete examples of what you’ve accomplished or how you’ve improved. Help them reshape how they view you.
  3. Become your boss’s go-to person. While no one can fault your work, you may not have exerted yourself as someone eager to go above and beyond what’s required. Strive to earn a reputation as a can-do worker. Consistently go the extra mile in your work, striving for excellence instead of mediocrity. If you get out ahead of your boss, don’t take a coffee break or answer personal emails. Instead, ask to take on more assignments or to be given extra responsibility. Volunteer for any new project. If you can develop a reputation for dependability and quality in your work, your superiors will see you as ready to move up to the next level.
  4. Analyze your outward appearance. Always dress for success, patterning your work attire on the office management’ dress style, not the relaxed wardrobe of the junior employees. Pay attention to hygiene and etiquette. Showing up unpressed and untucked sends a subliminal message that you’re equally apathetic in your work habits.
  5. Put in the extra time. Bosses notice when employees watch the clock and charge out the door when the second-hand hits 5:00. Whenever possible, strive to arrive early and stay as long as it takes to meet deadlines or put the final polish on projects. Make your workday unvaryingly productive. If you have children to pick up or a college night course to attend, let the boss know in advance. Offer to turn in any of the day’s uncompleted assignments later in the evening or before start-of-work the next morning.
  6. Ask to receive. If you believe you’re deserving of advancement, let your boss know you’re ready for the next challenge. Showing humility is a good thing, but know when to point out your accomplishments. Don’t assume your work will speak for itself. Make your case by describing your contributions to the department and overall bottom line. Share how your experience and achievements have positioned you for the next round of promotions. Don’t leave out the salary bump you’re looking for, but do your homework on the industry average of your desired position, so you don’t overreach.
  7. Target a new supervisor. If it becomes apparent that your boss doesn’t respect you or isn’t willing to champion your advancement, it may be time to look elsewhere. Perhaps it’s possible to make a move to another department within the company or to aim your campaign for promotion at your boss’s boss. If you decide to pursue a new promotion outside your current company, you’ll need to find a superior who can provide a positive recommendation if your boss isn’t inclined to do so. It may mean targeting Cathy, your former colleague, as your advocate.

3 Ways to Improve Your Innovation Power

Posted on by Kris Oestergaard

In this day and age with accelerating technological development and convergence of industries, all forward-looking organizations must find ways to improve their innovation power. In order to do this, organizations need to thoroughly understand their “immune systems.”

Just as the body’s immune system operates to keep the body healthy and stable, the organization’s immune system is the mechanism operating around the clock to keep it healthy and stable. But in a rapidly changing world, many of these defense mechanisms are no longer appropriate and therefore can put organizations’ innovation at risk. 

While a simplistic diagnosis of an organization’s failing immune system may point to people’s unwillingness to change, this conclusion is inexact. Every organization’s immune system is affected by an individual immune system, an organizational immune system, and a societal immune system, which organizations need to account for and understand in order to become innovation champions.

1. The individual immune system

Some people set out to bungy jump, while others prefer to stay at home on the couch and watch Netflix. In other words, human beings have different risk profiles. This means that if you are to bring your employees or co-workers with you on an innovation journey — which is risky by default since you don’t know its outcome or even if it will succeed — you need to make a very compelling case for them to join you. Otherwise, the individual immune system kicks in and you’ll experience an unwillingness to change from a good part of your staff. 

The individual immune system is also comprised of real or imagined capability deficits. In fact, a recent global study of 2,000 managers showed that 76 percent of them didn’t believe their organizations had the capabilities needed to move into the future. If you don’t believe you have the capabilities you need for change, then of course you’ll be reluctant. Organizations must address these constraints in the individual immune system that can hold back innovation.

2. The organizational immune system

The organizational immune system is, amongst other things, constructed of key performance indicators (KPIs) and rewards systems. Transformation processes demand more risk taking, a stronger focus on innovation and the development of new capabilities. But very often we see organizations kickstart large transformation processes without changing how they measure and reward employee behavior. This creates what’s known in game theory as “a construction problem.” You will get what you reward. 

For this reason, organizations such as the big Danish water pump manufacturer, Grundfos, have begun evaluating some of its key employees on new parameters. These include a willingness to help others and motivation for undertaking a new digitization journey. Similarly, Microsoft now includes sharing and building on the knowledge of others among its KPIs. These performance indicators help employees become aware of and work in a way that builds the right innovation culture for the organization. 

3. The societal immune system

Organizations are also subject to the societal immune system. This is comprised of legislation, legacy providers and customers, and the economic climate. For instance, legislation is typically the incumbent’s best friend, keeping new players out of the market. But it also holds back innovation. 

Nowhere has this been more obvious than in the dispute between ride hailing services, particularly Uber, and the traditional taxi businesses. From a customer experience standpoint, Uber has revolutionized the ride hailing experience through its digitization and lower prices. However, this hasn’t been enough to win in most European countries because the established taxi companies have — with good effect — mounted massive lobbying campaigns to put pressure on politicians. This has led Uber to move out of, or scale back, activities in several countries. 

Yet Uber’s arrival has shown obvious opportunities for modernizing some very obsolete transportation services and corresponding legislation. Taxi companies around the world have been caught unawares. They’d never previously experienced any significant competition, and therefore they hadn’t modernized their services. The authorities have maintained legislation that, in a modern digitized world, seems antiquated for customers, taxi companies and new entrants alike. 

As new business models continue to challenge the status quo, we will see many more of these types of examples where the societal immune system is holding back innovation. 

Just as the body’s biological immune system is crucial to human health, the individual, organizational and societal immune systems are important mechanisms that affect us as employees, companies and societies. They protect us, but they also limit us. And in a rapidly evolving world, accelerated by technological achievements, business leaders have to analyze and address the various factors that make up each of the three immune systems in order to maximize their organization’s innovative power. 

3 Secrets to Convincing Investors to Invest in Your Idea

Posted on by Doug Hall

To create, communicate and commercialize an innovation requires a lot of money. The money can come from your existing company, from outside investors or from your own savings. Note: When it’s from your own savings, it’s not uncommon that decisions won’t be fully your own. You may have a spouse or partner who has a financial and emotional stake in the investment. 

I’ve spent over 40 years selling companies, outside investors, family and friends on investing in ideas I’ve created or helped create. I’ve sold multi-national corporations, small companies, non-profits and even governments on investing in my ideas. 

From this I’ve learned three secrets that I believe are nearly fool proof. As I describe them, I’ll use the experience of attracting investors to my business, Brain Brew Whisk(e)y Academy, to share how it unfolds in practice. 

1. Make it real. Secret One is to make your idea real. By this I mean you must craft two prototypes:

Concept Prototype: This is ideally one piece of paper that presents your idea in the way you’d show it to a possible customer. When you don’t have the actual innovation, use illustrations to help potential investors see your idea as you envision it.

Functional Prototype: This is a works-like demonstration of the “magic” that’s your innovation. It doesn’t matter how ugly it is; it just needs to help potential investors see, feel and experience the Wow! you envision.

When meeting with investors for Brain Brew Whisk(e)y, nothing was more powerful than putting a bottle with a label on a table and offering a taste to potential investors. Depending on where you live, it may or may not be legal to make your own whiskey. In this case, find a local craft distiller where you’re able to make your pitch under his or her distilled spirits production license. 

This is what I did when I started Brain Brew. A local distillery registered my company name under his permit. I produced and sold product this way for a couple of years until we got our own DSP permit.

2. Show the numbers. If you want investors to invest you must have the numbers. Numbers include: 1) Customer research on your prototypes, 2) Sales and cost forecasts, and 3) R&D, production and marketing investment needs. No math = no project. This is what I tell inventors inside and outside of companies.

Connecting with a local craft distiller was helpful in putting numbers together for Brain Brew Whisk(e)y. Scott Schiller with Thoroughbred Spirits Group — craft spirits experts — knows the numbers behind craft distilleries inside and out. Consult with experts to help you figure out the numbers.

3. Protect your invention. Define in writing how you can protect yourself from being copied. Investors like to “own” something and know that no one else owns anything close to it. 

The easiest way to protect your invention is to file a patent. You can also use trade secrets, specialized supply chain or, in some cases, trademarks. 

With a product like Brain Brew Whisk(e)y, this was a bit tricky. You need to have something in your product offering that’s protectable. Protection is relative to what size market you’re thinking about. It can be protectable in your town, region or state. Or, if your goals are larger, protectable in your country or the world. Local protection includes: product, location, brand. Broader protection requires a patent or a truly secret recipe that can’t be copied because of special raw materials or method. 

Do not try to claim that your larger protection is your “brand.” That’s only the case after you’ve created it. To claim it at the start is just foolishness.

When you can make your innovation real with prototypes, share your math and your proprietary protection, then you have what you need to get investors to write you a check to support your innovation. In my personal experience over the years, this process works with both inside corporations and outside investors.

Top 3 Business Tips From a Blue Angels Pilot

Posted on by John Foley

When you’re a Blue Angel pilot flying in formation, with a mere 36 inches between 21-million-dollar jets, you have to bring your A game. But that’s only the beginning.

During the year, through 270 days on the road and countless hours of heart-pounding, intensely physical air show flying, Blue Angel pilots improve, and the distance between jets whittles down to just 18 inches. Flying like this in close formation—100 feet off the ground, upside down, with the world streaking below at 500 mph—requires a special tool I call dynamic focus. 

 

Dynamic Focus: Sharpening Your Mind

Dynamic focus is the ability to shift between the task at hand and the overall situation in fractions of a second. It’s like opening up a radar scope; for a brief moment, you assess everything that’s coming at you, and then quickly focus your mind like a laser on what’s essential, both opportunities and threats. This kind of dual mindset is what sets apart elite athletes, innovators, and—at an extreme level—Blue Angel pilots.  

In today’s digital business world, dynamic focus is critically important. There’s so much information coming at us, such vast amounts of data available for analysis, that we need to quickly identify the important things first. Allowing ourselves to be overwhelmed by the constant flow of information turns into a distraction that compounds over time. Dynamic focus slows the flow down and spotlights the critical elements of any situation.  

For instance, in a Blue Angels air show, dynamic focus is the difference between simply seeing an airplane outside your canopy and being aware of the exact aspect, speed of closure, and even the cracks in the paint on the other jet. During the Super Bowl, it’s what allows a quarterback to scan the field and make a perfect pass.

Understanding this kind of focus is one thing. But how do you activate this skill and add it to your own repertoire? Mastering the process, and unlocking its full potential, requires you to bridge three practices:

 

1. Build unconscious competence.

Have you ever finished a task without thinking about it? That’s unconscious competence. Neuroscience research reveals that these unconscious actions, or habits, operate in a distinct part of the brain—one that doesn’t require conscious effort. Habits have been linked to the basal ganglia, which also deals with elementary processes like voluntary motor functions and emotions. Conscious decision-making, on the other hand, is handled in a completely different region of the brain called the prefrontal cortex. By habituating our actions, they literally bypass our conscious, decision-making mind and become second nature to us. 

Forming unconscious habits takes will and determination, but the process that creates them is simple: repetition. Repeat an action enough times, and your brain goes into autopilot. It’s what elite athletes mean when they refer to being “in the zone.” They’re not thinking about what they’re doing. The precise mechanics, the right mindset, and the perfect actions are as natural to them as the beating of their own heart.  

 

2. Create powerful rituals.

Having a repeatable, dependable sequence of tasks puts you in a position to succeed. When you go to a Blue Angels air show, you expect the pilots to be precise; our team is known for our visually stunning aerobatics. But one of the most striking things about the Blue Angels is how precise the ground crew is. Along with fueling and basic maintenance, the crew climbs into each airplane, fires up the engine, and executes what are called “morning turns.” They run through multiple checks: hydraulics, electrical, smoke, everything. They wipe the jet’s paint, polish the wax, wash the windshield, and make sure every little bug is gone because at two miles out, a bug on the windshield can look like an approaching plane.

The crew’s ritual is so precise that when I enter the plane to fly in an air show, I know everything will be in its exact position. My helmet is going to be perfectly placed on the side of the airplane. All the switches will be in the correct position. My flight gloves will be in the airplane sitting on the right-hand console, with the left glove draped over the right glove so that I can slip on the left one first. It creates the perfect environment for dynamic focus.

 

3. Define your triggers.

A trigger is a tool that tells your mind it’s game time. For the Blue Angels, our collective trigger was one of the steps on our preflight checklist: “Canopy down.” We all lowered our canopies in synchronization; as the canopy closed over the cockpit, all the other issues in one’s mind took a back seat.

There are so many different examples of effective triggers. For a surgeon, it could be the moment you scrub in before entering the operating room. For a teacher, it could be when the first student enters the classroom. For a writer, it could be the moment you block out the internet and focus in on your work session. Finding something that’s unique to your experience has real staying power. 

These three practices—unconscious competence, conscious rituals, and triggers—are the key to elevating your execution in business. They break through the noise, refocus your mind, and create the dynamic focus that will set you apart.