Superhero, Super Woman,...Super Mom!

What does it mean to be a good person, a good business woman, a good partner, a good wife, and a good mother? Being a successful business woman is a common goal. With it comes a certain prestige comes with being successful in business. However, everyone defines success a little bit differently. For some, it's about the money; for others, it's about being able to do what they want to do on a daily basis. So, before you start your journey, you need to define what success means to you. In reality, we all want to be the best that we can be. We all struggle from day to day as we face a variety of ethical dilemmas. Ethics has to do with our conduct and character. Character is what makes the superhero in all of us. Some people call character the collection of our daily habits, the things we do without thinking. But ethics really has to do with making behavior choices.What does it take to be a good person? Can one person or a group of people make a difference in your life? You betcha!

From the time I was a child my parents and grandparents taught me to be yourself, and to respect not only myself but everyone around me. My grandmother used to say that God puts certain people in our lives for a reason. She stated to me from an early age that we don't often know why some of these people enter our lives, but from them we learn more and grow to be better people.

As a woman, a single mother and a hard worker, I meet people day in and day out that contribute to a portion of my life, nonetheless there are a few woman whom most recently became a big part of my life and I often have to wonder if God wasn't working his magic on me?

Here's my story about good people; Let me fill you in a little here. In December, I was out with a dear friend and her daughter for dinner when I brought up the subject of possibly looking for a part time job. I was working day in and day out on my business. I truly was missing the interaction with people. My full time job is a computer based business where it's just me and the Apple... day in and day out. Good things come to those who wait I was taught, so I just kept plugging away at what I knew how to do best...to be a mother, a business woman, and most importantly, to be myself. I am a true believer in karma. From this dinner and this one conversation, I was connected with a company that I have much respect for, and they just so happened to be opening a brand new store. A few weeks later, I took a job with this organization.

What changed my life was this amazing group of young ladies that I was paired up with to work beside. They are women of all ages and these gals make me laugh, smile, and cry...all in a good way. With so many different aspects in our lives, we are all diverse, but we are all the same in one way...we respect others and love being around people. We are all givers. There has never been a day that I've gone into work when someone didn't make me laugh about something goofy, and God only knows that I share all of my silly stories with them. Since earlier this year, I have seen these women learn, grow, change and develop  all in wonderful ways and I am so proud to be a part of this team. We are all inspired by one another to be better people and to set our goals higher with each new day. These women don't just sell candles...these women are so unique and so special that it makes me wonder if fate didn't step in and put each and every one of us together for a specific reason? My grandmother used to also say that paths cross for reasons. I am so grateful for all of these women, my new friends.

 How does this all relate to being a good person you wonder? As a Superhero, Super Woman, Super Mom, in many ways, we protect. We build each other up when we feel down. Do you have someone or a group of people in your life that does the same? Let me tell you. it takes a great combination of people, and wonderful peers to motivate  and excel, and as a team, we give it our all. As a single mother and a business owner my job is never done, but I'm not the only mother that wears a gazillion hats to be a leader. Many women do this same job day in and day out.

One leader that I want to mention is the manager of our store. Her name is Heather. She is a strong business woman, and a team leader who also trains new employees. Her days are long but you'll never hear her complain, because she loves what she does. She is a wife, and a mother of a young daughter who fills her life with joy. When Heather talks about her daughter Lucy, I see the love in her eyes and I hear the pride in her voice. She is not only my boss, she is a friend. She also supports me in my own business venture as she wore a costume that is one of many sold at my boutique. Heather brought this costume to life just as she brings our store to life! This past Saturday was our Fall Preview and Halloween Party at our store and all the gals dressed up.

As we welcomed customers into the store Heather stood near me full of smiles and anticipation in her superhero costume and said that today she felt 'just like a real superhero' in her cape. I told Heather that she is a superhero everyday! As a wife and mother along with a business woman, this young lady wears an invisible cape each and every day of the year. She is so much more than just a team leader. She is inspiring to all of us. She is just like so many of you, a woman on a mission to be happy and to make others happy. She is one of many superheros that makes a day a little better and a lot brighter without even having to try. Our whole team is inspired by this young lady. I am inspired by all of the women I work with. To them, I am known as the "Yankee Mom." They are dynamic, and extraordinary! Meet Heather, our superhero, our leader.

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Knowing How to Motivate in Management Roles

In every large organization, there's a hierarchy of management that keeps the whole operation running smoothly. A good manager can motivate people, learn from previous mistakes, and gain respect from a team.I'd like to take a few minutes to talk about work and employees. If you work for a company that treats their employees great, you are very lucky and a most fortunate person. Why? Well a lot of places don't give a crap about who they have working for them.Making your business/store run well takes the assistance of everyone, but the managers tasks are essential. A manager play the most important part in motivating their employees. This is imperative to the company to have a strong level headed management structure enforced. 

 Set clear standards and then model them – always. People respond positively to certainty as they generally don’t like surprises. Everyone needs to know what is expected of them and clear standards will help them understand that this is the way we are going to do things around here. It doesn’t have to be dictatorial either. 

Make sure each employee knows what's expected. Having concrete goals empowers your employees and keeps them focused on work. Explicitly outline what you expect, when the deadline is, and what you'll do with the results.

 Delegate. You're a manager because you're good at what you do, but that doesn't mean you're supposed to do everything yourself. Your job as a manager is to teach other people how to do a good job.

• Start small. Give people tasks that, if performed incorrectly, can be fixed. Take the opportunity to teach and empower your employees. Then gradually give them tasks with greater responsibility as you come to understand their strengths and weaknesses.
• Learn how to anticipate problems they might have so you can coach them properly before they begin.

 Keep the door open. Always remind people that if they have any questions or concerns, you're ready and willing to listen. Maintaining an open channel of communication will make you aware of problems quickly, so that you can fix them as soon as possible. Don't be one of those managers who inadvertently makes an employee feel like they're bothering you when they bring up a question or concern. Instead of seeing it as another crisis to manage, look at it as an opportunity to show your employee how much you want this organization to be a fulfilling place to work.

 Acknowledge the expertise of your staff.

You are now a manager which means that your job is to manage other people doing the work. If you find yourself doing the work then you are not being a manager but an overpaid worker. If you look to their expertise in doing the job they will respect your expertise in managing them.

 Share your department’s objectives with your staff and then ask them how they can help you achieve them.

People respond to being given responsibility. OK you always get one or two people who moan and groan about you abdicating your responsibilities to them. Get rid of these people as they will be trying to infect the team against you. Being decisive like this will impress your team and show them that you care about your responsibilities and about them as people. 

Let people make mistakes. As a manager, you take responsibility for other people's actions, so the last thing you want to do is be responsible for someone else's mistakes. In an attempt to be proactive and prevent mistakes, you might give careful instructions and create clear, strict standards. But are you making people afraid of mistakes? Do they always check with you about every little thing, reluctant to make their own decisions because they might not do it correctly? That ends up making the employees more dependent on you, which makes them less effective and unnecessarily drains a significant portion of your time. In order for people to think for themselves they need to learn, and in order to learn, sometimes we need to make mistakes. TRUST them, and give them a fair margin of error.

  Managing and leading are not the same thing.

Some good managers are not good leaders. The art is in knowing when to delegate. You will be developing your staff if you delegate leadership experiences. You will still retain overall control because you will always retain accountability, so learn to trust your staff

 Not only do I own my own businesses but I also work for a retail company part time. I witness how staff interacts with the management team. Let me tell you something... I am so lucky to be part of this team! I run my own businesses through a home office. Being your own boss is great, however, I was missing the interaction with others and I really missed the customer service aspect of it all, especially that face to face, and one on one client service. I work with a really awesome group of women. Together we help one another out and we take care of our customers together, so that if one of us gets busy greeting a new customer(s) one of our coworker pick up where we left off. We are great at 'tag teaming!'

There are ways that you can effectively create a positive work environment while increasing employee motivation and morale; making them smile.

Know your employees! It is essential that you know your employees, and I mean really get to know them on a personal and a professional level. This way you are aware of situations that may arise and know how to deal with them accordingly. My boss is the best. She makes us laugh and is a very encouraging person. She is a wife, and mother of a cute little toddler that keeps her going. She  genuinely cares about her store and her team...ALL OF US! She gives the word boss, and manager a new definition. Not everyone is like her, and quite honestly she would be quite difficult to duplicate. We all love and respect her. It is because of this team that I work with that I am so happy. She brings out the best in all of us, and brings out the best in me. 

So what can you do to be a better manager?

  

Learn more. It is your responsibility to create motivation in the workplace!  Make it fun! Therefore it is up to you to continue to learn new and innovative ways to motivate employees. Give them incentives to want to work harder! You might choose to take classes that are offered at a local college or online. Some companies will offer managers an educational assistance plan. This will give you a fabulous opportunity to continue to learn new ways to motivate your employees. If your company does not offer these resources, then talk to them. Go to your human resources department. Talk to them about the importance of continuing your education. Going forward and learning new things is the way that a business goes upward.

Spend time with your employees. Take a few minutes out of your day to just talk with your employees. Yes I mean one on one time...even if it's just for a few short minutes. Give them an opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns or simply how the day is going. This shows them that you are reaching out, and that you care. They will appreciate you and respect you more over time. This will also show the employee that you care about his or her happiness within the company. You can also schedule performance reviews either once a month, once a year or however often is comfortable for you. This will allow you time to sit down and spend a little more time with the employee and give you a chance to discuss the highs and lows of the period in which the review is being done. Positive conversations, even on a casual level are a great way to increase employee motivation. Ask them what they want, and what they like? Ask them for their opinions from time to time...just don't take on the world or floor sets by yourself. You have a team, so make sure that you remember that!

 Consider the employees feelings about the job.  One way to increase employee motivation is to discuss the possibility of advancement or anywhere that they would like their career to go. It might be a different position, or a promotion, even working for a different company, your employees should know that you care about the things that they care about. Let them know that you are there to help them achieve their goals and they will work harder for you! Help them to determine if a certain area would work for them, and if not, what might suit their needs better.

 Share the news. It is very important to keep employees informed about issues that arise in the company even if it does not directly affect them. Employees want to know about the company and they want to be involved. It is a good idea to have regular “catch-up” meetings, just to make sure that everyone is on the same page. Prepare employees if a major or even an out of routine event is going to happen, such as a visitor coming. Another way to boost motivation among employees is to hold meetings when the company is planning on changing existing policies. Ask for feed back from the employees and ask if they have any ideas about how to resolve the issue. 

 Ultimately it is up to you to create a work environment that is good for you and good for your employees. A wise person once said “You are only as strong as your weakest link”. Increasing motivation among employees will make each link a little stronger and make your team a better one.

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