The Empathic Leader Advantage

Empathy gives leaders a one-up. It is the highest level of emotional intelligence, with EQ being one of the most valuable soft skills needed in modern business.

Modern leaders should have a high emotional intelligence quotient (EQ). In laymen’s terms, they should have great awareness and a healthy dose of empathy. The modern leader needs to take time to know and understand their team members and the pulse of the culture, beyond what vision and mission statement claim. The ability to adapt leadership behaviors and strategies based on each individual promotes employee engagement. EQ empowers any leader to leverage their knowledge of said employees before making any type of decisions. Why?

Let’s look at the following scenarios:

SCENARIO 1: You recently noticed one of your colleagues has been falling asleep in the break room. They are not completing tasks as a result. It’s costing you concern and frustration and the company a lot of money. They’ve also been late clocking in during the past ten days. Other colleagues have been covering their co-worker’s responsibilities, but they are complaining. As their boss, what do you do?

A.       Ignore them because it’s a tough conversation to have?

B.        Fire them because it’s negatively impacting productivity and putting you in a bad position?

C.       Have that tough conversation with them to let them know they need to shape up or else… ?

SCENARIO 2: The exact same situation happens as in Scenario 1, however, you find out that she/he/they have been taking care of an ill and elderly parent for the past few months. Will the way you handle this situation be different now that you know more about their private situation?

Be very honest with your answer.

I would, however, imagine that any reasonable level of empathy on your part might inspire you to be more lenient and forgiving of the loss in productivity and focus from that person. Going one step further, I believe a great leader would ask if and how they can help. The options are endless, ranging from adapting their schedule, to working remotely, to offering time off, even paid leave.

I recently heard of a situation where a friend’s boss, who is the business owner, gave an employee a month of paid leave to handle the illness of a loved one. It touched me, making me think that I’d love to have had a leader like that. I’m pretty sure, that employee will be infinitely grateful and probably very loyal because of their boss’ empathetic approach to leadership.

It’s more about the human element than merely numbers.

Vital Germaine

PRESIDENT, ENGAGE Teams 360

5 Pillars That Inspire Customer Loyalty

Inspiring Customer Loyalty is a lot cheaper and impactful than short-term thinking and gimmicks that may drive immediate sales, but means your competing with everybody to have the better deal. Customer loyalty means, they will stay even if it's cheaper across the street. Think of your favorite brand (hairdresser etc). What keeps you going back?

Trader Joe’s does it right. It has the kindest, friendliest team, company culture ever. It’s evident they have:

1. Taken the time to recruit the right talent and effectively onboard.

2. Heavily invested in the training of their employees.

3. Clearly defined their culture, vision and mission beyond carefully chosen words that sound great on paper. Core values are a way of life not a theory.

4. Care about the customer and employee experience.

5. Not compromised their core values to accommodate quick profits, but rather establish customer loyalty through providing a consistent caring and kind customer experience... with a personal (human) touch.

At ENGAGE Teams 360 we help organizations build and design happier, more caring teams through our “engaging” impactful fun trainings and workshops.

Vital Germaine, President ENGAGE Teams 360 and Keynote Speaker

The New #1 Leadership Quality

Regardless of age or generation, leadership has changed and will constantly change. The biggest recent change being leaders shifting from power to empowerment. The expectations of younger generations has compelled organizations to re-evaluate hiring, benefits and workspace environments.

As both employee and consumer expectations change, leaders must adapt too. If they don’t, they won’t have access to the top-tier of talent. Without great talent, building successful teams, companies or organizations becomes incredibly hard.

Workspace wellness in terms of healthy or toxic cultures, combined with employee engagement and health management aren’t yet top of list, let alone top of mind. However… with mental health becoming more relevant in everyday society and modern workspaces, be it hybrid scenarios or remote work, or shorter work weeks etc, leaders will have to tap much deeper into their emotional quotient. With empathy being the consummate measure of EQ.

“Leadership is about empathy. It is about having the ability to relate to and connect with people for the purpose of inspiring and empowering their lives. ”

— Oprah Winfrey

In my book, Pink Is the Color of Empathy, I dedicate chapter 32 entirely to empathy in business. The book is rich in action steps to become a better human being, which is directly correlated to becoming a better leaders. The areas of focus in the book range from what empathy does and doesn’t sound like, to conflict resolution (customer satisfaction), changing and saving lives. The ultimate flex of the book is inspiring and empowering individuals to become high-value human beings.

Becoming a high-value person in a disconnected world.

Vital Germaine, President of ENGAGE Teams 360

A Common Overlooked Organizational Growth Opportunity with Employees

What drives, inspires and motivates team members to reach higher and hit the target?

No, I mean really, what is their deepest, most defining/preserving emotional and psychological need?

It is something organizations often ignore or forget to invest in.

I’ve spent the best part of the last ten years delivering employee trainings for such companies as United Airlines and BMW. The focus has been on elevating KPIs (Key Performance Indexes) or OKR’s (Objective Key Results), culture, competencies, customer service, efficiency and productivity (which are great), and reinforcing company core values. The ultimate short-term goals are”always” elevating profits and brand strength.

Let’s take a quick look into standard anatomy of the OKR framework. See image below.

ANATOMY OF THE OKR FRAMEWORK

OBJECTIVES: goals that inspire and set direction (where do I need to go?)

KEY RESULTS: steps that measure progress toward a goal (how do I know I’m getting there?)

INITIATIVES: tasks required to drive progress of key results (what will I do to get there?)

These types of organizational frameworks/trainings bring incredible value. HOWEVER…

Applying this same framework to individual and personalized growth is the long-term differentiator. See image below, in particular the STAR - add personal objectives .

Investing in an employees’ personal development/objectives makes them better human beings. Good human beings are good employees. By identifying, recognizing and investing in individuality (personal aspirations/needs/expectations), and helping team members understand the essence of who they are as individuals is a long-term win-win investment.

The best leaders not only train for growth, they inspire growth!

One of the best ways to inspire any human is to SEE them. Actually “seeing” somebody is potentially the highest form of respect we can give. This elevates and empowers people to reach higher.

Give them the tools to not only learn and understand company core values, but also identify and understand their own core values. Help them see who they are themselves and how as individuals they can best fit and contribute to the company vision and mission. Help the become the best version of themselves not just the best employee. Who are THEY? What do they really WANT? What do they NEED?

Employees are rarely driven by money alone. It’s deeper than that. Money is only a conduit to attain what is truly desired and needed. The true answer to self-actualization (Maslo’s hierarchy of needs) lies deeper than money, promotion or remote work (flexibility).

Help team members have the confidence to discover themselves and know themselves. It's scary to look thyself in the eyes until you see your own soul for all its glories and fears. Down there, deeply hidden in the foundations of true their character lies the answer to who they really are and who/what they really want to be. Help them get their and they will reach higher.

It might take them and the organization a minute to truly SEE themselves! It might take years for them to discover the true self, but the journey is worth it. The investment in personal development in the workplace pays high dividends.

The reflection they will see, the self awareness they will develop, will connect them to a strong sense of purpose. Think Simon Sinek’s “Start With Why.” If that purpose aligns with your core values, vision and mission, then you have a star employee whose productivity and efficiency will soar. That mindset is contagious. It INSPIRES.

The better we know ourselves, the better we can optimize our lives. The better we can optimize our own lives, the more value we can bring to the lives of others.

In Chapter 20 of my book, THINK LIKE AN ARTIST, I share a very impactful self-discovery activity to truly give the individual a starting point to dig deeper into who they are and what drives them.

Who are you really?

My other creativity book titled, INNOVATION MINDSET is the business/leadership equivalent of THINK LIKE AN ARTIST. Request more information about my signature creativity workshop/keynote. At ENGAGE Teams 360, we love to inspire and empower through our highly interactive, fun, informative and transformational content.

Vital Germaine,

President ENGAGE Teams 360

Employee Development versus Employee Performance _ which should you invest in more?

Most companies and organizations focus on employee training as a means to elevate performance. At ENGAGE Teams 360, we deliver a double win by training for development rather than performance.

What's the difference and what's your ROI?

There are two principals to understand that when implemented deliver totally different results. If you want better results, read on.

1. PERFORMANCE PRINCIPAL

When leadership predominately focuses on numbers/profits, efficiency and productivity, they get short-term gains. The immediate results appear beneficial. Over time, however, productivity dwindles. Turn-over increases. Disengagement becomes a cultural pandemic and by the time it’s felt or identified, it’s too late. The fix will cost so much time, effort and resources. As a result, your organization may have alienated a large chunk of your client base. Winning back customers is simply too costly. Why would you risk losing them in the first place? Because you’re too focused on employee performance.

Investing purely for performance is short-sighted leadership. The great leaders are aware of this. They avoid it, if not negate it as a part of their cultural and business identity.

If policy and SOPs (standard operation procedures) are what drives your company, you may want to reconsider. You can’t legislate caring, desire or motivation. You can only INSPIRE it. Policy and SOPs are definitely needed as a launching pad from which to fly, however, a launching pad pointed in the wrong direction with the wrong fuel won’t reach, let alone hit the target. Your foundation needs to be adaptable, malleable and emotionally aware of what your team feels, needs, desires and expects.

If you deny the human aspect of business, you are doomed to fail. Employees are humans… sentient beings. So then what?

2. DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPAL

The real leadership flex is Investing in your employees as individuals, each with their unique set of expectations and aspirations. What’s THIER WHY? Those individuals come together to form a team.

Investing in development says you care about them as individuals rather than commodities. Most cultures are not designed to recognize this aspect of leadership and business. They get lost in the short-term vision of higher profits and increased efficiency. And that is the major faux-pas that is so common, it’s accepted as THE way to build a company. Money is never the real carrot. When companies focus on numbers, it inspires disengagement amongst their employees. Employee disengagement costs the US economy upwards of $500 Billion according to Gallup.

Remember, employees are human. They have intrinsic emotions such as the desire to feel valued, appreciated, respected, seen, heard and understood. They want to know you care about THEM: their dreams, aspirations, purpose, fears, triggers, paint-points. They don’t want to feel like meaningless pawns or robots who’s only function is to produce and produce and produce. “What’s in it for me?” they ask themselves. A paycheck? For most employees, the paycheck doesn’t validate the workload, stress and disrespect they face from bad managers and disgruntled customers. This very fact is in big part the fuel behind the “Great Resignation.” Leadership has been too preoccupied with performance. They forgot about recognizing the HUMANS who deliver their products and/or services.

Investing in employees as individuals inevitably results in elevated performance. Engaged employees who are personally challenged and empowered, feel valued and cared for. Being valued and appreciated is the most simple and impactful way to inspire people to REACH HIGHER. The best way to communicate you care about your people is to have EMPATHY… the highest form of emotional intelligence, which means you are investing in THEM.

At ENGAGE Teams 360, we focus on development rather than performance. This is one of the great innovation MINDSET lessons I learned during my five years with Cirque du Soleil as an acrobat and team captain. Do a deep dive into the INNOVATION MINDSET, which includes this specific topic in my book.

Vital Germaine, President of ENGAGE Teams 360

Leveraging your fear to fuel achievement

It has been said the we either run away from pain or we run towards pleasure. It’s called the “Pain, pleasure principal.” by Sigmund Freud.

Running toward pleasure is easier, though running away from pain is arguably a stronger motivator. It can, however, paralyze. We are afraid of pain. It brings worry and stress. Meanwhile, it inspires courage and action… change!

Many memes and acronyms claim or suggest that fear is not real. One popular one is: False Evidence Appearing Real.

Fear is very… read more:

Vital Germaine

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Optimizing Innovation

Innovation is a beautiful and necessary thing to keep any business or organization relevant.But it has to be done right and at the opportune time. Otherwise, it can be a black hole that sucks the life out of your financial resources, your time, and your passion, with a negative impact on your consumer base.

It is crucial to find a healthy balance between that which is new and different, and that which is misunderstood or too far ‘out there’. Despite all the insight and advice I give to Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies as a keynote speaker, consultant and trainer, regarding the INNOVATION MINDSET, things like; take risks, be absurd in your thinking, the objective is always to optimize the success rate of creativity in the workplace.

Innovation Mindset Keynote

If something is TOO different, it will invite fear and resistance; alienation.

If it is not new enough, it will not inspire excitation; same ol’ same ol’.

Let’s talk Alienation

If an invention, a new product or an improved service is too extreme for the market to comprehend, it will alienate the consumer base. Why? Because those consumers won’t understand this new and different thing that you are proposing. Not to mention, humans, for the most part, don’t like change, let alone drastic or radical change. They panic: fight, flight or freeze. If you have enough time or money to educate your audience, then go for it. Patience and long-term planning pay dividends.

To avoid alienation, you’ll need to place your finger on your customers’ purchasing pulse. What are their needs, expectations and desires… and of course, pain points? If you make it too different, you’ve simply added a new pain point; steep learning curve. Anybody remember Microsoft’s Vista?

Next part of the equation is understanding how informed your base is? And maybe the most important questions is, are they ready for this new thing? Lets’ not forget the element of timing. Think of the movie industry who have to determine when to release a movie. In general, product launches are carefully mapped out following extensive marketing research. Release it too soon and people laugh or run. Release it too late, and you are now no longer first to market. You’re simply a follower jumping on the bandwagon; which sometimes works a treat because it allows you to improve on the innovation.

Really pay attention to the marketplace during your ideation and R&D. Invest in understanding people; socio-economic climate, financial climate, and most definitely… trends. Don’t you dare deny trends. Every now and again, something does come along that is radically different, goes against the trend grain, and is not initially understood, yet, it eventually takes over like wildfire. Think of companies like Cirque du Soleil, Tesla, Apple and Virgin. They were all first to market, they all revolutionized their industries. Though not without resistance. Again, time and money!

Let’s not forget the negative side of the innovation graph. Some inventions or creations that were innovative but didn’t really do the research fail miserably. Failure is not bad, btw. It’s costly when risks are careless. 

For those of you who are older than Millennials, you may remember the VHS / Betamax wars. Betamax, actually had the better technology; superior resolution (250 lines vs. 240 lines), better sound, and a more stable image. Why did they not dominate and kill VHS? They didn’t understand the market. Betamax.

The “quickie” version of this tale is, porn. Yep, porn video rentals at the back of the store where men discretely shopped. Some will say it was due to the length of sports games. Betamax tapes could only record 60 minutes. VHS, 120 minutes. The word on the street is that because Betamax didn’t allow porn on its platform, men got accustomed to VHS. True or not? Either way, the moral of the story is, know the market and consumer behaviors. Create and adapt accordingly.

Do a deeper dive into the INNOVATION MINDSET… buy the book today!

Let’s talk excitation

When innovation is on time, at the right price and correctly distributed, it will excite people. Excitement is based on experiencing something new, yet relatable… and keeping up with the trends (and the Jones’). Some traditional and established companies don’t push too much for innovation, though they won’t stay completely static either. Rolls Royce doesn’t exactly bring out a new model every couple of years. Yet they have remained relevant and significant. Unlike Harley Davidson, unfortunately. They have experienced 5 straight years of dropped sales of up to 5.2% - with shares falling 4.3% to $33.37.

Companies must think ahead in order to appeal to new generations, even if the brand wishes to remain traditional. Expectations change. Standard change. Styles change… therefore so must product, services and customer experience adapt.

Keeping your audience excited will inspire repeat business. Apple are geniuses at this, though we are all waiting for the next best thing since sliced bread or the iPod. Besides an investment from Microsoft, the Iphone is given credit for not only saving Apple, but for propelling it the first publicly traded $ trillion company on the planet (2018). It has since doubled that in 2020. In big part because they are continually striving to innovate and excite.

Sincerely,

Vital Germaine

PRESIDENT of ENGAGE Teams 360

Top-Selling Author: BUY THE BOOKS

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LEARN MORE about our leadership and culture learning virtual trainings. They are INFORMATIVE IMPACTFUL ENTERTAINING IMMERSIVE TRANSFORMATIVE …. and FUN!

Innovation Mindset Keynote by Vital Germaine

The ABC of Sales and Customer Service

How many times have you called a company because something was incorrect or not working and have been incredibly disappointed, if not left fuming? The initial mistake they might have made is not the actual problem. Consumers are very forgiving if you simply treat them right: with understanding for their discomfort, and respect for their time. The simplicity comes in being proactive.

Adding to the frequency of disappointing customer service experiences is the fact that the modern consumer is spoiled for choice. In other words, you might not get a second chance to make it right. They jump ship with no shame or guilt. A little basic employee training can keep your customers happy and loyal.

For the past 10 years, I’ve provided sales and customer service training to several Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies. Their shortcomings are common and standard. Where do they fall short? The list of errors begin during the sales process and get magnified during the after sales process?

The problem is, many organizations wait until sales have dropped significantly or customer satisfaction indexes reache a state of emergency before addressing their customer service standards. It doesn’t have to become an issue. Prevention is the key… when that has failed, the solutions are as simple as ABC.

• Adapt

  • Customer needs and expectations are unique to them. It’s crucial that you take time to understand each specific client.

  • Personalize that experience based on a meaningful needs analysis.

  • Please, empower your team to take initiatives and adapt, leading to the ability to making positively impactful in the moment-decisions.

• Bond

  • The better and more personal your needs analysis is, (go deeper than the basic sales questions), the stronger the emotional connection you will develop with your customer.

  • The stronger the bond, the more likely they are to make a purchase.

  • The stronger the bond, the more likely they will forgive and overlook any pain points they experienced along their journey with you and your organization.

  • In stark contrast, when there is little bonding, sales are compromised and unfavorable situations quickly escalate.

• Care

  • This is a no brainer. If you care you have a high chance of turning a customer into a loyal fan.

  • Caring is one thing… making them see and FEEL that you care is a different book completely. Make sure to demonstrate care in a way that they get it. Learn more on this topic.

Just think of the Jackson Five’s ABC as a reminder to implement these 3 basic pillars of improved sales and elevated customer service.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION: Prevention is the key, however, what to do when it all goes wrong?

In my online training course, PURPOSE-DRIVEN COMMUNICATION, I do a deep dive into the topic of conflict resolution and how your teams can turn a disgruntled customer into a loyal fan. Unfortunately, it becomes a conflict due to the fact that very simple preemptive frustration steps weren’t put into place. Bring the ABC of Customer Service into your standard operating procedures (SOP) and experience a drastic improvement in your Customer Satisfaction Index scores (CSI).

Experience ENGAGE Team 360’s full employee development training with a focus on customer service.

Sincerely,

Vital Germaine

PRESIDENT of ENGAGE Teams 360

Top-Selling Author: BUY THE BOOKS

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The ROI of ELEVATING others

High value leaders, elevate. It’s that simple.

Whether you are the CEO of a Fortune 100 company, a startup with five people sharing a room and a couch, or a manager of fifty employees, or in fact, anybody with a dream or vision, allow those around you to shine and contribute their best to your cause. You can only get the best out of people if you empower them to be themselves and deliver what they have to offer in the best way they know how. That journey begins with your intentions as a leader. Are you there for power or to empower?

The more restrictions, regulations, and guidelines we impose on people, the more they are shackled and unable to flex. This does not mean chaos, a free-for-all, or mutiny. It’s something leaders must be sensitive to and aware of. 

Great leaders:

• CARE about their people

• INSPIRE their people

• NURTURE their people

• EMPOWER their people

• TRUST their people

Putting all of these bullet points into action will offer you and your company a high ROI.

Hand over the keys and allow them to “show off” in the driver’s seat. That elevates their confidence… their worth and value. Provide them with resources. Nurture their ambitions and fears… this shows you care.

You are invited to do a deep dive to explore and learn how to be a high value leader who inspires his team in the book INNOVATION MINDSET. You’ll find clear actions steps on how be a high value leader.

Order your copy today: https://www.amazon.com/INNOVATION-MINDSET-Reimagining-business-leadership/dp/1698538308/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1572634450&sr=8-3

Sincerely,

Vital Germaine, President of ENGAGE Teams 360

5 Star Reviews

🏆 This book is pure genius

🏆 Calling all leaders. I highly recommend this book

🏆 A must-have for your leadership library!!

🏆 Interesting and entertaining, genius and genuine

🏆 Brilliant

🏆 Definitely the inspiration I needed to venture outside my comfort zone and CREATE!

🏆 Great stories and illustrations of relevant and timely principles any leader, in any organization can apply to take their life and career to new heights

The book includes interviews with thought leaders from different industries:

• Tim Sanders, New York Times best-selling author and former Yahoo! exec.

• Jordan Adler, best-selling author and MLM millionaire.

• Randy Sutton, former police detective and TV News contributor.

• Dennis Bonilla, former U.S. Navy Nuke!“

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Designing Success in the Workplace

What do you think it takes for Cirque du Soleil as a brand/company and the performers to go out and deliver amazing customer experiences?

This is a question I challenge audiences with during keynotes, employee trainings and workshops. There is a clearly defined top ten list of answers that audiences express. Their top ten list reads as:

1. TALENT

2. TEAMWORK

3. PRACTICE

4. COURAGE

5. RISK

6. COMMUNICATION

7. VISION/PURPOSE

8. MONEY

9. SPANDEX (always makes me laugh)

10. CREATIVITY

It was an honor to perform in 2 different shows (Mystere and Quidam) over the course of over five years and 2,000+ shows as a team captain in what has recently been called, “The new best show on earth.”

I observed and observed the approach and mindset of individuals and of the company. Here’s what I discovered.

Many perceive that the performers achieve beyond human feats (defying gravity and staring death in the face on a nightly basis)… and yes we do, thank you very much. However, the same traits that allow such athletes and artists to become extraordinary are the very same that apply to more traditional jobs, positions and successes.

When it comes to business success, it’s called leadership and team work, a.k.a. CULTURE. Cultures are built on systems and policy. The “best show on earth” is created on the same concepts of systems and policy; we call it choreography/artistic direction/production.

Success in any capacity is not random.

Success is choreographed, inspired and staged. Each amazing trick that has made you gasp during a cirque show took talent, courage, risk, dedication, vision, communication, creativity and commitment. The commitment is a KAIZEN thing (Masaaki Imai, a Japanese organizational theorist and management consultant, studied the Toyota Production System and its Lean principles and was the first to introduce the idea of Kaizen to both Europe and North America).

Kaizen is a Japanese term meaning change for the better or continuous improvement. Kaizen sees improvement in productivity as a gradual and methodical process.

The Cirque culture parallels the Kaizen philosophy. Each dance step, acrobatic flip, lighting cue etc. had potential to become better. Throw in the element of fun and freedom (but not anarchy) and you have a recipe for highly forward-thinking, happy culture that thrives. Your organization will feel the impact… as will your clients.

“We’d love to help you design a happier more creative culture through our dynamic keynotes and workshops.” Contact us today.

Sincerely,

Vital Germaine,

President of ENGAGEteams360

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