Michelle Ray

Business and Leadership Keynote Speaker

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Workplace Culture

The Great Reawakening: Why Employees are Reclaiming their Purpose and Power

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Power is a word that makes a lot of people uncomfortable… one that is frequently linked with those in positions of authority and control. But it need not have negative connotations and is especially relevant when you consider the power shift that has occurred in the world of work. 2022 is proving to be the Year of the Employee (Forbes), the Year of the Worker (The Economist) with a heightened emphasis on the employee experience to mitigate the Great Resignation.

Is it, however, the Great Resignation or the Great Reawakening that we are witnessing? More of the latter is what I suggest. [Read more…] about The Great Reawakening: Why Employees are Reclaiming their Purpose and Power

Four Deadly Mistakes Leaders Make with Remote Teams

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Deadly. An ominous word to describe the mistakes leaders make with their remote workforce, albeit a deliberate choice. During a time of radical change and uncertainty that continues to redefine the work world, teams look even more closely to their leaders for optimism, support and hope for the future in ways that demand their time, attention, care and transparency. Should this be lacking, the consequences for morale, employee retention and organizational culture could be dire. In order for leaders to effectively connect and help their remote teams succeed, avoiding, more importantly, addressing the following mistakes is essential. [Read more…] about Four Deadly Mistakes Leaders Make with Remote Teams

Why It’s Time To Stop Bashing Millennials

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Why It's Time To Stop Bashing Millennials

Admit it. Your personal biases regarding the millennials have come up in professional conversations. You couldn’t help yourself. (Or, could you?) Perhaps you were triggered by a comment, behavior or situation at work. Or you may be oblivious to the fact that the disparaging lens you use to view them, or indeed any team member that is different to you, is reflecting on your leadership style and your business. Whether you are reacting consciously or unconsciously, the time has come to stop bashing millennials.

Some may argue that perception is reality when it comes to opinions and experiences regarding interactions with millennials. Nonetheless, there are compelling reasons to strongly counter this line of reasoning:

The economic cost to your employer brand

Your employer brand conveys your organization’s identity in the eyes of prospective talent. Therefore, to label an entire demographic who happened to be born in a specific time frame as “lazy, entitled, selfish, arrogant, narcissistic, self-absorbed, impatient”, etc. (terms often used to describe millennials) does nothing to advance your reputation and appeal to a sought-after generation of workers. Competition for their skills has never been greater, especially when you realize that millennials now represent the largest cohort of the workforce in North America. By 2025, they will represent three-quarters of the global workforce.  [Read more…] about Why It’s Time To Stop Bashing Millennials

How To Increase Employee Accountability

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How do you increase employee accountability? Despite the efforts of well-intended HR departments and leaders to create clearly defined job descriptions, confusion persists regarding specific roles and responsibilities in almost every industry, public sector, as well enterprises of all sizes and descriptions. When mistakes are made, deadlines are missed, or communication goes haywire, the blame game, finger-pointing and excuse-making escalates.

Any of these scenarios beg the question: “Who is responsible?” [Read more…] about How To Increase Employee Accountability

Three Ways To Sustain An Extraordinary Workplace Culture

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How often does one hear a president of a company open an event for his leadership team with the words: “Mom and Dad, I want to thank you for all you do”. Not only were his Mom and Dad in the audience, they were interacting with everyone throughout the entire meeting, from start to finish. The Founder (aka “Dad”) joined both his sons on stage to answer questions from attendees, holding nothing back. More than 300 people hung on his every word; laughing and at times moved to tears, as Dad told stories about the early days, his reasons for starting the company, as well has his vision for future success.  As I witnessed the smiles and animated conversations that ensued during coffee breaks, lunch and the reception afterwards, it was clear that this was no ordinary company. What made it so special? In a word: Culture.

The ability to sustain an extraordinary workplace culture while growing at an unprecedented rate is a scenario that many organizations would like to have. At the same time, preserving the unique attributes that make an enterprise successful can present its own set of challenges. The solution to maintaining an outstanding culture lies in consistently applying the following principles: [Read more…] about Three Ways To Sustain An Extraordinary Workplace Culture