What are the leadership skills and behaviors the learner has selected that you recommend be stopped, i.e., not pursued? Provide the rationale as to why you believe a leadership s

Review the initial posts of LaQuita and Paige addressing the following "Stop/Start/Continue" feedback questions:

• Stop: What are the leadership skills and behaviors the learner has selected that you recommend be stopped, i.e., not pursued? Provide the rationale as to why you believe a leadership skill they have selected may not be the most appropriate focus area based on your review of the employee engagement survey results. If you don't identify any leadership behavior focus area to stop, then how would you suggest one or more of the targeted leadership behavior areas be modified to better address the outcome desired?
• Start: What leadership skills and behaviors do you recommend the learner add as a focus area? Provide the rationale for your recommendation as well as one to two suggested ways this leadership skill/behavior could be targeted for improvement.
• Continue: For the recommendations that the learner has made that you fully agree with, provide commentary as to why you believe the selected leadership skills and behaviors area is appropriate to be addressed.

LaQuita post

Per the employee engagement survey, the results revealed how employees felt both undervalued and unappreciated. It also shed light on the fact that the employees did not trust their supervisor. This is a clear indication that employee morale and job satisfaction are extremely low. To improve the work environment a leader that who leads by example is what is needed (Kouzes & Posner, 2017). Being a leader means more than just working on the task at hand, it means working continuously to rectify issues before they become problems. Employees deserve to be led by someone who is open, empathetic, supportive and approachable. Having leadership who is ethical, a communicator and is willing to help their employees grow/develop is an inspiration within itself. When a leader is willing to take the time to guide, coach, and educate you, that speaks volumes. 

My toolkit would include the following leadership skills:

Model the Way– Be confident in who you are and lead by example by becoming a role model for your employees (Kouzes & Posner, 2017).  

Inspire a Shared Vision- Share and promote your vision of the future (Axe, 2023). Inspire/motivate your staff to put their best foot forward to reach the end goal.

Challenge the Process- Be willing to think outside of the box and be a risk taker. Have the capacity to listen but also be willing to learn.

Enable Others to Act- Challenge your employees to bring out the best in them. Foster creativity, motivate/empower your staff to be open with you about their ideas and innovation.

Encourage the Heart- Look for the good in your employees. Appreciating the work that your staff does and acknowledge their efforts while gaining their trust (Kouzes & Posner, 2017). Recognition only takes a moment, but support goes a long way.

Utilizing the recommended leadership skills and behaviors creates an encouraging effect on employees as well as the organization. Improved organizational performance includes increased employee performance, more employee engagement and also promotes loyalty. According to the text, embracing the behaviors not only builds a respected leader, but it also enhances the culture and strengthens the bottom line of the organization no matter the industry (Kouzes & Posner, 2017).

Paige post

What leadership behaviors are needed to improve the work environment, determined via your assessment of the employee engagement survey?

  Communication is key in any plan to improve the work environment. Communicating the expectations and the vision should be thought out and clear for employees to understand. If people cannot understand what is expected of them, then the improvement or change will not occur. Empathy is another valuable tool as this will give the leaders a way to understand and address all and any concerns that employees may have during the change. Lastly, leaders need to be able to adapt to any changes as they can be difficult to navigate in the beginning.

     What leadership skills would you recommend including in your organizational leader's toolkit to develop the identified leadership behaviors?

One of the most important skills is active listening, which is not only listening to the employees but also having the ability to respond with feedback to what they are saying. Active listening goes hand in hand with both communication and empathy. Another skill that is important is Emotional Intelligence. Emotional Intelligence is having the ability to manage ones own emotions as well as others. Having high Emotional Intelligence promotes a positive workplace as employees tend to feel more comfortable. 

     How will improvements in the recommended leadership skills and behaviors improve organizational performance?

Improvement in skills and behaviors will lead to improvement in a company overall. By increasing each, you are fostering a more positive atmosphere, and employees will be more likely to work to their highest ability. When employees work hard, the company thrives as productivity increases. Lastly, by creating a team environment, the company will see more innovation and collaboration which again will only lead to a higher success for the company and the employees.