As a leader you’re no stranger to making crucial decisions, inspiring others, giving tough love and talking in front of individuals and big groups. Think about the last time you prepared for a presentation or spoke in front of the entire team of organization. Doing this is old hat, but you still went through your normal routine of practicing in front of the mirror and memorizing important talking points. You can do this in your sleep, but you’re disciplined enough to not cut any corners. But when was the last time you stopped to think about your body language? The fact is, even if your words are the most compelling ever, they only go so far. When people listen to you speak, they aren’t just listening to your words, they are subconsciously reacting to your body language. So, what exactly does that mean?

First Impressions Count

When you first meet someone, they will immediately make a judgement about you as a person. Sure, you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover but unfortunately, it’s human nature. Whether someone sees you as warm and trustworthy or standoffish and questionable, every interaction from that point forward will be judged through that initial filter.

In order to make that initial interaction a positive one with everyone you meet, there are some important things keep in mind.

Eye Contact

When you meet someone the last thing you should be doing is checking email on your smartphone. If your attention isn’t wholly focused on the individual, you’ll immediately send signals that you don’t have time for them or they’re unimportant. Instead, as you approach a stranger, make eye contact. Right away this conveys that you’re open and friendly.

Smile

It’s no secret that happiest people are the ones that smile the most. There’s nothing that exudes warmth and openness like a genuine smile. When you smile, you put others at ease and allow them to let down their guard.

Lean In

Have you ever heard of Brene Brown talk about leaning in? She’s talking about vulnerability. And there’s a reason she chose the phrase leaning in. When you lean into someone upon meeting them, you show them that your guard isn’t up and you’re vulnerable, just like they are. So, when you go in for that initial handshake, meet the person you’re greeting halfway.

Handshake

Speaking of shaking hands… How you shake someone’s hand tells them a lot about you. If your handshake feels like someone grabbing a dead fish, you portray disinterest and lack of confidence which are huge turnoffs. On the other hand, if your handshake firm and solid, it lets the other person know that you are genuinely excited to meet them.

Talking with Your Hands

Think about the most memorable speeches you’ve ever heard. Whether it was at a company event with a large group of people or just a meaningful conversation with a friend or colleague, think about what the speaker did with their hands. Chances are they weren’t resting in their pockets or glued to the side of a podium. In order to add meaning to their words, great speakers use their hands to express the message they’re trying to get across. So, next time you’re talking with someone you want to make an impression on, don’t be afraid to use your hands. This isn’t something that’s mechanical or that you should think too much about. Just let it happen naturally and your listener is sure to see you in a favorable light.

The Importance of Face-to-Face

Even though the majority of modern communication occurs over text messages, emails or video, there is no substitute for face-to-face. Sure, our ability to share information quickly and easily has made our lives easier, but the fact remains that it takes talking to someone in person to develop a real connection and build rapport. This kind of communication allows you to both send and receive so much more information than what is being said. Things like tone of voice, open body language, hand gestures, pacing and eye contact can shape someone’s opinion of you even more than the words you say.

As a leader, it’s your job to communicate with people. You wouldn’t be in the position you are if you didn’t know what to say. But, what is often forgotten is that words only tell half the story. People read body language more than they listen to words. With that in mind, if you can become a master of using positive body language when communicating with others, your potential to lead and inspire is unlimited.

As a recruiter for the Life Sciences industries in the Bay Area, I would with business leaders to improve internal company processes through hiring the right employees. If you are looking for a new employee in the pharmaceutical, medical device, or biotech industries in the Bay Area, contact me, Jeff King.

If you’re a part of an organization of any size, you know the importance of setting and maintaining expectations. Whether expectations are placed on you or ones you set for the people on your team, they need to be made clear and are understood by everyone involved. Whenever ambiguity is present, you run the risk of poor communication, people cutting corners and diminished productivity. So, just how should you go about setting expectations? Try some of the following steps.

It Starts With You

People expect you to lead by example. If they see you taking shortcuts or giving anything less than your best effort, you can’t expect them to give everything they’ve got. This is why setting expectations for yourself is a crucial first step. It’s a good idea to write them down on paper and post them somewhere you can see them on a regular basis. Having clear expectations in your head is one thing. Putting them on paper is much more effective, however. Not only do you have a visual reminder, you allow others to see the standard you’ve set for yourself as well.

Where in Your Organization Do Expectations Need to Be Made Clearer?

Before you go off reinventing the wheel, put in the effort to examine every aspect of your organization to see where improvements can be made. Is there is a breakdown in communication between production and quality assurance? Are there issues with people showing up late? How can the regulatory department meet deadlines more consistently? By identifying gaps, you can hone in on where expectations need to be adjusted or made clearer.

Communicate

Once you’ve identified where expectations need to be made clear, the next step is to communicate them to everyone involved. Whether you’re addressing an individual or an entire group, meet everyone on their level. Instead of telling them they aren’t doing what’s expected, frame the conversation in a way that makes them feel empowered to raise the bar. Explaining why changes are being made in the context of how the entire company benefits is also a great strategy.

Make Everyone Part of the Conversation

When you’re setting new expectations, always remember that people have expectations of you as a leader too. This is why it’s important to have a dialogue. By asking people what they need from you helps both parties become clear on what’s expected. Are there supplies or tools that your group need to make their jobs easier? Are there antiquated processes that need to be updated? When you make everyone part of the conversation, they feel appreciated and the results will show in their work.

Write Them Down

After you’ve communicated what’s expected going forward, people will be enthused. After a while though, the hype fades and it’s easy for people to forget or just go back to the old way of doing things. If you write down what’s expected and post it somewhere visible, you provide clarity and a constant reminder for everyone.

Agreement

After you’ve had a mutual conversation and identified what everyone expects from each other, all parties have to buy in. That’s why it’s important for everyone to read, understand and come to agreement on what’s been written. If you have any dissenters, the chances of your expectations being met decrease dramatically. If you’re dealing with an individual that has disciplinary issues or isn’t otherwise making the grade, you may want to have them sign a written contract that clearly states what’s expected.

Take Time to Re-evaluate

In the age of technology, workplaces of all types have to be constantly evolving to be successful. Just because the expectations you set and the systems you implemented last year were working, doesn’t mean they still are. Take time to check in with your people on a regular basis. Is there a policy that no longer makes sense? Does the IT department have everything they need to keep your systems running their best? By doing this, you not only keep a pulse on what’s going on with your organization, you show people that you care. This goes a long way in determining how effective you can be as a leader.

It’s no secret that the most successful organizations have clear expectations for both leadership and employees. They open channels of communication, set boundaries and define responsibilities. But how you go about setting those expectations is what makes the difference. Instead of sending out a company-wide memo that most people won’t even read or barking orders at your team, go through the steps listed above. Doing so provides you an in-depth look at where improvements need and makes everyone feel like part of the process.

It’s important to make your employees feel valuable. A large part of doing so is giving raises. The trick is knowing when and how much to provide. You need your employees to prove their worth but not feel over expended without proper compensation.

As a Specialty Quality and Regulatory Recruiter, I have seen successful companies follow the properties that I will outline in this article. Employees leave jobs for many reasons. Pay and lack of recognition are big ones.

Acknowledge Value

To award raises, you must understand value within your company. This means, creating key performance indicators (KPI’s) for each employee. That way, your employees will know what they are working toward. Make sure that your goals challenge them but are achievable.

Keep Your Employees Informed

Communication is essential in any relationship – this includes business. Keep your employees informed throughout the year of whether they are meeting their KPI’s. You could do this by quarterly reports. Most people want to do well. Taking the time to review job performance, write a report, and meet is an investment for your company. Growing the skills of your employees is cheaper than hiring.

But, of course, if you need to add to your team or upgrade the team you have, I can help you find the right employee to help you meet company goals.

Don’t Guess! Crunch the Numbers

If your employees reach their goals, it’s essential that you provide them with the correct compensation. This is not only essential for them but the financial stability of your company. Employees receive more salary when they are providing more return to the company. Top performers should get a bigger raise, but be careful.

Giving too much of a raise can cause drama. Employees talk. If a colleague earns less of a raise than another a coworker could get upset. When you give your employee the raise, explain what goals they completed to justify the number.

It’s also important to make sure what you are paying your employees is competitive. There are salary surveys that can help. And for Regulatory and Quality positions in the San Francisco Bay Area I can be a resource to let you know what the market is paying for these positions. Paying a competitive salary will help you keep your employees. If you don’t want to pay the market rate for good talent, your competitors will.