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Michelle Ray

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Business Motivation

Sink Or Swim? How To Anticipate Change

May 27, 2016 by Michelle Ray

Why do organizations repeatedly react to rather than plan for change? Why are leaders often stupefied by the glaring realization that their workforces are aging, or that their customers have “suddenly” switched allegiances?

Consider the example of Mike, a manager working in the wholesale grocery business. Mike sought my advice to lead his department through change. He had just received a list of his company’s soon-to-be retired employees. [Read more…] about Sink Or Swim? How To Anticipate Change

Filed Under: Business, Business Motivation, Change Management, Creativity, customer service, economy, Innovation, Leadership, Talent War, Technology, Uncategorized Tagged With: Change, future of work, Lead Yourself First Institute, Michelle Ray, Talent Retent, transformational service, workplace

Leadership Lesson: How To Retain Great Employees For Long-Term Success

April 13, 2016 by Michelle Ray

“What could we have done differently?” This is the burning question on every leader’s mind when a great employee decides to leave. There is no question that the cost of rehiring and retraining, the impact on the bottom line and the stress associated with repeating the exercise takes a toll on every type of business. However, the good news is that you can break the cycle by relentlessly adhering to the following strategies: [Read more…] about Leadership Lesson: How To Retain Great Employees For Long-Term Success

Filed Under: Best workplaces, Business, Business Motivation, Leadership, Talent War, Uncategorized Tagged With: Best Places to Work, Change, Michelle Ray, Millennials, talent management, Talent Retention, World Class Brand

The Usual Suspects: Three Reasons Why Difficult People Win… And What You Can Do About It

March 23, 2016 by Michelle Ray

“She’s not happy unless everyone around her is panicked, nauseous or suicidal.” One of the unforgettable lines from Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) describing her boss, Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) in the movie “The Devil Wears Prada”. Fortunately, Andy realized that she didn’t need to play her boss’s game, refused to be a doormat and ultimately rose above Miranda’s outrageously dysfunctional behavior. Not only did she gain her respect, she learned to respect herself, succeeded in detaching from the drama and set impenetrable boundaries. Sadly, the same cannot be said for many individuals who work with difficult people. How are they able to push every “hot” button with ease? Why do they win? And what can be done to minimize their negative impact on morale, productivity and workplace cultures? [Read more…] about The Usual Suspects: Three Reasons Why Difficult People Win… And What You Can Do About It

Filed Under: Business Motivation, Happiness at Work, Leadership, Self-Leadership, Uncategorized, Workplace Tagged With: Conflict Management, Drama in the Workplace, Dysfunctional Behaviour, How to Deal with Difficult People, Michelle Ray, The Devil Wears Prada, Whiners

Leadership Lesson: Lead With Your Character, Not Your Title

February 10, 2016 by Michelle Ray

As I listened to the CEO’s concluding remarks at his organization’s staff appreciation event, I noted that every attendee was completely engaged; hanging onto every word. Five employees were being recognized for their service, and their leader enthralled the crowd as he shared anecdotes about each person. It was clear that the CEO’s expression of appreciation was heartfelt as he described his professional relationship and history with each individual in great detail. The stories were not about reaching sales targets, completion of projects or new client acquisitions. Rather than focusing exclusively on their contribution to the success of the business, the CEO spoke about the manner in which each honoree had made an impact on him and what he had learned from them in order to be a better person. [Read more…] about Leadership Lesson: Lead With Your Character, Not Your Title

Filed Under: Best workplaces, Business Motivation, Leadership, Uncategorized Tagged With: Lead Yourself First Institute, Leadership characteristics, Michelle Ray, talent management

Leaving a leadership legacy: Three tenets to live by

December 23, 2015 by Michelle Ray

As I watched the founder of one of Canada’s best places to work grace the stage, it became apparent that not only was he deeply moved by the reaction of his staff, but also reflective and humbled as his team applauded and stood to honour his legacy. Every team member, as well as managers at all levels, had been impacted by their founder’s philosophy, both personally and professionally.

Rarely have I seen such a display of affection for a leader, for a company. The fabric of the organization’s culture was entirely woven by the values and principles of a very special man. On this occasion, staff had gathered from around the world to celebrate a major milestone in the company’s history.  All were acutely aware of the significance of the event and the moment, realizing that the organization’s next chapter would be theirs to write.  [Read more…] about Leaving a leadership legacy: Three tenets to live by

Filed Under: Business, Business Motivation, Leadership, Motivational Stories, Uncategorized Tagged With: Character, Humility, Integrity, Leadership Traits, Legacy, Michelle Ray

Are you a Positive Influencer or a Chronic Complainer? Choose wisely.

October 30, 2015 by Michelle Ray

Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of meeting and working with an association that invited me to speak at their annual conference on the subject of influence. Although their membership is extremely diverse, the common denominator for all their members is the fact that they are in a position to profoundly impact their leaders, clients and co-workers on a daily basis. They were keen to learn more about the art and science of influence, and what struck a chord with me was the fact that they were passionate about making a positive difference in their respective workplaces. [Read more…] about Are you a Positive Influencer or a Chronic Complainer? Choose wisely.

Filed Under: Business, Business Motivation, career, Communication, Self-Leadership, Uncategorized, Workplace Tagged With: Communication Skiills, Influence, leadership, Michelle Ray

Resentment, Resistance, Rejection: Demystifying the Fear of Change

September 23, 2015 by Michelle Ray

Nothing changes if nothing changes. The only constant is change. All great changes were preceded by chaos…Wise and witty sayings on the subject of change that have become popularized and shared through the ages. Yet, many of us continue to baulk at any organizational change initiatives, despite the evidence presented by leaders who tell us that if we don’t move forward and break from the past, we risk becoming irrelevant. [Read more…] about Resentment, Resistance, Rejection: Demystifying the Fear of Change

Filed Under: Business, Business Motivation, career, change, overcoming adversity, resiliency, Uncategorized, uncertainty Tagged With: Change Management, Michelle Ray, workplace

Three ways to elevate your influence and energize your client relationships

July 19, 2015 by Michelle Ray

Business people asleep at a meeting

After enduring almost an hour of suffering, the convener finally called the meeting to a close. Attention spans had been stretched to the limit, the opportunity to reach consensus had failed and the client’s frustration levels soared to new heights. If this scenario sounds familiar, you are not alone. 

[Read more…] about Three ways to elevate your influence and energize your client relationships

Filed Under: Business, business meetings, Business Motivation, Communication, customer service, Leadership, meetings industry, presentation skills, Uncategorized Tagged With: business conference speakers, Lead Yourself First Institute, Michelle Ray, workplace

Three reasons why you aren’t winning the talent war

July 7, 2015 by Michelle Ray

Group of young people

Although the buzzwords “Talent Management” were first coined more than 15 years ago, many organizations are still searching for ways to attract and retain the best and brightest in order win the talent war.

Attraction is arguably the easiest piece of the talent management equation. However, companies that spend energy creating the perfect cocktail of salary and tailored compensation packages are missing the point for long-term success. High engagement and retention, coupled with developing outstanding leadership skills are the critical elements for gaining the strategic advantage. Conversely, your business will continue to lag behind if any of the following conditions persist: [Read more…] about Three reasons why you aren’t winning the talent war

Filed Under: Best workplaces, Business, Business Motivation, career, Diversity, economy, employee engagement, generation Y, HR, Leadership, multigenerational workplace, Talent War, Uncategorized Tagged With: business conference speakers, Employee engagement, Lead Yourself First Institute, leadership speakers, Michelle Ray, workplace

Three strategies to respond positively to negative feedback

June 30, 2015 by Michelle Ray

“You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar”…Anon

If you have ever been at the receiving end of criticism, either from a co-worker or manager, it is likely you have found yourself struggling to respond positively…or worse, have defaulted to apologizing when you have done nothing wrong. Even if the criticism is warranted or offered inappropriately, you cannot control the other person’s intention, words or delivery. What you can do is respond in a positive fashion while maintaining respect…for yourself and the bearer of disparaging comments. Whether the feedback pertains to your work, your relationship or a specific situation that transpired between both parties, your goal is to rise above the negativity and respond, rather than react. [Read more…] about Three strategies to respond positively to negative feedback

Filed Under: Business, Business Motivation, career, Communication, Conflict, performance reviews, personal leadership, professional development, Uncategorized, values in business Tagged With: business conference speakers, business keynote speakers, Lead Yourself First Institute, Michelle Ray

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