Articles – You-P

Remote Work: The Dilemma and Solution

I’m often asked how I handle requests from employees who want to work from home. Three key questions guide my response: If the answer to all three is a solid yes, I fully support them working remotely. I know they’ll stay committed and continue to deliver results, often with even greater gratitude. Over the years, I’ve learned that when leaders build real trust with their teams, employees go above and beyond to support shared goals. But if you are in doubt about these answers to any of those questions, I take a different stance. Approving remote work in those cases can create problems for the team and the business. The key is for leaders to be clear and confident in their decisions. Unfortunately, many today hesitate out of fear—fear of losing their own jobs—which leads to indecisiveness, a lack of support, and a toxic work culture. Most of the time, the leaders’ behavior is a reflection of the lack of infrastructure of the company, not offering clear KPIs, consistent methods of performance measurements, and a non-consolidated culture. Just as people often leave bad managers, they also stay for great ones. Strong results come from engaged employees and a healthy workplace. So, ask yourself: What kind of environment are you creating in your business? By Erika Molina

Business

Remote Work: The Dilemma and Solution Read Post »

The People Leader Book

I had a mentee a long time ago, a new people leader, and I used to tell him that there is no “recipe fits all” when we are talking about people. Individuals are unique, with different personalities, needs, and perspectives, and we people leaders, need to customize our interactions with every single person. Then, I told my mentee to think about an imaginary book, “The People Leader Book”, every day we learn something from our people, every day we need to stretch our abilities, explore new tools and skills, and build a new chapter in our People Leader Book with all these experiences, which will serve as a collection of knowledge that will be in our mind every time we interact with new individuals, making us stronger leaders. After a while, this mentee came back and said he was already in chapter one hundred of his book and felt much better prepared to be a people leader, but still progressing. I am, maybe, in my ten thousand chapters, and I am still progressing, as I said, people are unique, so we have plenty of opportunities to continue growing. by Erika Molina

Leadership

The People Leader Book Read Post »

Transformational Agent

What is the mission of a transformational agent? It’s common to confuse a transformational agent with a “wrecking ball”, but that misunderstanding can be a serious problem. A true transformational agent drives innovation and creativity. They’re wise enough to recognize great ideas—wherever they come from—and help the organization evolve with the right sense of urgency. This person is an attentive listener, a keen observer, and highly skilled at engaging others in the solution. They challenge the status quo, shake up the organization, and help build new processes and culture, while keeping people motivated and aligned. The result? Meaningful, lasting improvements Then, before acting, THINK: Are you a Wrecking Ball or a Transformational Agent?

Leadership

Transformational Agent Read Post »

Building credibility as a people manager with confidence

As a people manager, you are in the spotlight 100% of the time, and the team members are closely watching, and you need to be consistent with your behavior. Then, make sure you “walk the talk” and do not say things you do not intend to execute or act on. Also, be respectful and transparent. And I have a simple rule for that: In this way, being consistent in these behaviors, you will start to build credibility with your team, daily, one step each time. A trustful relationship is all your employees want and need from their leaders, they will respect you more for that, and be more engaged when you ask for action.

Leadership

Building credibility as a people manager with confidence Read Post »

Career Move: Embrace the Change

Embrace the Change, and let this feeling guide your thought process and actions, and enjoy it! From the moment you decide to steer your career in another direction and engage with a new company, environment, and job, you will feel that you are creating a great journey. If you stop and think rationally, you may conclude: Why change? Why put energy into changing if it is all fine? But” all fine” may not be enough anymore, and regardless of how mature your career is, ask yourself, is “all fine” okay? At some point in my career, I decided “all fine” was not what I wanted, although a wonderful “all fine” was not okay and neither was enough, and I opted for the change. This move brought me back many things: the ability to continue evolving, learning, creating, and testing new limits, or no limits at all, with no labels to define me. Undoubtedly, worthwhile. Embrace the Change! By Erika Molina

Career

Career Move: Embrace the Change Read Post »

Confidence is about bravery

Confidence is about bravery. Bravery to believe in yourself. Bravery to take risks. Bravery to steer your life or career in a new direction. I once heard someone say that confidence is the moment you realize there is no need to compare yourself to anyone else. To build on that thought, I say that confidence is the bravery to be yourself, unapologetically, every single day. Easier said than done. In our careers—and life in general—we often encounter people who act as roadblocks to our authenticity. These are the “energy vampires” who slowly drain our confidence. And yet, we sometimes allow them to do it. Why? There is no unique or simple answer, but the important piece of this process is for you to recognize who are these vampires, and block them from your life, or influence. Be brave to stop them. Use your superpower: Confidence. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. But what matters most is recognizing who these people are—and choosing to cut off their influence. Be brave enough to stand up to them. That’s your superpower: Confidence. By Erika Molina

Career

Confidence is about bravery Read Post »

How to professionally handle the feedback you disagree with

This is a tricky situation, as human beings, we tend to react immediately in front of a comment we disagree with. This demands practice, and you will need to be prepared, as you never know when you will be in this spot. The first step is to “listen and listen”, and demonstrate you are truly paying attention. Second, watch your body language, as it normally says much more than your own words. Do not roll your eyes or cross your arms in front of you. Third, after you have listened and paid attention, you will see that you have time to formulate a respectful answer, using some data to show your point of view. And finally, if you cannot come up with anything different than the feeling of “attack”, say “I will think about it, and come back to you”. Being professional in a critical discussion is key to demonstrating your maturity and ability to overcome conflict and difficult situations. By Erika Molina

Career

How to professionally handle the feedback you disagree with Read Post »

How to Retain Gen Z, Alpha, and Beta in Companies

There has been much discussion about the newer generations, who, in some people’s opinions, are perceived as neither hardworking nor engaged – a notion that bothers me a lot. However, this is not about a competition between the generations to determine “who is the best”. There are good and bad professionals in every generation. That is a fact! The real discussion should focus on different interests, opportunities, and how the current landscape influences these professionals. As a Gen Xer and a people leader for almost three decades, I have had the pleasure of working with individuals of all ages. I have worked with Baby Boomers who were full of wisdom and eager to share their knowledge. I have also worked with millennials and Gen Zs who brought creativity, energy, and passion for transforming the workplace and the world for the better. On the other hand, I have also encountered disengaged professionals across all generations. The key lesson I have learned from working with such diverse individuals is how to become a better people leader. I realized the importance of being flexible and tailoring the relationship based on each team member’s style and needs. The major difference that we all need to recognize is that each generation has distinct interests and opportunities. While I don’t intend to generalize or fit everyone into strict generational “buckets” (thankfully, diversity exists within each generation), certain societal trends are undeniable. For example, in my parents’ generation, fathers were traditionally responsible for bringing “food to the table” and protection to their family, while mothers managed the household and raised the children. In contrast, my generation values partnership; spouses share responsibilities at home, and most of the time, both partners are employed full-time. Many of us were raised by our Baby Boomers parents who encouraged us to study hard and get a good job in a big organization, often at the cost of work-life balance. Millennials, on the other hand, were born into the internet era, with a global reach at their fingertips. The same applies to subsequent generations, who have the power to access an entire world of data and information and a diverse array of career options, many of which didn’t exist before. This gives them a competitive advantage: they have choices. For businesses to attract and retain Gen Z, Alpha, and Beta professionals, leaders must rethink workplace dynamics and make significant changes. The question of how to maintain these newer generations will be critical to the future success of businesses. By Erika Molina comes to the market with a new approach, experienced in transforming your business and leadership to success. Let’s talk about that. I would love to hear your opinion and exchange experiences: here in LinkedIn comments/messages, or email me at erika.molina@you-p.io. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-retain-gen-z-alpha-beta-companies-erika-molina-h9muc/?trackingId=c%2FX94Nf6Q6itnbHcMGkZcQ%3D%3D

Business

How to Retain Gen Z, Alpha, and Beta in Companies Read Post »