Kaizen is a Japanese word coming back to the meaning of improvement. As a management philosophy, it refers to a set of practices aimed at continuously improving processes, products, and services by making small, incremental changes. Essentially, it's what are the small steps we can take over time instead of large, big sweeping changes all at once. 

Today, I want to share this special episode where I talk with another consultant and coach who specializes in HR and DEI consulting. In this episode, we'll be hearing their insight across industries and what they wish they could give their clients feedback on. I want to welcome George to the podcast today. He's a principal consultant at Blue Streak Consultants. Welcome to the conversation today. 

This week, Sara shares some research on the challenge of employee turnover and provides three steps that leaders can take to address it. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the reasons behind turnover and tailoring strategies to address them. Learn to measure the effectiveness of these strategies and focus on tactics that make a difference. The goal is to create a more committed workforce and retain valuable talent. Subscribe to the podcast for new episodes weekly!

Discover how to make feedback a positive experience in the latest episode of “Can I Offer You Some Feedback?”! Featuring the insightful Otto, a fundraising and development officer for a large nonprofit and a former real estate broker owner. Otto introduces a refreshing take on delivering constructive criticism with kindness and intention. Timing is everything! Sara and guest, emphasize the importance of allowing feedback to breathe. Learn how to balance immediacy with thoughtful reflection in your feedback conversations.

Sara shares a brand new Business Bites on Decision Matrix Analysis: a systematic approach to making complex business decisions. It involves scoring options against predefined criteria and creating a weighted total to determine the best choice.

This week on the podcast, Sara discusses Strength Based Assessments. This is an assessment tool that measures what a person is already doing well. Keeping in mind their unique strengths and capacities. The idea is to use these benefits of what people already do well to be able to enable them to do more. Not only as individuals but as a part of teams.

In this special consultant episode of the podcast, Sara brings on Kristen, founder of KM Career Coaching and Consulting. Listen to their conversation surrounding the potential impact of career coaching across the spectrum of employment. They discuss some misconceptions and benefits to career coaching. The unique opportunity of having a coaching experience helps professionals move forward no matter where they are in their careers.

This week Sara provides some recent leadership research provided by O.C. Tanner to understand if managers actually knew what employees were interested in. 79% of leaders reported they had a good sense of understanding of what their employees want, while less than half of employees identified with that. What does this mean for people that sit in a leadership position in an organization? How does one best support their team while still getting essential tasks done?

This week Sara brings on Jaclyn, a customer success manager at an open source software company. They discuss how feedback should be paired with empathy and curiosity while also having the best intentions. It’s easier to have constructive or corrective conversations when establishing credibility and building a relationship first.

This week Sara gives us a Business Bite on Gantt Charts and Project Timelines. Project timelines help us  think about dates that are critical. A Gantt chart is typically a horizontal representation of a project with line items and overlapping bars, showing how long each task is going to take. It’s important to know how much work and dependencies need to be done in which order. By using a Gantt chart, effort and duration can be reflected.

This week we are joined by Sarah Eppink, principal and founder of Aisling Group. Sara and Sarah dive into the practice areas of leadership, talent development, and coaching. They discuss how the boundary lines have shifted since COVID and how many leaders are adapting to the challenges.

This week Sara gives a special feature episode of Research Revealed! This is where she provides the latest research on team effectiveness, leadership development, and organizational behavior. In this new episode, Sara reveals leadership research from O.C. Tanner on shifts in current responsibility since the pandemic. How do these results affect operations?

This week Sara talks with Liz, professor of environmental history. Hear their approach to conversations surrounding meaningful feedback, that is encouraging and promoting growth. They discuss the distinctions of gauging the type of feedback that needs to be given in different situations. What works for someone may look different with another person.

This week, Sara shares a business bite with us on Emotional Intelligence Assessments. A unique component that demonstrates how well an individual regulates emotions effectively. She shares the depths of Self Assessments, 180 Assessments and the 360 Degree Assessments. These can effectively develop tools to improve competency overtime.

This week Sara gives a special Consultant Insights episode you’ll hear from another coach and consultant, who specializes in leadership development and communication strategy. In this episode Sara welcomes, founder and CEO of Minerva’s Legacy , Dani! They dive into the complexities of working with a range of clients as well as the importance of developing a communications strategy with teams. Listen to the full conversation and learn more about developing leaders on your team.

This week Sara presents a special feature called Research Revealed! Providing you with the latest research on team effectiveness, leadership development, and organizational behavior. In this brand new episode, hear research findings on how trust is shown in organizations. How can leaders improve the way employees perceive trustworthiness?

In this episode of “Can I Offer You Some Feedback?” Sara brings on Pat, an Operations Director and Life Coach! They talk about remaining open to receiving an observation from someone and in doing so, making the other person feel comfortable to provide the feedback.

This week Sara gives a Business Bite on the DECIDE Model. Originally coined in the healthcare space, this business model is an acronym for activities needed in the decision making process. The DECIDE Model is simple yet designed to help us think about solution creation and executing the solution in mind.

This week Sara talks with Kerry, head of HR at a Social Services Agency. They discuss the importance of providing and responding to feedback that moves the conversation forward. Rooting feedback in curiosity and understanding, while also being specific. Having the necessary conversations with vulnerability and bravery. Want more feedback conversations?

This week Sara shares a decision making tool called, Fist to Five. This technique is a way to get consensus or quickly gain feedback from others in a meeting or a group setting. Using hands and fingers to show a level of agreement or disagreement to a statement. This is easy to implement, while giving the opportunity for clarity on what needs to be resolved.

This week Sara welcomes Rita who is a digital fabrication education consultant. They talk about providing feedback organizationally and in the education system. When taking the time to break down how to approach feedback alongside someone and not from above them. It’s a process that we might not get right the first time, but are in this together.

This week Sara shares a Business Bite with us on Interpreting Organizational Language. When thinking about learning a new language, there is a structure behind it. The same is true when going into a new organization. When trying to understand the concepts and rules, the context and word choice matters. It’s important to seek out understanding to make sure all parties are on the same page and using the same words.

This week Sara welcomes Amanda, she’s an executive director of an LGBT chamber of commerce. They talk about being open to a conversation of feedback that comes with uncertainty. Debriefing, decompressing and thinking of the language around getting to what needs to be said. How can we approach feedback? What skills are put into place to reach that space of meaningful feedback?

This week Sara gives a Business Bite on Cost of Difficult Behavior or conflict in the workplace. On the surface level, of course there are short term effects of not dealing with challenging behavior. It can be consequential for an organization to ignore this. It’s important to consider the implications that could manifest in the short, medium and long term, as a result of leaving conflict ignored.

This week Sara welcomes Registered Dietitian and Health Coach Divya to the conversation! They talk about distilling the most important information in reacting to receiving feedback. While the feedback should be providing assistance and support for professional development and growth. It’s imperative to understand the why behind the improvement and provide guidance to make important changes, by using examples and recommendations.

This week Sara provides another Business Bite on Influencing Others. She shares three different ways to influence or make appeals: logical appeals, emotional appeals, and co-operative appeals. Each speaks to a different part of us such as our head, heart and hands. Consider each of these perspectives when engaging with the other party to make an appeal that is most effective for them.

This week Sara is joined by Khaliah who is a Director of Policy at a Health System and a Professor of Nursing. They talk about the preparation of providing feedback to others to level set a crucial or critical conversation. Being upfront, candid and very clear so feedback is not a journey of surprise.

This week Sara provides a Business Bite with us on Intent vs. Impact when it comes to leaders. It’s important to think about the intentionality around leaders, but it is also essential to consider the impact of the decisions being made. The difference comes down to feedback, and getting information from others to gauge how one is actually doing.

This week Sara brings on Adrianne who is an Associate Dean of Equity and Belonging. They talk about resonating feedback with a cord that already exists within yourself. Rather critical or encouraging feedback, it’s like putting a mirror right in front of you and having those “aha!” moments.

This week Sara shares a Business Bite with us about De Escalation. She describes a 5 stage process for understanding where someone lies along the lines of escalating behavior. Confusion, Frustration, Blame, Anger and Hostility. Usually no one intends to escalate someone's behavior. It’s important at the moment to look at each stage and the appropriate steps to take, to best support that person going forward.