Who I Do My Best Work With (and Who I Don't)
I do my best work with leaders who are receptive to feedback and want to build heart centered, people first workplaces.
That's it. That's the biggest thing. Not your industry, not your team size, not whether you've already done a ton of work on your culture. It's the want, and the willingness to do the work.
Why I started KDZ
I spent about 10 years in corporate HR, across different industries, business types, and team sizes. And I kept hitting the same roadblock. In a lot of companies, HR is the middleman. You're trying to do what's best for the people, but you have to follow the directives of the people above you, even when it's not what you recommended.
I kept delivering messages and doing things that didn't align with me. And I had a hard time finding workplaces where leaders were fair, equitable, and wanted to build people first environments.
I found those leaders in the small business community. Small business owners are passionate about what they do and about the team they're building. They have full ownership, and they want to create a place people want to stay. So in 2022, I started my business to support them.
Who I do my best work with
It's okay if you don't know what's not working on your team. Most of my clients don't, at first. But you have to be willing to figure it out.
You also have to be willing to invest in your people. Leadership and team development takes funds, and it also takes space: real time for your leaders and your team to learn and grow.
When someone tells me they want to invest in their team and create a safe, productive workplace where people work from a place of passion, I know we're going to work well together. Whether they've already done a lot or don't know where to begin, that desire is what makes it a fit.
This is for you if...
You promoted great individual contributors into leadership, and they've never managed before.
You don't have the time to fully train your new leaders yourself.
You know something isn't working on your team, but you can't name it.
You're passionate about building a strong, productive team.
You're open to feedback yourself, not just giving it.
This is NOT for you if...
You see people as numbers.
You won't make time to invest in your leaders.
You're not open to giving and receiving feedback.
Your go to move when things get tough is letting someone go.
"I don't have the budget for this"
I hear this a lot with leadership and team development. But think about what it costs not to invest in your people: higher turnover, people burning out because they're not working in their strengths, and new leaders handling situations poorly because nobody ever trained them.
The research backs this up. In a Gallup study of 1.2 million employees, 67% of employees who strongly agreed that their manager focuses on their strengths were engaged at work. When employees strongly disagreed, that number dropped to 2%. [CHECK: confirm on Gallup's page before posting: https://www.gallup.com/workplace/236297/strengths-based-employee-development-business-results.aspx]
A team engagement isn't just a team building exercise. It's a learning experience. People become more self aware, and managers get real insight into how each person works and where they're strongest. You use it every single day.
Clarity is kindness
A wonderful, positive workplace still has hiccups. People slip up. Expectations get missed. My whole philosophy is to be kind, and be direct. I help leaders address those moments with compassion and clarity, so owners can focus on what they do best and actually be the CEO of their business.
If this sounds like you, I'd love to talk. I run CliftonStrengths team workshops and leadership development programs for small businesses. Comment TEAM on this post, or book a call here: https://www.kdzhrconsulting.com/contact-us-1
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Kirsten
