Lisa Mininni Archives - Excellerate Associates

Unlocking Your Success: Harnessing the Power of Human Wiring in Business

August 24, 2023 by Lisa Mininni Leave a Comment

After spending more than 30 years helping companies navigate change and scale, one big secret to success is understanding how people and systems connect. It often comes as a surprise to business leaders that our human wiring has a significant impact when it comes to leading change and reaching goals.

Unfortunately, a lot of leaders doubt that human wiring has practical applications in the real world. They’re not so sure until we show them case studies of how companies went from losing almost all their employees to keeping everyone in just three months. Or how sales shot up by a whopping 90% in the same time period. We even show them how teams go from being drained to being energized.

I invite you to consider your own organizational domains where insights into human wiring could make a difference in achieving outcomes with greater freedom and ease:

Leadership and Management:

Ever notice what gets you all excited might totally bore someone else? When you figure out the innate motivation of each team member, how they make choices, and even how they generate ideas, you can organize your team to perform optimally. Understanding human wiring opens up ways to motivate and lead your team better, which means they get more done and enjoy their jobs.

As a leader, enhancing your own awareness of human wiring increases your and your team’s productivity. You can read about how to boost your team’s work by 40% in just a month in this recent article, Increase Your Team Member’s Productivity 40 Percent in 30 Days.)

Employee Engagement and Productivity:

Then there’s making employees engaged and productive. Did you know there are simple things you can do to set up workspaces to maximize productivity?

I once trained a company where one person was wired as an Internal Thinker. She needed quiet uninterrupted time to concentrate and execute her job duties. But her coworkers from sales, who loved being around people, sat right next to her and kept interrupting.

The sales team thought they were being friendly, but all the interruptions made the Internal Thinker frustrated even doubt herself. Once we got to the bottom of human wiring needs, the company moved the Internal Thinker, much to her delight, to a spot with fewer distractions.

If moving desks isn’t an option, technology can help too. If you work in an open area, affix a little “traffic light” on your computer that shows when you need quiet. It can even sync with your calendar and shines red or green to denote times to stay away and times to engage. It might sound small, but it can make a big difference in having people get their innate human wiring needs met.

Recruitment and Hiring:

And let’s not forget about hiring new team members. Understanding human wiring helps you to increase your hiring efficacy. When you know the type of human wiring fits each job, you align people with jobs they enjoy doing. Check out Be A Hiring Hero: Match the Position That Plays to An Employee’s Strengths.

Company Culture:

Research suggests that the culture within a company plays a crucial role in determining its success or failure. However, the question arises: who is responsible for defining the company culture when it is unclear? The answer lies with both existing employees and new hires, as they collectively shape the culture through their behaviors and interactions.

Unfortunately, relying solely on observation to understand acceptable behavior within a company can be a hit-or-miss approach. This approach often leads to a revolving door of new hires, negatively impacting employee engagement and profitability. Recognizing this issue, we work with clients to not only intentionally identify key cultural alignment factors but also to understand the inherent traits of their teams.

Here’s an example of how one company realized the impact of their human wiring on the company’s culture and actively worked to change it. Check out Navigating Your Company’s Culture Conundrum: Who or What Determines the Path to Success and

Human Wiring: It Influences Your Company Culture More Than You Realize

Conflict Resolution and Communication:

Conflict is inevitable in any organization. Understanding what occurs as conflict and how to effectively communicate and mediate can disappear drama and lead to smoother conflict resolution processes. Here’s an added story on the Power of Tailored Communication.

Invitation to Transform Outcomes:

These are only a small fraction of organizational areas that are impacted by human wiring. If you are inspired to get deep insights into your own human wiring and learn fresh new ways to align your company’s work environment, join us for:

Wired to Win: Your Path to Passion, Purpose, and Prosperity

September 19-20, 2023 at Excellerate Associates located at:

Business Innovation Lab CoWorking & Conference Center, 38221 Plymouth Road, Suite 3, Livonia, MI 48150

Your human wiring assessment and a private Welcome Strategy Call is included.

Your Leadership Success is Not in The Doing

August 3, 2023 by Lisa Mininni Leave a Comment

Renowned entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker, Jim Rohn often spoke of his mentor, Mr. Shoaff. He credits Shoaf who used ten simple words to forever shift Rohn’s thinking. What were those 10 simple words?

“Success is something you attract by the person you become.”

Rohn credits his mentor’s advice for changing his life and sparking his own personal development journey. Rohn often suggested that if you want to do something remarkable, put your energy into becoming a better you—the best you. “Learn the skills. Practice the skills. Apply the skills.”

As a leader, it’s easy to think you’re applying the skills by motivating your team with incentives or giving them time off when asked. And, you may be doing a lot things. However, what I have found in my own journey is that it’s not always in the doing but rather the way of being that makes the biggest difference. Your way of being has the power to:

Open doors.
Deepen relationships.
Enroll others.
Create breakthrough results.

In the first step of our Entrepreneurial Edge System, a comprehensive system to business scaling, we dive into the critical distinctions on “Mastering Your Inner Entrepreneur.” This pivotal step has been deliberately placed at the forefront for its paramount importance. Emphasizing your way of being, particularly in the midst of adversity, has the power to transform circumstances significantly.

It is precisely in those trying moments that your leadership abilities and personal growth are put to the test. When faced with frustration, you’ll encounter your greatest challenges as well as invaluable lessons for personal development. Instead of succumbing to stress, judgment, or abruptness towards others, strive to adopt patience and curiosity when facing breakdowns during these challenging times.

There will be days of breakdowns. We all experience them. Before reacting, pause to consider most ideal response that is in alignment with your vision not your circumstance. Take a moment to ask:

What is the lesson for me?
What skill, distinction or way of being can I apply?
Who am I choosing to be in this moment?

After the situation, reflect and ask yourself:

What did I do well?
What do I need to take responsibility for and clean up or complete?
What could I have done differently?

Your leadership success is not in the doing, it’s in your being. Remember those 10 simple words: “Success is something you attract by the person you become.”

Increase Your Team Member’s Productivity 40% in 30 Days

July 27, 2023 by Lisa Mininni Leave a Comment

“You’re getting in the way.” This was my observation after attentively listening to a CEO recount the events that occurred just before her usually good-natured assistant shouted at her.

The CEO was completely confused as to why her assistant had a blown up at her. As we broke down the series of interruptions, the CEO realized that she wasn’t managing her assistant the way the assistant needed to be managed.

Why is this breakdown important?

Her assistant is naturally wired as higher in patience, meaning, she needed time blocks of uninterrupted time. She was not getting that interrupted time from her CEO and others to complete assignments.

The CEO, who is wired lower in patience, is naturally wired to accept interruptions so it didn’t phase her to continuously interrupt her assistant. The problem is, constant interruptions impeded her assistant’s performance.

How do you manage someone who is wired opposite of you?

In this case, we created a new possibility: Increased productivity for all. We established promises, processes and metrics. Instead of interrupting her assistant at every whim, the CEO committed to scheduling specific time to outline the priorities of the day. If there was a change in the priorities, the CEO would send an email asking her assistant to see her when she came to a stopping point. The assistant committed to being fully-self expressed when making requests for uninterrupted time rather than keeping her frustration inside.

The workable solution was measured resulting in a 40% increase in productivity in 30 days.

Why is this example important when leading others?

Leading is more than implementing generic productivity tips. Effective leadership is creating an environment where each individual thrives. Small changes can produce extraordinary results.

If you’re inspired to elevate your leadership and get similar results when leading others, register today to join us for:

Wired to Win: How Are You Hardwired?
Friday, August 4, 2023 from 8:30 – 1 pm. Join us online or onsite in Livonia, Michigan.

What Does It Really Mean to Create a Sustainable Business?

December 8, 2022 by Lisa Mininni Leave a Comment

If leaders learned anything during the pandemic, it’s the importance of intentionally creating a sustainable business. A company that can innovate, shift quickly, and creatively meet competing priorities won’t be a luxury, it will be a necessity.

As we welcome a new year, consider asking yourself: What does creating a sustainable company look like?

A sustainable business is usually defined as having a minimal negative impact or positive effect on the environment, community, society, or economy. Leaders often overthink what it means to build in sustainability.

If you’re like most business professionals, you may look at sustainability and think it involves making large capital investments. I invite to look at a broader definition of sustainability. What are the little changes that could be made that make a lasting difference not only for the environment but keep your business sustainable and even ready to take on an unexpected event.

When I was renovating the Business Innovation Lab CoWorking & Conference Center five years ago, it was quite an undertaking. While simultaneously managing Excellerate Associates, I was also my own General Contractor since no GC’s would return my calls, especially for a small 8100 square foot project.

In just two months, six HVAC unit replacements, kitchenette installation, major plumbing installations, drywall, painting, lighting, and flooring were complete. In addition to making hundreds of decisions a day between two companies, I could have easily thrown my hands in the air. There were days I was simply overloaded and asked myself what I got myself into in purchasing the building.

As I was renovating the Business Innovation Lab, the renovation costs came in higher than projected. This often happens in any renovation but that meant shifting funds from the furnishing’s budget. Training tables, chairs, whiteboards, supplies, podiums all had a cost. Keeping sustainability in mind, here’s where we not only saved on the budget but how we built in sustainability especially for something we could not have anticipated.

Little did we know that in 2020 when we started the second half of the renovations, we would be confronted with a major pandemic. Being mindful of sustainability in our first half of the renovation, helped us navigate this unexpected event. While we were fortunate to be nearly at full capacity during the pandemic, we also had reserves that wouldn’t be there if we spent it on high-end, brand-name furnishings.

Below are steps in using a sustainability mindset that had a positive environmental and economic impact:

1. Notify Your Network.

The first step to building sustainability was to notify my network. When one of my family members heard that a law firm was renovating, she let me know that they were getting rid of executive chairs, wall hangings, and commercial furniture. The ergonomic executive chairs alone saved almost $10,000. They were going to throw out this furniture! Add on commercial meeting tables, bookshelves, and other artwork, we saved at least $50,000 in costs and saved the furniture from going to a landfill.

If you’re fortunate to work with a company that is renovating, don’t let those resources go to a landfill, contact your local Chamber who may know a small business that could use the furniture. In my case, some of the commercial furniture needed a touch up. With some fabric paint and wood stain, we took coffee table and chairs from dated to delightful.

2. Reuse.

As I was looking at my growing collection of plastic grocery bags, they were the perfect size for the trash cans in each of the coworking offices. When we announced our sustainability efforts and that we would be reusing the single-use shopping bags, our coworking members gave us glowing feedback. They liked seeing how the bags from the local family-owned grocery store were being reused.

3. Repurpose.

With a conference room, buying bulk items, like candle holders for events can add up. As I was looking at our glass collection of yogurt containers, I realized that a small tea candle could fit inside. Who knew repurposing could be healthy and functional!

4. Rethink.

When our sponsor proactively suggested using paper gift bags instead of plastic gift bags for a recent gathering in our conference room, we were elated. Consider making this simple shift with your collaborators, at your next event, or when purchasing your branded products.

With little effort, we were able to have an economic and environmental impact that aligned with our company goals and brand. With collaboration with our sponsor-partners, we are able to infuse sustainable choices. I invite you to look around your company and your daily processes to see what you could repurpose, refurbish, reuse, or even rethink ways to make your company highly sustainable.

When Creating Systems, Training is Not a One and Done

March 31, 2022 by Lisa Mininni Leave a Comment

If you want to take your company or a project to the next level, but it feels like the only way to expand is by working more and longer hours, you might need a system. Mentioning the word systems might evoke an instant reaction.

When I spoke to a group of CEO’s who own their own companies, I asked them what comes to mind when I say the word systems. I received a range of looks, reactions, and thoughts. Some of the CEO’s looked like they just ate a lemon and some responded with:

-Systems give you freedom
-Systems allow you to scale
-Systems create efficiencies

For the most part, business leaders have a love-hate relationship with systems. They love the idea of having more freedom and opportunity by using systems but hate the idea of implementing them, setting up accountabilities, and improving them. For some wiring profiles, maintaining those systems feels like they are wasting their time when they could be going on to the next strategy.

In my experience with my clients, one of the biggest mistakes is setting and forgetting them. It’s not enough to implement a system and train your employees once.

It’s critical for a leader to set up the accountabilities to ensure the processes are met consistently. For example, when a client complained that her team was not meeting the standards after they set up a process, we explored what might be missing. I asked some questions about the implementation of the processes, such as:

1. Was a simulation provided where the team demonstrates the process or is tested on their knowledge of it?
2. Were the standards and training reinforced regularly?
3. Was there consistent corrective retraining given when there were errors or breakdowns?
4. What are the metrics to measure performance?

With each question, my client realized that training a person one time wasn’t enough. If she wanted her systems to work, she would need to train (and/or retrain) the very team that was interacting with the system and ensure there is a process for continuous improvement.

Building in continuous improvement doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective. You can:

• Designate a lead trainer.
• Use part of a team meeting to reinforce a specific process or standard.
• Use breakdowns as learning opportunities highlighting them to reinforce the standards.

As many of my clients learn, some human wiring traits need ongoing reinforcement because they receive assurances that they are implementing the training correctly.

Implementing systems is not a one and done. You can ensure your systems and the team managing those systems will succeed when you build in strong continuous improvement steps.

Invitation

If you’re inspired to create powerful systems for your business, join us at the Wake Up Profitable Boot Camp for Business Owners on April 21-22, 2022.

Reserve your spot today:

Get Your Free eBook: Elevate and Expand Your Brand