Alloy Solutions Leadership Blog

In September 2020, we had a problem.

We were preparing for Leader-Chip, Alloy Solutions’ annual golf and leadership event at Quarry Oaks Golf Club. There was just one small complication:

We weren’t allowed inside the clubhouse. It was 2020. You remember.

No meeting room. No gathering inside. Even our awards ceremony would eventually take place outdoors on the driving range, with everyone appropriately spaced six feet apart. This presented an interesting challenge for an event designed around both leadership development and golf.  We weren’t excited about the prospect of just doing the “Chip” part of Leader-Chip.

So we got curious. If we couldn’t bring golfers into a conference room for leadership development, could we bring the leadership development onto the golf course?

Our answer had to be “yes.” And our answer was to make 18 videos. Yes. Eighteen.

We created three-minute videos on DISC, conflict management and resilience—six on each topic. Players watched one at every hole, a...

“Hey Ryan, how’s it going this week?”

“How is everything today?”

“Have you sent the proposal yet?”

“How did it go?”

“How is everyone doing this morning?”

“Do you need anything else from me?”

Managers have to ask a lot of questions. There are projects to track, work to monitor, and employees to connect with. Most of these questions have to do with staying informed. As a new manager once told me, “I have so much to keep track of, and so few answers.”

These questions serve a critical purpose in the role of a manager, but they don’t necessarily help employees solve problems, take ownership, or think differently. When we ask stronger questions, we create opportunities for better thinking, development, and performance.

Allow me to present the distinction in this manner:

• Transactional questions help us gather information, check status, and move work forward.
• Transformational questions help people think differently, build capability, and take ownership.

Transactional questions h...

“We haven’t trained Jake on that yet, so I’m handling it.”

“I don’t have time to explain it right now. It’s faster if I just do it myself.”

“Sarah has so much going on already. I feel bad putting more on her plate.”

I have heard managers give all kinds of reasons for why they aren’t delegating, but it usually comes down to this: I know I should delegate more, but it’s faster if I just do it myself.

It’s one of the most dangerous leadership traps out there, and here’s why: You’re probably right.

Actually, that’s not quite true. You’re probably right… for today.

The Bank of Tomorrow

When I speak to leaders, the biggest factor that keeps them from delegating more often is time. If I had a nickel for every time I heard something to the effect of “It’s just faster if I do it myself,” I would be writing this article from atop a throne of nickels. This challenge is especially strong for front-line managers, who are often tasked with managing work they used to do themselves and are stil...

A Reading List for Leaders, Part 2, from the Alloy Solutions Team

This is Part 2 in our Reading List series. Click Here for Part 1!

Perhaps the best part of being in the business of developing people is that you come across some truly outstanding resources for personal development. Scratch that - the best part is sharing those resources with others and watching their growth.

With that in mind, the Solutions Team has compiled the following list of our favorite books on personal growth and professional development. You can see the list for yourself, and if anything catches your eye, grab a copy for yourself on Amazon (links included below).

The Infinite Game - Simon Sinek
As Simon Sinek explains, most of us approach business goals like a series of finite games: short, defined periods with expressed goals and a clear endpoint. We chase quarterly sales goals and annual quotas. We know the rules and we know who else is playing, and we do anything we need to do to win THIS game. Then we'r...

A Reading List for Leaders, from the Alloy Solutions Team

Imagine, if you can, suddenly finding yourself with some extra time on your hands. Perhaps your office is closed to the public and you are working from home for the next few weeks, wiping out hours of commuting and meetings from your schedule. How will you spend this newfound time?

Certainly, you will have to adjust to your new surroundings and adapt your habits to fit new routines. Would you use this time to learn a new skill or knock out some chores you have been putting off? Maybe you're a personal-growth junkie like me, and you need something to keep your mind occupied so you can stay focused and motivated. To that end, I surveyed our Alloy team members to create a list of our favorite books on personal growth and professional development.

You can see the list for yourself, and if anything speaks to you, go ahead and grab a copy for yourself from Amazon (links included below).

This is Part 1 in our Reading List series. C...

Why You Can't Undervalue "Soft Skills" Training, by Ryan Hansen

It probably won't shock you that I'm a big believer in employee development. It's what I do - I'm a trainer and a coach and I write about the benefits of investing in people. Furthermore, I know from experience as a former employee in companies ranging from small to very large that intentional employee development programs are impactful, meaningful, and valuable - both for the companies that drive the initiatives and the individuals who participate. I really like the Richard Branson quote: "Train people well enough so they can leave. Treat them well enough so they don't want to."

For many groups, the pressures of day-to-day business operations take priority over employee development activities. The research tells us that this is a mistake that prioritizes short-term objectives over the long-term benefits to an organization.

Here are three key reasons to maintain an ongoing employee development program:

1. Increased Rec...