People Drive Business

A leader can make or break a team’s success. Karin DiCarlo, a seasoned executive with 13 years of experience at Movati Athletic, shares her insights on leadership, motivation, engagement, and operational leadership. Karin earned her Bachelor of Health Sciences from the University of Waterloo and has worked through most of Movati’s 16 locations in various roles, finding her true passion in operations as General Manager. Karin’s experience and insights offer valuable lessons for leaders across industries. She was a guest on the Accelerating Operational Performance podcast with leadership expert Greg Schinkel. You can listen to the full episode here or watch the video here.

The Importance of Leadership Presence

Leaders play a crucial role in fostering a positive and productive work environment. One of the most crucial yet often overlooked aspects of leadership is the leader’s presence. 

A leader’s presence extends beyond mere physical proximity; it encompasses full engagement and attentiveness to the team’s needs. Accessibility and approachability foster an environment where team members feel comfortable voicing questions, concerns, or ideas. Leaders establish trust and rapport with their team through this approach, promoting effective collaboration and communication.

Being present in the moment and focusing on delivering in one’s current role is key. Karin advises against constantly looking toward the next position or title, as this can hinder one’s ability to shine in one’s current role. She encourages leaders to “be where their feet are,” fully engaged and present, and lead with kindness and grace, even when delivering difficult news.

Key Insight: A leader’s presence is not just about being physically present; it involves being fully engaged and accessible to the team.

Strategy: Leaders should focus on their current role, foster a positive work environment, and build trust with their team.

Impact: Effective leadership fosters a supportive culture that promotes trust, collaboration, and innovation within a team. This leads to team success and organizational growth.

The Power of Positive Expectations

One of the most powerful takeaways from Karin was her emphasis on the importance of setting positive expectations for employees. As she eloquently said, “When you predetermine the outcome of a person’s career… it’s prejudging, and then everything else that follows supports and supplements that belief.” This statement encapsulates the essence of the self-fulfilling prophecy, a psychological concept where a person’s beliefs about another individual can unknowingly shape that individual’s behavior and performance to align with those beliefs. 

In the context of leadership, a manager’s expectations of their employees can become a powerful force, either propelling them toward success or hindering their growth. When a leader believes in an employee’s potential and communicates that belief through encouragement, support, and opportunities for development, it can ignite a spark within the employee, motivating them to strive for excellence. Conversely, if a leader harbors doubts or negative expectations, it can create a self-limiting environment where the employee may internalize those doubts and underperform. By consciously cultivating a positive mindset and setting high expectations, we can create a more fulfilling and successful life for ourselves and those around us.

Key Insight: A leader’s expectations can significantly impact an employee’s performance, either positively or negatively.

Strategy: Empower employees by setting high expectations and providing support.

Impact: Positive expectations lead to higher performance, negative ones hinder it.

Aligning Departmental Objectives

In her role as General Manager, Karin oversees a complex operation with multiple departments, each with its own budget and goals. Department managers must understand the objectives of other departments and their pain points so they can work together. This cross-functional understanding is key to creating a seamless and positive experience for the club’s members.

Karin’s approach begins with a foundational step: having each department manager articulate their vision for their team. This vision is a guiding star, outlining the department’s long-term aspirations.  Next, managers identify the five essential behavioral traits required to achieve this vision. These traits become the building blocks of a successful team culture and a roadmap for individual performance expectations.

By defining both the vision and the key behavioral traits, Karin establishes a framework for aligning departmental objectives.  Managers gain clarity on their own team’s direction and the behaviors that will drive success. Simultaneously, this process fosters a shared understanding across departments, enabling them to recognize how their work interconnects and contributes to the broader vision of the club. This collaborative strategy fosters effective communication and promotes cooperation, creating a cohesive and member-focused experience.

Key Insight: Aligning departmental objectives starts with a clear vision and understanding of the essential behaviors required to achieve it.

Strategy: Department managers should articulate their team’s vision and identify the key behavioral traits necessary for success.

Impact: This aligns departments, improves efficiency, and benefits customers.

How to Lead Effectively

Contrary to popular belief, holding a leadership title is not the sole determinant of success. Genuine leadership transcends titles and positions. It involves influencing and motivating others to work towards a shared objective. Here are some insights into effective leadership:

Be Present and Mindful

Highly effective leaders recognize the critical importance of being fully engaged and mindful in their current roles. Continuously looking toward the next position can hinder leaders from excelling in their current responsibilities. Instead, the suggestion is to concentrate on delivering outstanding results in the present role. This approach demonstrates professionalism and commitment and creates a solid foundation for future career advancement. By focusing on the tasks at hand, leaders can make a significant impact, inspire their teams, and cultivate a positive work environment. In the long run, this approach leads to greater personal satisfaction, professional growth, and a reputation for excellence.

Knowledge is Power

Leaders have a profound understanding that knowledge is a formidable tool that can transform individuals and organizations. They actively encourage individuals to embrace a culture of inquiry where questions are welcomed and celebrated. Breaking down complex concepts into manageable components makes knowledge accessible and digestible for everyone. The continuous pursuit of learning is seen as a cornerstone of personal and professional growth, as it empowers leaders to make informed decisions, adapt to changing circumstances, and inspire those around them. Through acquiring knowledge, leaders gain the confidence and effectiveness needed to excel in their roles and drive positive change in their communities.

Lead with Kindness 

Leaders can address performance issues objectively and professionally by taking a step back from their personal feelings and focusing on the improvements required. This approach creates a more positive and productive environment for both the leader and the employee, fostering open communication and collaboration. Additionally, it helps maintain a healthy work culture and sets a positive example for others within the organization. By prioritizing kindness in difficult conversations, leaders can effectively address performance issues while also maintaining a positive and respectful relationship with their employees.

Focus on Motivation and Development

Understanding what motivates and inspires individuals is crucial for effective leadership. Leaders who can tap into their team member’s unique strengths and aspirations are more likely to create a motivated and engaged workforce. By providing opportunities for growth and development, leaders can help their employees reach their full potential and contribute to the organization’s success. Employees are more likely to perform well when they feel valued and appreciated and have the potential for career advancement or skill development. A positive work environment fosters employee engagement and dedication.

Karin’s insights on how to lead provide valuable guidance for aspiring leaders. By being present, knowledgeable, kind, and focused on motivating and developing others, individuals can become effective leaders, regardless of their formal title. True leadership is not about a position but about positively impacting and inspiring others to achieve great things.

Key Insight: Effective leadership is not about titles but influencing and motivating others.

Strategy: Be present, knowledgeable, and kind; motivate and develop your team.

Impact: This approach leads to a motivated and engaged workforce, fostering a positive work environment and driving success.

Delivering Difficult Conversations

“Focus on the characteristics that need to improve.”

Leaders often struggle with the right words when addressing challenging situations. We’ve listed some practical tips on delivering difficult conversations with ease.

1. Choose the Right Time and Place
   • Find a private and comfortable setting where both parties can discuss openly and honestly.
2. Start with Empathy
   • Acknowledge the other person’s feelings and concerns before addressing the issue at hand.
3. Be Specific and Direct
   • Clearly state the issue and provide concrete examples.
4. Listen Actively
   • Give the other person a chance to respond and express their point of view.
5. Find Common Ground
   • Look for areas of agreement and work together to find a solution.
6. Offer Support
   • Let the other person know that you are there to help them improve.
7. Follow Up
   • Check in with the other person regularly to see how they are doing and offer additional support if needed.

By implementing these suggestions, leaders can cultivate a respectful and cooperative atmosphere where challenging discussions can be managed effectively.

Key Insight: Difficult conversations should focus on the specific behaviors or areas needing improvement, not the person.

Strategy: Choose the right time and place, be empathetic and specific, actively listen, find common ground, offer support, and follow up.

Impact: This approach helps to maintain positive relationships while addressing performance issues, leading to a more productive and supportive work environment.

Identifying Future Leaders

Identifying future leaders is crucial to building a strong and sustainable organization. Karin believes it is important to look beyond task management skills and consider an individual’s ability to motivate and inspire others. She suggests that great task managers may not necessarily make great leaders and that sometimes, a lateral move can be a more suitable career path.

Karin advises organizations to observe and identify natural leaders within the workforce. These individuals are often sought after for answers and guidance, and they have the potential to become effective leaders in the future. Organizations can cultivate a pool of talented and motivated future leaders by providing opportunities for growth and development.

“You need to identify the people in the organization that people gravitate toward, the people that people go to for answers, and then really start to coach them up as leaders, even though they might not have the title.”

Prioritizing the identification and development of natural leaders can enhance a company’s ability to ensure a seamless transition and continuity of its leadership. Such a focus promotes a culture of innovation and excellence, enabling the organization to maintain its competitive edge and achieve long-term success.

Key Insight: Future leaders are not always the best task managers but those who can motivate and inspire others.

Strategy: Identify natural leaders within the organization, those whom others seek out for guidance, and provide them with coaching and development opportunities.

Impact: This builds a strong leadership pipeline for continued success.

The Difference Between a Great Task Manager and a Leader

In assessing a team member’s potential for leadership, you need to look beyond their task management skills and consider their ability to motivate and inspire others. Great task managers may not necessarily make great leaders; a lateral move can sometimes be a more suitable career path.

Characteristic	Task Manager	Leader
Focus	Primarily concerned with completing specific tasks.	Focused on the bigger picture, organizational goals, and long-term vision.
Delegation	May be reluctant to delegate tasks, fearing a drop in quality.	Empowers team members and delegates tasks effectively, fostering ownership and responsibility.
Communication	May focus on task-specific communication.	Communicates vision clearly, listens actively, fosters open dialogue, and builds trust.
Emotional Intelligence	May be less focused on the emotional aspects of the workplace.	Demonstrates high emotional intelligence, empathy and creates a positive and supportive work environment.

Leading from the Front Line

Leaders need to be actively involved in the day-to-day operations of their business, setting an example for their employees and providing guidance and support when needed. As Karin put it, “The numbers don’t get changed by looking at them, they get changed by going out and leading and setting the example of what you want to see.” This is a powerful reminder that leadership is not just about setting goals and delegating tasks but also about being present and actively involved in the work.

Perhaps the most profound insight from our conversation was Karin’s emphasis on the importance of culture as the foundation for operational success.

“Numbers don’t drive your business, regardless of what people think. People drive your business.”

Creating a positive and supportive culture where employees feel valued and empowered to make decisions is key to driving performance and achieving results. We wholeheartedly agree with this, a strong culture can lead to improved employee engagement, productivity, and overall business success.