3 Tips for Conversations that Count

'I need to talk to her/him .... but not now, later.’

If this sort of thinking is familiar, you are certainly not alone.  Our minds are very effective at blocking us from taking actions that will move us out of our settled, preferred behaviour patterns.  This is why so many conversations to confront small issues with a manager, peer or report never happen.  We mean to have the conversation but somehow or other, the time is never quite right or there are other tasks that must come first. 

So the biggest barrier to having effective workplace conversations that solve issues before they turn into bigger problems is in our own minds.  We think we can't handle it, or that it will be unpleasant or we might be unpopular. 

Instead of ‘meaning to do it,” here are three ways to help you get it done:

(1) Notice it and Flip that Thought!

Pay close attention to your inner voice,  the interior monologue that tells us what to do and not do.  When you catch yourself putting off doing something, consciously stop and think, ‘Why am I thinking I will do it later.’  Flip that thought over and think, ‘Why I should do it now and not delay.’  By flipping our typical thoughts over and not just going along with them, we are consciously examining their validity and power over us.  By starting to think in counter-intuitive ways, we begin to behave differently where and when it makes sense to do so.

(2) Straight Off the Bat, Know What You Will Say

You don’t have to prepare the whole conversation; just the first few sentences.  These sentences are the most critical as they create the initial impressions, set the tone (i.e. friendly, collaborative, neutral) and enable you to place a positive frame around the topic.  Draft your opening sentences in writing and practise saying them out loud a few times.  They should only take a couple of minutes.  At which time, you stop talking and ask the other person to respond.

(3) Create the Vibe of ‘We’re in It Together’ 

There is nothing more unfair than to launch into a conversation with a direct report (or anyone) with an account of their behaviour that you have heard from a third party as if you are speaking the complete truth of the matter.  Unfortunately it is an error of judgment that executives, managers and team leaders make all too frequently.  Naturally the person being accused is going to resist, defend themselves or attack.  We haven’t given her/him the benefit of a mind that is open to their side of the story.  Always approach it as “innocent until proven guilty.” 

If you are confronting someone who has exhibited poor behaviours, talk about it as being something “we can work on…” and “solve together” in your opening sentences.  This way it is not like slapping someone with a wet fish in the face of ‘It’s you who is the problem’ and ‘Your behaviours are harming others’ to which he/she will almost certainly react negatively.  Build in questions like “How do you see it?” and try to listen twice as much as you talk.  

We hope you find these three techniques helpful in having conversations that count at work.  We welcome any comments, feedback and questions from you on this topic.

Note:

The above conversational techniques are drawn from People Results’ Conversations that Count Half-Day workshop which is being held in Brisbane on Tuesday 27^th August, 2013.  Registrations are open and Early–Bird and Multiple Registration discounts are available until sold out. 

If you would like more information and/or to book, please go to http://www.stickytickets.com.au/12119   If you would like to arrange this workshop internally for your managers and staff, please contact People Results on 1300 167 981 or enquiries@peopleresults.com.au.

You Don’t Have to be “Perfect” to be a Successful Presenter

It is a widely-acknowledged truth that many people fear speaking in public.  Some will run a mile from presenting to a group of people they know well, for instance peers and colleagues.  Others hate presenting in front of people they don’t know, for instance at a business luncheon or social occasion.  

Emerging leaders volunteer to be the one out in front!

 

Yet others hate being the one out in front and presenting to a group of any kind, even when they are the acknowledged expert.   One example I recall was when I was the State Director of a human resources firm and invited a senior psychologist with many years experience to present to a group of clients working through their career transition programs with our firm.  The presenter accepted my invitation and mentioned how he was usually nervous and did not like doing group presentations.  I took this information on board but didn’t give it much weight until I actually saw him in action.

I was astonished to see how this self-assured senior professional began to show his anxiety shortly after he commenced speaking.  He stumbled over his words and appeared to lose his train of thought.  He stopped talking, looked down at the floor and his voice trembled slightly.  Worst of all, he started to sweat profusely.  Clearly he was stricken with severe anxiety and I quickly devised a solution where he could sit down and we could have a round-table discussion, rather than a stand-up presentation.  

Fortunately most people don’t suffer such debilitating symptoms before or during their presentations.  In fact, the butterflies in the stomach, the slightly-raised respiration and sweaty palms are typical and normal ways we feel before we speak in public.  We may think that others can see right through us and know how nervous we are but generally our “nerves” are not that obvious to members of the audience. 

In People Results’ Confident Presentation Skills One-Day workshop, we talk about how our goal is not to be “the perfect presenter” but to become “a competent presenter.”  Once we are competent, we will find that we can become a more accomplished and confident speaker with practice and more practice.

In the Confident Presentation Skills workshop, the first module of the day is devoted to some simple yet very effective techniques to release and diminish the nervous tension in our bodies and voices before we commence and during our presentation.  We cover this element first because we know it is one of the keys to becoming a successful, self-assured speaker.

As an example of how a “not perfect” presenter can be a very successful, entertaining presenter, I have attached a video presentation by A.J. Jacobs "The Importance of Self-Delusion on the Creative Process".   

Don't be put off by the strange title (which is definitely tongue in cheek) although it is a long presentation and you may not wish to view/ listen to all of it.  However, please take note of the things that AJ does which are not out of the “The Perfect Presenter’s Copy-Book.”  Here are a couple to get you thinking: 

·         He looks down at the floor a lot.

·         He paces to and fro all the time.

·         He uses palm cards, stops the presentation to read them and find his place.

Despite the above “flaws”, I believe that AJ is a very engaging and entertaining presenter.  He uses his likeable personality, ability to tell a good joke (often against himself) and weaves in some very interesting personal anecdotes to illustrate his points.  And so we listen and look, and we keep on listening and looking.  He has captured our attention; we are engaged with him, his stories and his presentation.  In my view, AJ is a very successful presenter despite the obvious imperfections of his technique.

What do you think?  Your views and feedback are very welcome. 

Lynne Lloyd 

Managing Director 

People Results 

Executive Coaching and Talent Development Programs 

Telephone  1300 167 981 

Email  enquiries@peopleresults.com.au 

Web  www.peopleresults.com.au 

Note:

The Confident Presentation Skills workshop is being held on Wednesday, 31^st July 2013 in Brisbane and registrations are now open.   Generous Early-Bird and Value Package offers are available until sold out.   For any questions or assistance, please get in touch with us at People Results at the above contact points.    

  

What does it take to be a whistleblower?

Cynthia simply loved numbers!  At High School, she couldn’t wait to get to accounting; it was her favourite class.  Cynthia Cooper was a high achiever who showed a healthy streak of determination in going after her goals.  All her teachers, family and friends agreed that Cynthia was destined to join the accounting profession.

Fast forward to early March 2002 and a cloudy Monday morning, Cynthia turned her car into the space with the sign “Vice President Internal Audit.”  As she switched off the ignition, she thought to herself, “Life is good!”   Only 38 years old and she had the job of her dreams!    She couldn’t believe how lucky she had been to work her way up through the ranks at WorldCom over the last 10 years.  That the giant telecommunications corporation was headquartered in Clinton Mississippi was perfect.  Cynthia’s parents lived close by, she was happily married to Lance and they had two little daughters.  She couldn’t imagine how things could have worked out better. 



 As Vice-President Internal Audit, nothing and no-one would stop Cynthia doing her job!

This particular Monday morning Cynthia was hurrying to make her 8.45am meeting with the Divisional Vice President of WorldCom’s Wireless business, John Stupka.  He was already waiting for her outside her office on the 18^th floor.  “Hi, John, you’re a little early, aren’t you?” she said smiling, “Come right in.”  It turned out to be a very intense meeting.

John was angry about a $400 million reserve that Scott Sullivan, WorldCom’s CFO, had taken out of his Division.  The purpose of the reserve was to account for possible revenue shortfalls if customers didn’t pay their bills and his Division suffered a large pool of bad debts.   He complained to Cynthia, “Now I’ll have to report a large loss in the next quarter.”  He had also voiced his concerns to Arthur Andersen, their external auditors, but they had backed up the CFO in his decision to divert the $400 million into WorldCom’s income account.  Cynthia was puzzled by this transaction and promised him that she would get some answers from Scott Sullivan (who was also her boss) and would ring Arthur Andersen.

 
Shortly after John left her office, Cynthia telephoned Andersen’s and spoke to the Audit Partner responsible for WorldCom.  His response was frosty and he brushed her off by saying that he only took instructions from Scott Sullivan.  This was like waving a red flag in front of a bull.  Cynthia instructed members of her staff to “Go dig.”  While her staff commenced their investigations, Cynthia moved quickly to appeal the decision with the audit committee of WorldCom’s Board of Directors.  This decision put her in direct conflict with Scott Sullivan.  Both she and Sullivan presented their separate cases to the audit committee on March 6, 2002.  The outcome:   Sullivan backed down on his decision to transfer the $400 million reserve out of the Wireless Division. 

The next day Cynthia was at the hair salon when she received a call on her cell phone from Scott Sullivan.  He warned her, “In future, you are not to interfere in the Wireless Division.”  This was a moment of truth:  her boss, the second most powerful executive at WorldCom after the CEO Bernie Ebbers, was making it loud and clear that she should not continue her current line of investigations.

Scott Sullivan was instructing his direct report, as he had every right to do, but was she going to comply?  How many people at this point would have backed away and called off any further probing.  Cynthia had worked hard to get to her senior position of VP Internal Audit with 24 staff reporting to her.  To continue her investigations could turn into a career-limiting move.  It was not Internal Audit’s responsibility to undertake their financial auditing as this was generally handled by their external auditors.  Yet the more Cynthia thought about it, the more her misgivings grew that something was not right about how and why this $400 million transaction had been authorised.

The following day – March 7 – the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) dropped a bombshell on WorldCom executives with a “Request for Information.”  Regulators at the SEC were concerned that WorldCom’s reported results had been so strong when all their competitors had been losing money hand over fist in 2001.  If Cynthia’s instincts that something was wrong had been aroused before, she now felt certain that her Internal Auditing team must step up their investigations.  She decided they would start doing financial audits to check the reliability and integrity of the financial information which the company was making public to investors and the New York Stock Exchange. 

Most of their investigations had to be done after hours so that they could access the computer information systems without raising alarm bells about their activities.  In fact, the audit team ran so many queries late into the night that the computer system crashed more than once.  Any transactions that appeared suspect were traced back to their original documents.  They found that an astonishing number of large transactions were false and had no supporting invoices or payment authorisations.  By the first week of June, these fraudulent entries totalled $2 billion and keep on rising week by week.

Some of the key events in the months between March & June 2002, and afterwards were:

• May 28, 2002:  An Internal Auditor in Cynthia’s team finds an accounting entry for $500 million in computer expenses but he couldn’t find any invoices or documentation.  Cynthia tells her team to “Keep going.”
 
• June 11, 2002:  CFO Scott Sullivan asks Cynthia to delay her audit.  She refuses.
 
• June 17, 2002:  Cynthia confronts other WorldCom executives about the increasing number of major accounting irregularities her staff are finding. A number of the executives acknowledged that they knew about what was happening and that they personally disapproved but had been - and continued to be - unwilling to oppose their superiors about it.
 
• June 20, 2002:  Cynthia presents her findings to WorldCom’s board.  Four days later, Scott Sullivan is fired.  His Financial Controller resigns.
 
• June 25, 2002:  WorldCom makes a public announcement that it has inflated its profits by $3.8 billion over the previous five quarters.
 
• July 21, 2002:  WorldCom files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
 
• July 14, 2005:  Former WorldCom chief executive Bernie Ebbers is sentenced to 25 years in prison for fraud, conspiracy and false filings.  At 63 years of age, this was, in effect, a life sentence for him.  His personal fortune of up to $40 million was forfeited in a settlement of civil litigation brought against him. 
• August 12, 2005:  Scott Sullivan is sentenced to five years imprisonment.  He had turned prosecution star witness and pleaded guilty to three counts of security fraud.  Because of his cooperation with the authorities and that he had a sick spouse, the Judge gave him a lighter prison sentence. 

In round figures, Worldcom shareholders lost a staggering $US180 billion and 20,000 employees lost their jobs. 

Cynthia Cooper did not back down from doing what she knew to be right despite being under considerable pressure to keep quiet and stay away.  She was courageous, resolute and stood her ground, leading her team through an investigative process of the most critical importance.   

Cynthia Cooper offers an exemplary role model of how to protect our personal integrity and keep focussed if we come across something rotten in the organisational apple.  We hope that you never find yourself in this kind of dire situation.  Only then do we ever know whether we have the courage and character to stand our ground and refuse to ignore, comply or become complicit.  

 

Lynne Lloyd

Managing Director

People Results

Executive Coaching and Talent Development Programs

Telephone:  1300 167 981 

Email:  enquiries@peopleresults.com.au

Website:  www.peopleresults.com.au

 

 

 

Not a Dinosaur: Re-Inventing the Middle Manager

Far more than previously thought, the success or failure of major organisational change and innovation hinges on the involvement and effectiveness of middle-level managers (MLMs).  Leading from the top and having the brightest and best strategies for change and innovation is not enough to ensure successful outcomes.

A recent research study of 56 companies that had gone through major change initiatives revealed that nearly 68% failed to achieve the anticipated benefits and outcomes.  It is worth pausing and thinking about how much capital, time, human resources and energy were wasted in the 68% of failed change efforts. Of course, the full costs of these failures are never calculated; suffice it to say, they would make the average board director or senior executive feel giddy and go weak at the knees. 

Middle Managers:  Are they the Unsung Heroes of Change Initiatives?

So what did the study reveal as the main differences between the organisations that successfully implemented change and the 68% that failed?  Surprisingly the key difference is the involvement and effectiveness of the middle-level managers who operated as the "levers of change, influencing those above and below them in the corporate hierarchy."  

For large change initiatives to be successful (the other 32% of organisations) senior executives and change managers must involve and empower their MLMs from the earliest stages of the project.  From the study, here are three ways to do so: 

(1) Inform your MLMs how the changes will align with their own personal and professional aspirations.  In this way, they will understand what it means for them and will be personally connected and involved.

(2) Gain their active involvement and contributions in cross-boundary and cross-functional teams.  

(3) Ensure that MLMs are directly involved and become responsible for the changes. Their ownership of the change initiative increases when they are able to decide what is going to happen, how and when. 

A key reason that a large proportion of change initiatives failed over the last two decades is the high number of MLM roles that were stripped out of the organisational structures.  The rationale that middle management could be replaced or replicated by computer technologies is now being called into serious question.  The real worth of having an actual live manager two levels or so down from the CEO to facilitate the success of change is revealed in this study.  

It turns out that middle managers are not the dinosaurs of the 21st century organisation.  We should stop perceiving them as expendable and making these roles redundant.  From this study, it is clear that the organisations that retained and valued their middle managers have been rewarded by the success of their change initiatives over the last two decades.  

Let's acknowledge the high worth and raise the status of the middle manager in our corporate, government and non-profit organisations. I believe the time is overdue to review, reinvent and promote the success-critical role of the MLM.  What are your thoughts?

Lynne Lloyd 
Managing Director 
People Results 
Executive Coaching and Talent Development Programs
1300 167 981 
enquiries@peopleresults.com.au 
www.peopleresults.com.au  (We apologise that our website may be offline.  We are currently designing and constructing a new site, ETD 3rd July 2013.) 

Don't Let Go

It is hard to imagine that a two-time Academy Award winning actress would have to fight for a part in a movie.  Yet that is exactly what Sally Field had to do to keep her grip on the role of Mrs Lincoln in the recent Speilberg movie.

In 2005, Steven Speilberg cast Liam Neeson as President Lincoln and Sally Field as Mrs Lincoln.  But the project stalled, different writers came on and it took a long time to get the right script.  In the meantime,  Liam Neeson dropped out of the project.  Speilberg went after Daniel Day Lewis who was reluctant but eventually agreed to play the iconic role of Lincoln. 

During these years, Sally Field waited patiently to play Mrs Lincoln.  Sally was deeply convicted that the role of Mary. Lincoln was hers, even to the fact that Mrs Lincoln was 5’ 2” tall and so is Sally.  But when she learnt that Daniel Day Lewis had agreed to play Lincoln, she felt “in her gut” that Speilberg would not want to keep her in the movie.  There was an age difference, Sally being ten years older than Day Lewis.  And Mrs Lincoln was ten years younger than her husband. 

Her instincts were right:  Speilberg didn’t see her in the movie with Day Lewis.  Sally pleaded with him, “You’re wrong Steven….You’re wrong.  I won’t let you walk away from me.” 

Sally had to dig in and fight for the role.  Even though she had two Oscars on her mantlepiece, she put herself through a casting process that included two screen tests, one without Daniel Day Lewis and one with him.  She was driving when the call came in from Speilberg who asked, “Will you be our Mary?”

Will the real Mrs Lincoln stand up please?

  

Sally’s is a truly wonderful performance as Mrs Lincoln.  We have all been richly rewarded by her tenacity and courage to not let go of the role she dearly wanted for herself.  We can do likewise for the things we want in our work and personal lives.  Instead of falling into line, we can dig in, develop our case, gather evidence, ask, negotiate, and most important of all, not let go.

If you would like to see an interview with Sally Field telling this story, please click here. 

What is the Job of the Leader?

"What do you do?" is a question that gets asked all the time in business and social situations.  Occasionally the results are hilarious such as the scene in the 1989 "Uncle Buck" movie where the annoying kid character puts his strange and large Uncle Buck in the witness box as he fires off question after question at him.   Do you remember it?




Taking no prisioners, the kid tries to break his own record for asking consecutive questions.

When everything is considered, what is our job as leaders within our work organisations, communities and families? 

I like leadership guru Ken Blanchard's basic job description for leaders everywhere:

"I think people want to be magnificent. 
It is the job of the leader 
to bring out that magnificence in people, 
and to create an environment 
where they feel safe and supported 
and ready to do the best job possible 
in accomplishing key goals. 
This responsibility is a sacred trust 
that should not be violated. 
The opportunity to guide others 
to their fullest potential is an honour 
and one that should not be taken lightly. 
As leaders, we hold the lives of others in our hands. 
These hands need to be gentle and caring 
and always available for support."

I wonder how many people in leadership roles at all levels make it a daily goal to bring out the magnificence in their team members?  Or is it something so far out of our thoughts that it doesn't even occur to us?

What do you do to bring out the magnificence of your people?  What will you start doing?

As ever, your comments are warmly invited.


Lynne Lloyd
Managing Director - People Results
Telephone 1300 167 981
Email  enquiries@peopleresults.com.au
Web  www.peopleresults.com.au

When is it coaching and when is it mentoring?

Into every executive coaching program a little mentoring will come.  It is inevitable because the executive coach has their own experiences and resources that he/she brings to the coaching relationship.   These resources are useful and add practical dimensions and value for the manager or executive being coached.  
 
  

Which is right for me:  executive coaching or mentoring?

 

 Yet, while sharing stories and experiences, the executive coach must not allow the mentoring elements to dominate or eclipse the coaching elements of the program.  As executive coaches and mentors, we must have a very clear understanding of the similarities and differences between coaching and mentoring.  Some key points of differentiation are:

·         Mentoring is holistic and takes account of the broad implications of the executive's career whereas executive coaching identifies and develops specific leadership skills, strategies and relationships.

·         A mentor contributes freely and often from their extensive leadership and management experience whereas an executive coach has not necessarily held a senior leadership position.

·         Mentoring often takes place over an extended period of time whereas coaching takes place over a set period, typically from 6 to 12 months.

·         Mentoring provides the space for the executive to reflect on what they have learnt and to think through the issues they need to deal with.   Executive coaches focus on the specific skills and strategies the executive needs to learn and apply in immediate and practical ways.

·         A mentoring program is – or should be – managed by the person being mentored  (the mentee) whereas an executive coaching program is managed by the executive coach and the person being coached.

·        Executive coaching and mentoring programs can be facilitated internally with excellent outcomes.  However, to enable a manager or executive to be completely trusting and unreserved about disclosures, there are times when an executive coaching or mentoring program is best facilitated by an external executive coaching firm. 

 

 

Lynne Lloyd

People Results

Telephone 1300 167 981

Email:  enquiries@peopleresults.com.au

Web:  www.peopleresults.com.au

 

 

People Results is a leading provider of customised executive coaching, mentoring and talent development programs.  A People Results’Executive Coaching or Mentoring Program ensures that leaders and emerging leaders are developing the enhanced capabilities and confidence to reach and exceed their personal, team and organisational goals.  Find out more and/or contact us at www.peopleresults.com.au.

 

 

 

 

 

Who is the Ideal Executive Coach?

Ideally the best executive coach is our own manager who is well placed to get to know our strengths and areas for development and who can be consistently providing feedback and coaching in the reality of the day to day.

In an ideal world, managers and executives would be able to squeeze everything they want to do into their working week.  But the reality is that we don’t have ideal conditions.  The reality is that we work in organisations that have fewer levels and fewer managers in the hierarchy.  Managers are pulled in a hundred different directions.  Few managers therefore have the luxury of time and space to provide executive coaching and mentoring for their emerging leaders. 

 

 

Noticing and coaching in the moment is time-efficient and effective.

 

People Results’ philosophy is that any coaching from the manager is preferable to none at all.  Here are three ways that executive coaching can be integrated and time-efficient for managers and executives day by day:

1.   Look for coachable moments which arise on an ad hoc basis, i.e. when we are not expecting to “perform” coaching.  Effective coaching can be brief and impromptu rather than formal and taking up a lot of valuable time.  Coachable moments happen in the corridor, on a plane, at a conference or on the way to a meeting, etcetera.  Something said or done will trigger a coachable moment.  Provided it can be done discreetly, take the opportunity to coach then and there. 

 

2.   Stop telling and leave room for your people.   Leaders are often forthright, self-assured and believe they know what’s best, i.e. they tend to be tellers.  When leaders are upfront and tell others what to think and believe, they stifle an open discussion and sharing of different views and experience.  They prevent others having their voices heard, acknowledged and modified.  It follows that there is little chance of consensus and true engagement.  A great recent article on how George Washington led in the most extraordinary way using this principle.

 

3.  Every single person in your team is craving your attention.  “Look at me!  Look at me!” we are saying although you cannot actually hear our thoughts.  As leaders, we must notice their good and their poor behaviours and give feedback.  Rarely will she/he express their needs, but even the most self-sufficient introvert wants to be noticed by their manager.  If we notice them doing good things, and give them positive reinforcement of their behaviours, then they will continue to do those same things and even more so.  

If we notice them saying or doing the wrong thing, the same principle applies except that we can reinforce the behaviours that we do approve, without castigating them over their poor behaviours.  If we ignore poor behaviours, unfortunately they will not fade away but will escalate in the person’s desperate efforts to gain our attention.  

In our executive coaching and mentoring programs, PeopleResults understands the importance of informing and involving the manager’s manager as the key stakeholder who is the best internal and continuing coach for their direct report.  

 

We welcome your comments and feedback on this article.

If you would like information on our executive coaching and mentoring programs, please download our executive coaching and mentoring brochure from the People Results' Home Page.  We look forward to speaking to you or receiving your email at People Results. 

 

 

 

Lynne Lloyd

Managing Director

People Results

Executive Coaching and Talent Development Workshops

Telephone 1300 167 981

Email enquiries@peopleresults.com.au

Web www.peopleresults.com.au

 

How to decide if executive coaching is right for us?

 

No more self-limiting beliefs, I know that I can adapt, lead and succeed!

Is an executive coaching program the best approach to develop your senior managers and leaders and meet your team's and organisation's goals?  Is now the right time to introduce executive coaching into your organisation? 

People Results has five questions for you:

1. Are significant changes in structure, roles and responsibilities happening now or in the near future?

2. Who is responsible for navigating the risks and achieving the large goals in your business?  Does he/she have a track record of success at this level?

3. Do your emerging leaders have gaps in their leadership skills, experience and maturity?

4. Who has recently moved into a senior role with higher responsibilities?  Is there a risk that he/she could fail at this level?

5. Are you implementing a strategic human resource initiative such as succession planning or increasing diversity at senior levels?

If you answered “Yes” to any of the above questions, it is highly likely that the timing is excellent for planning and implementing an executive coaching and/or mentoring initiative in your organisation.  Obviously the greater number of “Yes” responses to the five questions, the stronger your business case becomes. 

If you would like information and insights on executive coaching and mentoring, we would be delighted to talk with you and/or receive your email.  Our contact details are hereunder.

Best wishes,

Lynne Lloyd

Managing Director

People Results

Telephone 1300 167 981

People Results is a leading provider of executive coaching and mentoring programs and professional development workshops for public and private sector organisations.  For more information on our approach and programs, please go to the HomePage and download our Executive Coaching and Mentoring brochure.  To speak to a senior consultant at People Results, please email us at enquiries@peopleresults.com.au

Frogs need it and so do we!

Last night I rescued a tiny frog from the inside channel of the kitchen window.  It was a delicate operation because the frog didn’t realise he was being rescued and was clearly anxious about what this large creature was doing so near to him.  Poor little guy, he was very dehydrated and lethargic and his natural light green colour had faded to a dull grey. 

Splashing a little water into a dustpan, I brushed the tiny frog into it and he plopped obligingly into the water.  Out to the patio and with my gentle encouragement, he leapt with surprising energy into the wet ferns and was gone.  

We all need the right conditions to nourish us and support our well-being.

Reflecting later on this small rescue operation, how incredibly important it is that we humans, like all living creatures, are in the right environment to nourish and support our lives and happiness.  Like the little frog, we barely exist in the wrong environment at work, our respiration slows and we become lethargic and fade away.  To survive, we need the right conditions around us; to thrive and be at our best, we need optimum conditions. This translates into different things for different people although having a manager/leader you respect, trust and find inspiring is universally important.

Would you like to diagnose whether your current work environment is right for you?  Here is a short (non-scientific) quiz.  Evaluate each of the following 8 statements, and if you agree that the statement is true for you,  put a tick against it.  (Go with your first thought - it's usually spot on!)

1.  My energy is depleted.            

2.  My enthusiasm is gone.

3   I am faking it every day.            

4.  My creativity has drained away.

5.  I am not valued.

6.  I have no room to move.

7.  I look for reasons not to show up.

8.  My heart is not in it. 

Quiz Feedback:   How many ticks do you have? 

  Ticks

   0 – 2   You are in a good environment for you but not everything is wonderful.  What are the         issues that worry you?  What would you like to see happen?  Make a time to speak to your manager soon.

   3 - 4    There are some negative things in your environment that are affecting your well-being.          The situation is not irretrievable at this stage but if you don’t do something quickly, your morale and motivation will continue to slide.

   5 – 6     You are a frog in the Sahara and your current environment and your reaction to it is         going to kill you.  There is a small chance of turning things around but only if you face the issues urgently.  What will work for you, short of resigning your job?  Can you transfer to another Department or location?  Can you report to someone else in the business?  Look for workable solutions and do not delay taking action.

  7 - 8      Your life signs have faded and you are barely clinging to a life raft that is breaking         apart.  This working environment is definitely not right for you.  Is the problem a big one such as the whole culture is wrong for you and your personal values?  Be aware that unless you sit at the top levels of your organisation, you will not be able to change the culture.  If the problem is situated closer to “home” such as you don’t like (to put it  mildly!) your manager, you may be able to find some alternatives within the company.   Failing that, it is past the time to look for another job in another environment.  What have you learnt about yourself and the kind of environment that is not right for you? What kind of industry, company, culture, vision and values are right for you to not just  survive but to thrive?

As always, we invite and appreciate your comments and feedback.  What is your work environment like?  Is it nourishing your life systems or do you often find yourself short of breath and reaching for life support?    

Looking forward to your responses,

All the Best,

Lynne 

Lynne Lloyd 

People Results 

Telephone 1300 167 981

People Results provides executive coaching and mentoring programs and professional development workshops.  If you would like more information on our programs and services, please visit our website www.peopleresults.com.au   If you would like to talk with a senior consultant at People Results, please ring us on 1300 167 981 or email us at enquiries@peopleresults.com.au 

The Top 10 Leadership Issues that Arise in an Executive Coaching Program

Have you ever wondered what executive coaching is all about?  Would you like to know what is involved, how the process works and what the benefits are?  In the coming weeks, we will focus on this topic of executive coaching and mentoring. 

It is an interesting point that the executive coach is rarely as expert as you are in your industry, enterprise or profession.  Invariably the manager or executive being coached already knows most of what he/she needs to know to achieve their business goals.  They just don’t know that they do!

There is a “but,” and it is that the manager or executive being coached will be experiencing a number of significant personal challenges in moving from, say, point G to point P in terms of their leadership confidence and capabilities.  It is during these times of exacting personal growth and development that the power and value of executive coaching lies. 

Executive coaching enables managers and executives to adapt, lead and execute.

 Change and growth is never straightforward and predictable.  Organisational change and development strategies invariably look good and totally workable on paper.  When it comes to implementation, a different story unfolds and, unless there is confident, resourceful leadership, the flow-on effects from poor leadership will be painful, damaging and costly to the business’ results.

Through executive coaching and mentoring, leaders gain the thinking skills, practical strategies and solutions for leading and managing themselves and others and bringing in the desired business results.

The following are the ten leadership issues that come up all the time for managers and executives in a People Results’ executive coaching program (not in order of importance):

1. Developing greater personal insights to manage self and one’s impact on others

2. Identifying and closing the gaps in skills and strategies in a new or expanded role

3. Letting go of being “the doer” and becoming a leader who enables and inspires others

4. Gaining focus and clarity on what’s important instead of feeling overwhelmed

5. Implementing change processes with an emphasis on managing the people issues 

6. Needing an open, non-judgmental space to discuss issues, ideas and options 

7. Building influential networks, relationship-building, forging strategic alliances

8. Becoming a more capable and confident communicator at senior levels

9. Changing old patterns of thinking and acting to be more effective in a senior role

10. Setting personal boundaries to maintain vigour, well-being and life/work balance

 

Which of the above leadership issues are current and relevant for your key managers and executives?

Please distribute this article to others who may find it useful in your organisation and network. 

We look forward to bringing you further articles on executive coaching in the coming weeks.  These articles will be published on the Leadership in Action blog if you would like to sign up to receive notifications at http://peopleresults.blogspot.com.au/

Lynne Lloyd

Managing Director

People Results

Telephone 1300 167 981

11^th March 2013

People Results is a leading provider of customised executive coaching and mentoring programs for public and private sector organisations.  For more information on our approach and programs, download our Executive Coaching and Mentoring brochure from the Home page of our website at www.peoplersults.com.au.  To talk in confidence with a senior consultant at People Results, please ring us at 1300 167 981 or email us at enquiries@peopleresults.com.au

My One Extraordinary Manager – Part 3: Consistency

The sky is blue and your day is going beautifully.  Suddenly the sky turns dark and gloomy as your usually-pleasant manager snaps at you.  Little did you know that she/he was in a bad mood!  Unfortunately you happened to cross their path and came under attack.

We have all had the experience of approaching our manager with an idea or a problem and rather than the manager listening or helping, we are confronted by a dismissive remark, a harsh criticism or coldly ignored.  Where did this come from?  Is it our fault?  Why am I being treated like the enemy?  Questions like these flow quickly through our minds and we are thrown off balance.  

Act fairly and consistently to win the respect and trust of your team members.

Usually your manager is OK, but every now and then, he/she is bad-tempered or moody.  You respond by staying out of their way as much as possible for the rest of the day.  You tip-toe around, realising that they are under a lot of pressure due to the impossible work-load, deadlines and other stuff. 

We tend to make allowances for others because everyone is human and variable even though their behaviour has a negative impact on our own mood and motivation.  After all, the extremely bad day at the office happens to even the best managers, does it not?

Perhaps to most, but not to absolutely everyone!  To round out the three characteristics of my one extra-ordinary manager, I would highlight his consistency.  While it is rare for a manager to be entirely consistent, no matter what is going on at work and at home, Pat’s work persona, his mood and his fair-and-firm management techniques were consistent from one day to the next, from one year to the next.  He always walked his talk. 

Pat was constant; he was consistent; he was dependable.  The great advantage for everyone in Pat’s team was we knew we could expect to be treated in the same “fair and firm” way he consistently dealt with everyone and every situation.  So if you had a major issue and it was your fault and you felt like a total goose, you could still go and see Pat or ring him and explain it to him.  He would not blow up at you. 

We knew what to expect from Pat and this certain knowledge gave us a sense of reassurance that he would apply the same standards to you as he would for anyone else.  There were no sudden transformations or surprises.  Consequently we did not have to live in fear of him or keep things from him.  

How can we become more consistent in our own managing and leading behaviours?  Here are some stages to follow:

·         Look inside yourself and know yourself really well.  Know where you excel (your strengths) and where you have flaws or failings.  Be honest and don’t deny what you will need to change.     

·        Develop a composite picture of who you want to become as a manager/leader.  To start with, some pieces of the jigsaw will be missing or fuzzy.  Don’t worry because all the pieces will gradually come into focus and be clear. 

·         Start moving towards your composite picture, firstly, through asking yourself questions like the following:

o       What do I need to do more of?                       

o       What do I need to do less of?

o       What do I need to stop?

Secondly, focus on making one or two changes of behaviour at any one time.  Repeatedly do them until they become your good habits.

Like the duck swimming serenely on top of the pond, yet paddling fast under the surface, once comfortable and secure in our composite picture, we will become confident and consistent manager/leaders who are respected and trusted by those who count on us:  our people.

All the very Best,

Lynne 

Lynne Lloyd 

Managing Director 

People Results 

Telephone 1300 167 981

Note:  People Results provides a suite of executive coaching and mentoring services.  If you would like more information, please go to www.peopleresults.com.au/executive-coaching.  If you would like to talk with a senior consultant, please email People Results at enquiries@peopleresults.com.au.