Posted: November 13, 2012 | Categories: Management, Self-Improvement

Have you ever had a project or task on your checklist that just doesn’t seem to get done?  On your “to-do” list today, did you notice an item that was on your list for the 3^rd or 4^th time?  This can be demoralizing.  How do we break the pattern, set a new stride, and gain control?

Break it down

If we have carried a “to-do” item on our list for several days, we can ask ourselves, “How can I break this down into bite-size chunks?  For example, if our action item is to write a follow up report for the design meeting, we may want to lay it out in pieces like:

1. Write title for report
2. Outline key points
3. Write cover page summary
4. Write point #1

These steps we can usually swallow, and doing them can help us overcome inertia and move forward.

 The power of planning and blocking time

My wife and I had been planning to clean out the garage for several weeks.  We would say something like, “Yeah, let’s try to get that done this weekend”.  How well do you think that worked?  You’re right …Not so well

After bumping the project for all that time, we decided to get things under control.  We had a sit-down meeting and talked about the project supplies we would need and when we could do the project.  Soon, we had a list of supplies and also specific steps involved.  We blocked out our entire weekend for the project.  We promised ourselves that if we completed the project by the weekend, we would treat ourselves to dinner out.  Now how do you think the project went?  We completed the project, did a spectacular job, and enjoyed dinner out.  We made the project fun and we also put enough control on it so that it did not become a procrastination victim.

Think about something you need to do that isn’t done yet.  Ask yourself:

1. Why is this important?
2. How much will I benefit if I do it?
3. How much will I suffer if I don’t?
4. When can I do this?
5. What steps will be required?
6. Who else do I need to discuss this with?
7. What resources will I need to successfully complete the project?

Categorize, prioritize, set specific action steps and deadlines, follow through, and enjoy the benefits of a completed effort.  Get on control!

Posted: October 10, 2012 | Categories: Self-Improvement

It is no secret that we live in a world of boundless instant information and countless distractions.  Kenneth Blanchard tells us that we are exposed to more information in 30 days than our grandparents were in their lifetime.  No wonder we all struggle so hard to maintain our focus.

We need focus.  Today I was reminded of this principle when I received a phone call from a client who was frantic.  His office manager had suddenly resigned and the timing couldn’t have been worse.  Bill was on the verge of closing three major business deals and he knew he must stay with these opportunities until they were officially in the “win” column.  At the same time, he needed to get the invoicing done so that his business could maintain their steady cash flow.

As we talked through the problem, Bill came up with the following action steps:

1. Take a full-size legal pad and write down all the tasks and activities swarming in his head.
2. Go through the list and prioritize by asking these two questions:
   1. How much will I benefit if I do this task?
   2. How much will I suffer if I don’t?
3. Select the top five

After Bill went through these steps, here is what happened:

In writing down all the things in his mind, he was able to relax just knowing he had transferred everything on paper.  Writing can be a very powerful control mechanism.  If you doubt that, consider all the great achievers:  Almost all work from written goals.

By prioritizing, he did come up with his top five.  He then numbered them from one to five in order of their importance. I thought it was interesting that four of the five were related to direct sales.  Without going through this exercise, Bill freely admitted that he would have probably spent the majority of his time doing office stuff, just because of all that was surrounding him

So how did Bill feel after working through these steps?  “I feel energized, focused, and balanced, and I am ready to dive in”.  He did.

Imagine if Bill had not taken a time out to work through these steps.  He would probably still be frazzled, unfocused, and inefficient with his time.  The problems would have just compounded.

When we find ourselves thrown off track or scrambling, let’s remember to take a time out and do what Bill did.  Write it all down.  Determine the top five.  Put them in order of their importance.  Act!

Posted: September 27, 2012 | Categories: Sales, Self-Improvement

In the early 50’s, a young fellow named Sydney Poitier came from Jamaica to New York City.  His goal was to be a great actor.  Over the next 20 years, he achieved that goal.  Getting there wasn’t a cinch.

As Mr. Poitier approached agents, directors, and producers, he was consistently met with scorn and ridicule.  He now claims that one of his key secrets of success came every time he got knocked down and humiliated:  When these things happened, he got tougher.

In his book, “The Happiness Advantage”, psychologist Shawn Achor talked about the habit of “Falling up”.  Like Sydney Poitier, this means that whenever we encounter setbacks and crises, we pick ourselves up and get back in the ring with even more gusto.  All high achievers have this quality.

In 1995, Met Life hired behavioral psychologist Martin Seligman to help them with their sales staff.  Reps were underperforming and the turnover was high and costly.  Dr. Seligman decided to make the key hiring criteria be the candidate’s strength and resilience in attitude.  As a result of this experiment, they discovered that the optimist outsold the pessimist by 40%!

When we are planning to succeed, we need the right mental programming.  Here are some questions we can ask ourselves when we hit these “bumps in the road”.

1. What happened?
2. What is my interpretation of what happened?  Is it positive?  If not, what are some positives I can learn from this?
3. Is this event part of a pattern, or is this an isolated event?
4. What is the problem (No Blame, and make sure you are not just giving a symptom)
5. What are some possible solutions?
6. What is the best solution?
7. How can I begin implementation?

These questions can lead us to a winning attitude and better ego strength.  We can do this, or we can be a victim.  In the words of the late Steven Covey, “Act or be acted upon”

Posted: September 6, 2012 | Categories: Leadership, Team Building

In the summer of 2009 in the heart of a painful recession, one of my clients shared with me how he was frustrated with two of his employees. They had both worked for the company for over 15 years and they did good work. They also didn’t like each other and frequently engaged in bitter arguments. This particular day these two team members got in to a fist fight that resulted in one of them storming out and going home for the remainder of the afternoon.

The boss responded the way he always had: He became the mediator. I asked him how often he had to do this, and he said it was a regular occurrence. I asked him: “Are these disputes costing you?” He said they were. They affected productivity and also distracted them from their work. Since we had been working hard on productivity and on-time delivery, I ask him, “Is this behavior acceptable?” He said no. “Would you like to change it?” He said yes. That was all we needed. We worked out an action plan. It involved clear communication.

1. Begin positive. “We have a problem. Before we begin, I want you to know that I appreciate your dedication to this company and the quality of work you are capable of doing. The problem I want to discuss with you involves an incident that happened yesterday. “
2. Relate the story in a factual manner. There was a dispute. Voices were raised. Following the discussion, one of them left for home.
3. Explain the repercussions. I count on my team to be focused, positive, and productive. When you engage in a dispute, you distract yourself from your work, and compromise the productivity of our working environment. We cannot afford this and it will not be tolerated.
4. Explain how you feel about it. As I reflect on this, I have to say that I am quite disappointed, and I feel let down. In this tough economy, I have sacrificed my own salary just so that I could keep everyone working full schedule. Your choice to engage in conflict yesterday negatively affected our teamwork and profitability.
5. Explain consequences. In writing, detail the consequences should either of them engage in this behavior again. (Suspension, docking of pay, etc.) Get their signature.

This procedure was followed. That was over three years ago. The two fellows are still working at the company, and they have not had a dispute since then.

When the boss had this conversation, he shifted the responsibility to get along on their shoulders. It was their responsibility. Jim was able to take these two from “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah” to “YIKES!” Here is the crazy part: They were happier and enjoyed their work more after the “conversation”. You might also ask, “Do they like each other now?” No. They still can’t stand each other. They do get the job done, and they keep their behavior under control.

I run in to situations like this frequently. There are managers who have been playing referee for years. We don’t have time for that if we want to focus on growing and managing our business. If you have a problem similar to Jim’s, why not have “the conversation” and put it behind you?

Posted: August 14, 2012 | Categories: Leadership, Team Building

This past week, I was on a coaching call with an entrepreneurial client.  Her business is growing, and she wanted to be sure she was building the kind of culture that would be an extension of her values.  In our conversation, Sue mentioned how pleased she was with one team member in particular.  Here name is Connie, and her efforts and enthusiasm are in the “wow” quantum.  She offered extra services and thought of “add-on’s” she could provide that required little or no capital investments.  She was also a cornucopia of ideas and suggestions.  As my mother would say, “Put a nickel in her, and you’ll get your money’s worth”.

Hearing about Connie reminds all of us of where all individual greatness begins…enthusiasm, passion, and a deep abiding desire to contribute and succeed.  How about team greatness?  I have found that it starts in the same place:  A good team is built around a positive, focused and energetic nucleus.  Quite often, that begins with one person.

This concept is nothing new.  It makes sense.  Making it happen takes strong leadership.  In the late 60’s, the Green Bay Packers won so many championships that Green Bay received the nickname of “Title Town”  Coach Vince Lombardi was open about his strategy:  He built his team around the quarterback – Bart Starr.  He knew that if he started with a pure nucleus, that nucleus would generate enthusiasm, and attract like-minded attitudes and commitment

Let’s go back to Sue:  Like the coach, Sue has chosen to build her team around a solid nucleus, and that is Connie.  Her next step is to have a one-on-one conversation with Connie, and let her know the game plan.  From that point, through open communication, trust and respect, her business is positioned to grow in good health.

Consider an opposite approach:  What if Sue did like many managers do?  She would spend far too much time talking and wrestling with those people who were dragging their feet, or just not that engaged.  All the while she would be doing this, Connie’s enthusiasm could lose steam, and there could be a high risk of losing a gem.

If we want to build an ideal culture:

1. Identify those with the most enthusiasm and who are in alignment with the vision and goals of the company.
2. Form your team around them.
3. Watch it grow!

Related stories

Five competencies of a championship team: http://www.durhamcoach.com/blog/2012/08/09/the-five-competencies-of-a-championship-team/