Productivity

There are many examples of individuals who overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles to achieve worldwide acclaim, of leaders who took their companies to positions of global dominance in the face of fierce competition. There are even more examples of those who gave up, threw in the towel, and failed. It’s easy to blame others, or the environment, or the economy, or to rationalize ‘why’ it wasn’t their fault. If circumstances are not the determining factor, what is?

Too many people hold themselves in lower self-esteem than the actual facts warrant. Bad moments and past mistakes tend to make a deeper impression on our memories than our past successes. Many people tend to think more often of where and how they’ve failed, rather than where and how they have succeeded. Thus, many people tend to view themselves as less capable than they actually are. Another problem is that many have never learned the importance of self-love. The awkwardness with which some people accept compliments illustrates this fact. They often allow minor imperfections to color their view of themselves, resulting in a low self-image. To build a self-image on anything less than self-love, is to build on a hopelessly weak foundation.

With these thoughts in mind, let’s explore the difference you would make in enhancing the self-image of others if you thought more frequently in terms of their strengths and implemented a system and recognition program focused on their achievements, rather than on mistakes and failures. How much easier would it be to implement a change process if everyone viewed himself or herself in such a positive light?

What would happen to productivity if everyone thought more in terms of their unlimited potential rather than their limitations?  What if you were to pay close attention as you go through your day to the processes and systems you use? I’ll bet with a raised level of awareness, you could easily identify three things that could help you be more productive.

Maybe you could immediately think of more than three things, but just for the exercise, boil them down to three main barriers that get in the way of getting work done successfully. In the work we do at eMBC Inc., we often notice participants benefit enormously from this simple act of observing and asking questions.

What obstacles do you run into that, if they were different, would help you get your work done more easily, faster, and better? If you could directly change any of the things you observe, you can commit to making those changes by the end of the week.

I ran across this page the other day on Wikipedia: Human Interaction Management. Apparently there is a movement stemming from business process management that includes the human elements. The simple act of observation and questioning can help bring to light needed areas for productivity improvement.

Let me give some examples.

·                  If you need assistance or approval from a colleague or manager, find out how you can get that process in motion.

·                  If the change you need carries a cost, be sure you can identify the cost justification and have it ready when you start your conversation

·                  If you have direct reports, do this exercise with one or more of them this week, as well.

It’s a good idea to take an entire day to observe your work day in process, asking questions at each step. Ask yourself, “What is getting in the way of successfully making progress on this project?” And ask your direct reports the same questions.

What will you discover? It depends on the quality of your observations and questions. I believe this is a valuable exercise anyone can engage in at any point in their career, at any day of the week. One of my clients is practicing this currently in his company.

Be willing to ask tough questions and be ready to commit to doing things differently; which also requires going out of one’s comfort zone.

Caveat: Pay attention to the phrase: “If you could directly change any of the things you observe, you can commit to making those changes by the end of the week.”

If all you see is what other people should or could be doing differently, then you are stuck. What can you directly change that will make a difference?

If you haven’t taken time out recently for observing your work day and asking tough questions, may I gently suggest you do? I know every time I do this exercise it is invaluable and effective. Let me know what you discover…

What's So Hard About Real Conversations?

If you’re a leader, your job is to accomplish the goals of the organization. You do that in large part by making every conversation you have as real as possible.  A leader’s job is essentially to engineer the types of conversations that produce clarity, cooperation, creativity, drive, and a connection to values beyond the company.

Being conscious of how you communicate and having a well-thought out strategy is key to being an effective and influential communicator.


We come into contact with so many different people during the course of our day, we can't just have one mode or style of communicating. Your boss, your direct report(s), your partner, your clients, your colleagues - they all need and expect different things from you. Being able to communicate in the appropriate way and match those needs will make your life easier!


The Beauty of 360degree Communication
Here are a few tools and techniques you can employ to deal with those different groups of people:


1) Your Boss


He/she is expecting you to do your job, that's why they hired you so when they interact with you, they want to hear about what you have been doing especially the things you have completed that will make their life easier.


• Keep positive - if you have a challenge then have a solution as well.


• No surprises - as much as you may not want to tell them something, honesty is always the best policy. If it's a genuine mistake then admit it, be upfront and give your Boss a chance to prepare for any fall-out there may be. Depending on what it is, your Boss may be as much on the line as you so have him as your ally as opposed to your enemy.


• Be inclusive - don't complain about other people to your Boss. Don't be seen to be self-seeking or sycophantic, it's not attractive and only makes you sound desperate. Like the 'comedian' who can only make people laugh by poking fun at others; be credible and good at what you do without having to malign your colleagues.


2) Your Direct Reports


Just as you will want to impress your Boss, your direct reports will want to do the same thing with you, or at least your high performing direct reports will. They also need something in return - they need to hear information from you about the business, they need to know how their job fits in with that and contributes to the bigger picture. They also need to know you care about them and their development. Lots of things huh?! Here are a couple of easy ways you can meet those needs:


• Set the Communication temperature - set up regular briefings with the team informing them of things happening in the business, within their department and even the industry. Let them know that open communication is a given and that you are committed to sharing things with them and giving them an opportunity to share their own ideas.


• Set up regular Engagement Interviews - these need to only be once a quarter or maybe twice a year depending on how many people you have in your team. Spend at least 1hr speaking to each individual direct reports about what they are passionate about, what they enjoy about their job, how you can make their lives easier, why they stay with the Company. This information is like gold dust and will give you great insights in to how your team can be more productive and how to keep them engaged.


3) Your Client


This can be one of the more difficult relationships to manage as it really is about positive influence, without any positional power. You need to rely on your personal power - the traits you have that set you apart and make you someone your Client wants to do business with. Be a person with integrity, who can be relied upon to do good work. Build a track record based on success and delivery. Be an expert in your field and use your knowledge and network to add value to your Client. All good in theory right, so how do you put this into practice:


• Be a skillful enquirer - ask lots of questions, gather information and really understand your Client, the needs they have and where you can help and add value. Have a Question Strategy - think about the questions you will ask at the next meeting, use open questions to encourage your Client to talk and share and make sure you plan enough time so it doesn't feel rushed and like it's the Spanish Inquisition


• Know their style - we all have a preferred style of communication. Some of us like data, others value relationships; some like to make decisions and do so relatively quickly and others prefer to consider all angles and make a more informed decision, over a period of time. There is no better way but we have more in common with some styles than others and that can impact how well we communicate and ultimately influence. Knowing if your Client is more about data or relationships could be the key to getting the next deal signed!


So, ultimately, it's all about knowing how to change your communication style to suit others and having an arsenal of tools and techniques you can readily deploy for any given situation. Good luck!

Positive Thinking – Your Secret Weapon

Learning, growing, and changing is possible with the right attitude and focus. All individuals have the ability to master their individual talents and be the best they can be! There are people who scoff at this philosophy and espouse limiting beliefs. However, that is the fundamental difference between positive thinking and foolish thinking. We all have the innate ability to be the best of who we were meant to be.

Based on a 2007-2008 NBA survey, the average height of a player is 6’6”. It would be fairly inconceivable for a person with the height of 5’4” to make the NBA a long-term career choice. It is certainly a goal that can be aspired to however, physical limitations could present ongoing challenges. Is it foolish thinking for an individual of 5’4” to want to be an NBA star? Retired player, Tyrone “Muggsy” Bogues (Hornets, Bullets, Warriors, and Raptors) who is 5’3” and Wizard’s point guard Earl Boykins who is 5’5” would probably disagree.

Many great people have overcome adversity and challenge to accomplish great things. Ronald Reagan spent his early life admittedly being an introvert, but during his Presidency he was called “the great communicator.” Marie Curie, was the first person to win two Nobel prizes, the first woman to receive a doctorate in France, the mother of two daughters (one of whom also won a Nobel prize), and a tireless humanitarian; suffered through times of extreme financial and personal hardship, Curie is an amazing example of a person with perseverance, breaking boundaries imposed by others. John Lennon, the revolutionary pop music icon overcame adversity of many types along his journey; a turbulent childhood in which his mother and father each abandoned him in different ways; courageously overcame drug addiction and repaired his marriage with his wife Yoko; and he was tragically gunned down in the prime of his life by a crazed fan. Pablo Picasso overcame great poverty to become a renowned artist.

We are not born great at anything. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “All great speakers were bad speakers at first.” No leader, manager, artist, business owner, or musician started out great. However, the difference between average and great is the desire to develop and succeed, a commitment to do so, as well as a positive attitude and the belief that you will make it happen.

What do you desire to accomplish? What do you want to be known for or what will be your legacy? Define what you want to accomplish, achieve, do, and be. Be careful not to let your practical mind limit your dreams and ideas. Grant yourself permission to think big and out of the box. Make the commitment to define who you are supposed to be. Learning, growing, and changing takes work but the effort is worth the results.

The second step is making the commitment to pursue your dreams and take action. Establish and define a plan. Determine the destination and create a map to get there. Sometimes the steps necessary will be small, and sometimes you may have to take a leap of faith but trust your vision. Your contributions will make a difference to many, so failure should not be an option.

Finally, remember that positive thinking will get it done. That is not to say you will not face obstacles and adversity as success does not come easy. It has been my experience that nothing of significant value ever comes easy or free. However, your focus and your attitude will give you what is necessary to create the right solutions and the next best steps. You can’t control what happens around you but you can certainly control how you react. Your attitude and positive mindset are your secret weapons to success as you define it. Don’t let anyone or any circumstance take away your secret weapon as it is far too important to your contributions.

Entrepreneurial Leadership

Would the sole reason you would be starting your own business be that you would want to make a lot of money?  Do you think that if you had your own business that you would have more time with your family?  Or maybe that you would not have to answer to anyone else?  If so, you had better think again.

On the other hand, if you start your business for these reasons, you'll have a better chance at entrepreneurial success:

An entrepreneur must have a passion for what he is doing. The important thing to remember is that he will hit lows during the process that will make him question his decision. Belief in the idea is important though, and your passion will keep you going.

You should be able to build a competitive edge in the business. It could be in technological processes, marketing relationships or solutions you offer customers.

Entrepreneurs work hard and are extremely goal oriented. Along with hard work, comes the ability to work unsupervised. It is a critical requirement of entrepreneurship. As a paid professional, often someone can blame the system for not providing either the direction or the resources. As an entrepreneur, you no longer have that latitude. You have to work hard, very hard.

Entrepreneurs are flexible, opportunistic and recognize the power of 'emergence'.

I love this story about IBM and its founder Thomas Watson, Sr. It was 1934 or '35. IBM had built the first accounting machines for banks but in the Depression years, no bank was buying anything. IBM was on the brink of bankruptcy. Watson's wife forced him to accompany her to a social event where he was seated next to a middle-aged lady.

While talking with her, Watson described to her the machine IBM had built. It turned out that the lady was in-charge of the library system in New York City. She told Watson that they were in complete disarray, unable to manage their books, and told him that she would need half a dozen of these! Next day, he sold her five of the machines.

Until that moment, Watson had never thought of his computing devices as machines for tracking books. That one sale pulled IBM from the brink of bankruptcy.

Had it not been for Watson's capability to go with the emergent flow of events - moving from accounting machines to the recognition that he could make general purpose computers - IBM would not be what it is today? We all know that the essence of entrepreneurial ability is about building a future and living in it. Sometimes, it is about 'willing' a course for the enterprise. Yet, things do not always go the way you plan. Destiny tests you all the time, plays pranks and shows tiny openings in a moss-covered brick wall behind which often a whole new world awaits.

When it comes to the success of any new business, you - the entrepreneur - are ultimately the "secret" to your success. For many successful business owners, failure was never an option. Armed with drive, determination, and a positive mindset, these individuals view any setback as only an opportunity to learn and grow. Most millionaires possess average intelligence. What sets them apart is their openness to new knowledge and their willingness to learn whatever it takes to succeed.

So why do businesses fail?

·        Failure to anticipate market trends. Lack of market research when entering new markets, resulting in poor sales and return on investment.

·        Overspending. Or spending too much on frivolous luxuries instead of products and services that improve the bottom line.

·        Poor cash flow control: paying creditors too early, buying too much stock or giving customers payment terms that are too long, late payments and bad debts. These can all lead to a lack of working capital and cash flow problems.

·        Failure to listen to customers. Listen to your customers and adapt accordingly.

·        Lack of innovation. Some businesses never change, but they lose their market share when a new company comes along with a new way of doing things

·        Loss of financial support/investment. If an investor pulls out, you may find it hard to attract another one in time.

·        Reluctance to seek professional services.