Coaching Businesses to Success News Update

Watching yesterday as Bolton were hosts to a rampant Chelsea at the Reebok, I was fascinated to see the end-game of this season's Premiership. In particular it was thrilling to watch the Chelsea players, supporters and coaching staff at the end after the game with the title won.

Whilst not a particular fan of Chelsea, their football has been breathtaking to watch, whilst occasionally and quite inexpicably patchy. But the level of team sprit that Jose Mourinho has engendered has been remarkable. This enigmatic coach, has captured the hearts and minds of his brilliant team of players, with humour (perhaps even craziness!), focus, mind-games, some would say arrogance and perhaps even a level of immaturity. But, boy have they been successful.

It is clear that he has a supportive and charismatic, whilst totally focused style of leadership as we've been whacking on about on these pages. People will say that the money from Roman Abramovich won't have done any harm - yet, you have to pull that together in the players you buy and do it over a long and arduous season.

It isn't all over with millions of £'s of players. They need to be moulded and become a team. And that is what Mourinho has done. Salute great leadership, wonderful management and above all, working together as a team and having a lot of success, not to mention fun. It looked like Frank Lampard, John Terry et al were having fun alright last night.

Well done guys, you are a model to us all.

May 3, 2005 17:13 - Doing Jobs - At Choice

I've had a pretty cool Bank Holiday weekend - not done a lot, but I have done what I've wanted to do - and that makes a difference.

I changed my role when I first left the employed world. Having been a manager for over 25 years. I became a true employee with a manager breathing down my neck. It was the most difficult thing. I had no control you see. And I realised that most people who have jobs are employees and have little say in what they do or how they do it. They are 'done to' rather than deciding for themselves.

Sadly I didn't realise this until I was a manager no longer, but what I did realise and share with you now is that to be totally disempowered in your role is demoralising and depressing.

Whilst I realise that perhaps I am more creative and need space to think and 'invent', which some people may not feel quite so intensely, I don't want to assume that. I recognise that everyone needs a little involvement, at least, in what they do and how they do it.

If I can leave you with a thought to take back into your workplaces, it is this:-

"What can I do today that will empower at least one person in my team like never before - and how can I build that into our culture from now on."
A big challenge - maybe. But what a gift you will give to your people and ultimately yourself and your business too.

If you want more on this - there is a page on the website that tells you more, find it here

And I got loads of stuff done in the garden, that I chose to do. And ask anyone - gardening is not normally what I do at all! Interesting.

But - I didn't get the newsletter done! It will be with you this evening...

May 4, 2005 13:48 - People or Business - Who Comes First?

On the radio this morning, was a debate about the importance of family in the workplace. It was about how employment laws have been changing to enable those with families to work different patterns, to enable them to have time with their families.

It was brought to a head by a leading female TV presenter who wanted to squeeze 5 days work into two each week and spend more time with her family in Scotland. That meant that her opposite number would have to change her hours and work differently too - and she wasn't pleased. (No-one mentioned the employers position in this). In fact this is one of the biggest challenges facing organisations as those who have the 'family reason' seem to be favoured and those left out have to carry the can (maternity cover; summer holidays; Christmas holidays etc.).

On a number of occasions, I had to 'reprofile' my workforce to take onboard imposed decisions from above about how they wanted us to work. It was a challenging experience, but I found that there were some rules that made it a lot easier (there is a whole page on the website called Change Management, which might add to what I have in this piece).

1. Be very clear on your business objectives and keep that front of mind.
   
2. Communicate with your people as often as you can to reduce the fears and rumour that happen often.
   
3. Seek win-win solutions - be business focused but then be flexible enough to find solutions that work for your people.
   
4. Avoid changing things as a way of managing performance - that should come way before this.
   
5. Listen to people's concerns one-on-one as well as in groups.
   
6. Check legalities before you start.
   
7. Be consistent and fair with everyone. If you have a process or template for handling this, treat everyone exactly the same.
   

And when it comes to dealing with the TV personality, if I were her management, I would ask these questions:-

• Is it in the best interests of the business?
• Is it fair and reasonable?
• Are we being consistent?
• Are we being deep-down honest with everyone, including ourselves?

Just a few thoughts on that then...:-)

May 5, 2005 20:05 - The Passion and the Glory

It's an election here in the UK right now - just into the last hour (so if you haven't voted yet...). As I type this one of the two main contenders (Gloucester is the 42nd most vulnerable places in the UK) is walking around our little cul-de-sac geeing up those who haven't voted (not sure how they find this out - and slightly concerned at the security of it, but it's always been this way).

It's truly impressive. As he missed out very closely last time, it was very pleasing to see him attempting to wring every vote out. Every last one. Good luck to him. As we had already voted, he didn't knock on our door, but he did on our three neighbours. I kinda like the guy as I'd worked with him locally in the past - so good luck to him.

By way of a contrast, I was party to another experience last night. I went to a meeting where a whole new process for Performance Management was being explained to a group of employees. There was a load of, 'we have to do this', 'we have to do that' and (more to the point!) 'you have to do this' and 'you have to do that'. There was also the MOST complicated process and paperwork - note this guys - Performance Management needs one piece of paper - yep, just one and forget the 45 other pieces of 'support stuff'!

There was nothing about 'engaging' the people involved - getting them passionate enough about their work that they would deliver their budgets and targets for fun. It was how to deliver that which seemed so unweildy. No hint of maybe we have to think of doing something differently rather than making them feel overwhelmed. hey ho! Plus ca change, plus sa meme chose - as they say in France.

Now that budding politician guy, he had passion alright.

My buddy Sarah has a new posting on her blog - from deepest China...Take a look - I'm waiting for the panda photos!

May 6, 2005 21:18 - The 'House' That We Built

Lisa Orme, who runs Keys Properties, shared this with me from her newsletter this evening, so I thought I'd share it with you! Lisa, by the way, is a property investment coach - you can pay her a visit at the Property Investor School. She has a ton of information on her site and she is a fabulous coach too!

The story is a neat little metaphor on life and trust Lisa to give it a property related slant - Enjoy!

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife, enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire.

They could get by.

The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favour. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you."

What a shock! What a shame!

If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than being pro-active, willing to put up with less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built.

If we had realised, we would have done it differently.

So, think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your 'house'. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity.

The plaque on the wall says:-

"Life is a do-it-yourself project."
Who could say it more clearly?

Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes, choices and decisions you make today.

Go to it with vigour - do your very best - for you.

May 7, 2005 20:20 - Scoop - Tony Blair 'Listens'

Whilst I don't want to get into the politics of it all, I was interested by the tone of Tony Blair (forgive the Ton(e)y pun!) yesterday when he was talking to the press, after his thrid successful election campaign. In it, he hinted fairly contritely, that "I; we; the government have heard the people", during the election. Hinting that a lesson truly had been learned and that the new government would be heeding what they had heard and acting on it.

It's an interesting concept, listening to the people that elect you and doing what they bid. For a govenment who got 60,000 less votes than the party who came second in seats, it would be wise if the Blair (or whoever replaces him) government, paid attention to the majority who didn't vote for them, as well as those who did.

But, for me, it raises another concept, more closely linked to the philosophy of management that I have.

It's this strange concept of 'listening' to those who matter. For managers or business owners,or department heads or bosses of big organisations etc., there is a wonderful opportunity to listen - and more to the point truly 'hear' - what your people are saying to you and act on it. Support it, nourich and cherish it.

Such inputs from an organisation's people are very rare indeed, but when it does happen, it makes for magic. Especially when taken constructively and used to the benefit of everyone. Management; employees; stakeholders; customers and clients.

Love or hate him, but Tony Blair has made a statement that he is going to heed the words of the people he has met on his election campaign. It is time that someone in a government stood up and was counted for being truthful, realistic and 'hearing' - and then doing the right things.

We will see if he really does deliver, when the whole election thing quietens down.

May 8, 2005 09:23 - Kindred Spirits

Don't laugh!

My family think I'm going back to my childhood. I would say that I never left :-)

I'm currently reading, for the first time, 'Anne of Green Gables' - that wonderful story of the irrepressable little orphan girl growing up on Prince Edward Island in North Eastern Canada. In one (of the many) exciting chapters, Anne and her 'closest friend' Diana arrive home late from a party and excitedly run and jump on the spare room bed, unbeknowing that an aged aunt has arrived to stay, late in the evening, and lies beneath!

This grumpy old tartar lays the law down the next morning, threatening to leave immediately and not stay for her month long vacation (and with the financial consequences of disinheriting the family). Anne decides to come clean and tackle the old dear with a serious apology - and gradually the pair of them evolve a great friendship. As Anne says,

"Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out that there are so many of them in the world"
In your day to day work, you come across many folks, both working alongside you as colleagues and also external contacts too. How is it possible to turn those who you come into contact with into 'kindred spirits'? You cannot force this, so here are a few ideas you might want to consider:-

1. Talk to people a lot - asking questions as you go and building those relationships.
   
2. Don't just listen to them, more truly hear what they say - there is a difference - checkout the bottom of this piece to find out what.
   
3. Be supportive with these people and encourage them.
   
4. Follow up with your promises and more - go the extra mile.
   
5. Be a mini-resource centre for them - provide any information and help you can.
   
6. Have few expectations of value to yourself - do it for fun. By expecting little in return you become much more likely to attract return!
   
7. Be the natural you - you will find them aligning far better with who you are rather than any falseness, which is transient and transparent.

All these, young, effervescent Anne did. And the joy she found from creating links with other and many 'kindred spirits' can work for you as well. And that is a strong lever to pull.

Hearing vs listening - a Distinction

"When we hear, we take in all the things that are part of the relationship which is showing up as sounds to us. Listening is paying attention to those sounds and showing that we care. Hearing is a whole lot stronger, because it includes reflection and action and encompasses the whole person."

May 9, 2005 20:18 - Do What You Love - Delegate the Rest

Whatever your job or role, there will always be the parts of it that you prefer to do and others you hate and loathe. It's natural! we all have our preferences and usually that which we enjoy and prefer doing are the things we are best at. It's common sense.

When we manage others, as we evolve into that role, we find that much is expected of us and so, almost as an act of proving our capabilities, we do as much of the role as we can and let little go.

That is where we lose both our pleasure in the job and also our capacity for delivering a good performance - we do all and find that it brings down our overall performance.

Yet, by understanding our people, we can find that there are some angles best left to and even actively given to others, so that not only do we, ourselves, benefit, but also our people thrive on the responsibility which has been delegated. Because it is an area they enjoy especially and hence are able to do well.

In doing well, they acheive more. In doing less of the things we dislike, we are able to focus more on those areas of our own strengths. And eveyone wins.

May 10, 2005 15:13 - Customer Service Sucks - Real Time Customer Complaint

It's time to review my mortgage. So Northern Rock, my existing provider, sent me a 'special offer', which I originally accepted - but when the documentation was sent out to sign, something was not clear. So I rang their customer services number three times yesterday. Twice, I held on for 15 minutes or so (time passes when you busy yourself doing other things - thank goodness for a headset!). Then someone answered and said they were too busy - could they call me back. Well, it wasn't convenient to do that, so I said no, as I was in and out all day. The second time was the same. Then the next time they were engaged.

As they have been all day today till now. As I type this, I have the music and the 'We value your call, a customer representative will be with you shortly', message. It's now six minutes, dum-de-dum etc.

I'd like to stay with them, their deal is OK, and I can't really be bothered to change, so I hang on.

Two lots of 15 minutes - at my cost, yesterday and now we're at 9 minutes. It's amazing how long this is to deal with a customer - an on the sharp end, I appreciate times when, way back in my career, I might have had customers wait - but I was truly focused on getting it right for them.

At eleven and a half minutes I get an answer - and they don't tell me the answer I want to know. So I ask for a supervisor. This takes another 2 minutes and no-one is available right now, can someone call you back? No! Then I have another call to make - apparently I have to take money out of my current mortgage, into my own current account, apply for that mortgage again whilst the chunk of money sits in my account (generating them interest - they will then offer me what I want and then I put it back. Isn't this great for wonderful customer service, totally focused in making our customers happy. It isn't convenient to move my account this year, but when it comes up next time - I will never deal with Northern Rock again.

This from a guy who never bought anything more from British Leyland after being told in 1977, when I bought a new car for the first time, that if the door didn't shut properly, that was to be expected, 'It isn't a Rolls Royce'

Yep, I sure can hold a grudge when it comes to customer service - and how much will that cost in lost business.

Oh, and by the way - the saga continues. Three further calls later, they have no complaints procedure that doesn't involve them ringing you back.

May 11, 2005 19:21 - Stepping Back Sometimes

I've had a great little new magazine sent me which is a new entrant into the T&D world. It's called 'Training and Learning' and on the front of it is a lovely picture of Jim Royle (of 'The Royle Family' a famous UK TV series), with the lovely descriptor:-

training my a**e!.
In it, there is a discussion of the effectiveness of the training offer in the marketplace in Britain today. It makes a difference when organisations take the matter of training seriously, yet it seems that less and less is being spent in this vital area. It's woeful.

Another take on this, is the more serious issue of the effectiveness of training.

Many coaches are finding that they can either link with trainers to ensure that the training is supported ongoing or some coaches are trainers as well and link individual training with one-to-one or group coaching too.

The key to training is to make it worthwhile and above all value-creating, for the organisation and (this is where it falls down sometimes) the individual.

By getting these two in harmony and providing someone at the other side of the training experience who can support, is the way forward.

Maybe then, with positive outcomes for those spending the money and individuals engaged in the business once again, will more money become available and Jim Royle won't have the need to whinge quite so much.

Or then again, maybe that is a little too much to expect...!

May 12, 2005 17:46 - It Will Pass

Have you noticed how some periods of time are fraught and some are placid ("you're in the wrong job, mate - they're all fraught", perhaps I hear someone saying!).

It's like a day comes along where everything seems to go wrong, or almost everything you touch hits the wall and breaks.

It's weird isn't it. There will be some of you reading this who will believe it's to do with the stars, and although I'm not a true devotee of that idea, one of my business colleagues, when I'm expressing that it's bit of a pig of a day, consoles me by saying 'It's not you mate, it's the stars'. And I feel a little calmer.

I'm reminded of the whole of this concept after talking with my mother who has had such a busy week - challenging too. Yet as she said, most weeks nothing much happens - they are retired and it is quiet - yet for her, this week seems to have had everything going on - and as it's her birthday tomorrow, I'm going to take her and my dad out to lunch.

Yet on those days, weeks, months and some people will say years where it seems that something is contriving to make life difficult - what is there to do?

It's a little like I suggested yesterday (though I did the title and drifted off tangent a bit :-)), it's about stepping back and seeing the big picture of what you are trying to achieve - or better, what you are truly achieving, for sure as 'eggs is eggs', what you're going through today, if you keep perspective and, maybe, catch yourself smiling at 'stuff' in your hectic chaos, then all will be well.

All will be well, indeed.

May 14, 2005 12:27 - Message in a Bottle

Some of you will know that I walk a lot. Well, not a lot, but almost every day - it's my way of keeping fit and enjoying what I value in life.

Nature being one.

I get cheesed off about the litter that's left lying about. As someone who has never knowingly dropped litter, it puzzles me why others do it. It's like they don't have that 'chip' fitted. Anyway, I don't want to rant, as I had the special Northern Rock rant earlier in the week.

So, I'm out this morning and I pick up a Biere d'Alsace bottle. A little green bottle, devoid of contents, but lying there on my path. I don't pick up everything as I realised that would spoil my walk - but sometimes if there is a glaringly obvious item and it's not the size of a dustbin, I pick it up and find a bin and drop it in. Today, it was this little bottle.

As I walked, I noticed that it was catching the wind occasionally and sounding a note. Cool! So as I walked, I experimented with just what the right angle was and held it there, thus catching the wind continually. It was positioned beautifully and made the sound all the time. Then I espied a big Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate wrapper, so I bunged it inside the top of the bottle - and my little sound stopped! Oh, no!

Then I started thinking that sometimes, when we are in our 'people management' mode, in our business or organisation, we find a solution to a problem and fix it. Then sometime later it comes up again and we still struggle for a while to make the connection and make it work for us.

I wonder if it is possible that it's a bit like the bottle in the wind.

How we find a solution and make the note sound, albeit briefly - yet if we take the time to notice what we did, we can find a moment to realise it, then we can do it again and again, naturally. Thus ensuring that we angle our bottle just right. Then, once we do it, we have to be careful that something doesn't come along to block us again - or the consistency; the note we have created; can get lost in the ongoing challenges we face.

Being aware that we can fix; absorb and then refocus to avoid losing the skill, is a big step.

Note, I am experimenting with audio right now, so turn up your speakers to hear this in audio. It's not perfect right at the moment as you will probably have to click on a second play button too, but this will be resolved. Then, I'll not just read this out, but I might be able to add a few little extras as well! Let me know what you think!

So it's click the link below and if another screen pops up, click the play button too!

May 16, 2005 19:26 - They Think It's All Over...

Yesterday was the culmination of the Premiership in the UK - the biggest football league in the world and apart from those of you completely turned off by football, a fascinating climax to the season, with any three of four who could be relegated and lose £21M next season (silly money, I know).

Three teams were relegated and yet were marvellously magnanimous in their summing up at the end.

At Southampton, with Harry Rednapp as manager, it was that they had a controlled exit strategy and they would need consistency next season after four managers this year. At Crystal Palace, Iain Dowie was strong in his summing up, promising that they would be very focused in their start to the next season and show their 'bounce-backability', hitting the ground running from game one. And at Norwich, Nigel Worthington was determined that his young players would be staying with them, because they were intent on building something down in East Anglia.

For Bryan Robson, the manager who did manage to stave off relegation (only through a goal 8 minutes from time by Charlton, thus dumping Crystal Palace out), he was generous to his players, yet admitted that it was his finest hour in his illustrious football career.

Consistency
Focused
Building
Three words those three managers used independently.

Yet how powerful those images are in their minds, or more accurately their mindsets.

How much more powerful when all three are used together. In many ways these comments are a testament to the excellence of future these teams have next year. Looking forward, not backwards, magnanimous in defeat and heads held high. No blame on circumstances or others.

And despite applauding him earlier this month, how much more attractive than Mourinho at Chelsea, who, after their defeat at Liverpool was only able to say that the best team lost - Ha! The team who won were the best - they won!

Click the button to play (temporarily you may have to click a button again on a new page)

May 17, 2005 15:41 - Perception is All

A business partner and I recently put in for a big piece of work. It was not an insignificant quote and we were looking forward to a nice consistent period for our joint business. We were unsuccessful. As good coaches, we were very determined to learn from the missed opportunity, so we followed up and asked for constructive feedback about the tender.

This is the reply we received back.

"Thank you for the submission. The proposal wasn't exactly what we wanted. In some ways it may heave been down to the fact that we weren't clear around the outcomes we wanted in the first place. I'd like to arrange a meeting in June to have a further conversation about it."
So, instead of just (being negative and) assuming the work isn’t coming our way, because of our input and putting the client under pressure to say yes or no, we had assumed that we needed to refine our offer.

What was happening here? In fact, in the world of consulting, decisions often don't go your way, so this leads to some speculative tendering (with sometimes a bit of a sweat that everything will all come at once!).

But the issue here is that of our perceptions being that we were at fault. This experience has told us that this isn't always the case, in fact it may never be the case and we are having to overcome this. Oft times it is nothing to do with what we tendered or look like as a business. Yet, our perception tells us we are 'in the wrong' or 'not good enough' etc.

Living beyond negative self-perception is a lot easier the more positive responses you have.

I'd like to put a spin on this. When we are working with our teams, their self-perception is most easily self-critical, as was ours with the missed tender. Yet, by being supportive, encouraging and enthusiastic managers, we can go a long way to shaking this off people - and what an enlightening difference this makes.

May 19, 2005 10:32 - Proud of Being Naive

A close friend of mine started up in business about the same time as me. A true professional, he is an expert in his field, yet here he was, going into business on his own for the first time in his life. We shared a few similarities in our path, had dinner occasionally and I'm delighted that I coached him a little, and to be honest, he coached me too. It was true win-win.

We've both been quite busy and haven't spoken for a few months, so I was delighted to hear from him earlier today. Business has been going well, he's taken on new offices and yet, there was a little something in his voice, that I sensed all wasn't perfect.

In fact he shared with me that he'd been let down on a couple of occasions, by clients he'd seen as friends, yet who had challenged him on his contracted fees once his invoice had gone in. In fact they tried to beat down his price, 'or else we won't work with you in the future'.

My friend is a man of integrity - it is not the way he would behave personally and he experienced disappointment. He is getting over it and as he said, he is 'proud of being naive'. He has gotten over it by accepting it as a learning experience and moving on.

But I know it hurt and it is a challenge when people let us down like that. You see some people pitch their integrity at way different levels than we might do - each to their own. Yet it truly does come as a shock when it hits home.

From time to time when we are managing others, or others manage us, we find that their standards are different from ours - and it takes time to adapt to it. And that can be a painful time in relationships, unless both sides have the will to appreciate the others needs.

Even then, it doesn't always work. As my friend said, it took him just five minutes to decide what would happen and he now has a couple less clients, but the ones he generates by having that set of standards, that personal and business integrity, will more than make up for it.

*Checkout the audio* - there's a little extra in it for you! Let me know if it works for you and even if you have a problem - I like feedback! Just click the comments button or send me an e-mail through the Contact button on the left of the screen.

May 20, 2005 22:08 - Eeee - It takes You Back!

There I was, in Marks and Spencer (buying a pair of shoes), when I espied one of the Supervisors in the 'greatest' team I'd ever managed. She had moved on from the major retailer we had both worked for and ended up there. It was so refreshing!

As we chatted a little, it was clear the level of trust and rapport we had, undiminished from the time we had spent together. She was the one who took up my half-hearted challenge to try out 'self-managed teams' and made a big impression on every member of that team, not to mention the performance they delivered.

She was the operations Supervisor who I had deferred to when asking a member of her team to do something urgently, unless (let me call her) Jenny had something more pressing (thus respecting her role and not riding roughshod over her area of responsibility). They were truly fascinating times and proved to me that the philosophies about business management that I hold so dear right now, really do work. I know, I've seen it happen!

Jenny had her challenges, both in business and in life, but she was - is - a total trooper, speaking the language of common sense and bottom line action. We could do with more of them and respect the ones we have a lot more.

Why did she leave the previous retailer we had spent so much time at? Disrespect from another manager who she worked for after I left. I'm not trying to state how good I was, more that it is a fine line between engaging employees positively, and losing them. A fine line in building the right sort of relationship that gets the job done, yet remains a friendly colleague as well.

Do I see a tub to get down off? Yes, I suppose I do - yet those relationships can be worked on. If not, then maybe those who can't, need support and guidance, up to a point - or they need encouragement to find a job that's much more appropriate for them - and the business.

May 21, 2005 21:04 - Getting to Know You

I was working with my North American coach this week - and we were communicating in English together, but occasioanlly not an English that I could understand. She sent me this comment in an e-mail

"...nyquill to kick in a prolly 15 mins..."
Which I found a bit confusing (and I asked, in reply, "...is this some sort of sporting reference?").

Wait till later to find out what it means:-)

Then, the biter was bit as they say (probably another confusing idiom for a significant chunk of my readers!). When I was working with my CoachU class this week and as a way to illustrate what can happen when a client suddenly 'shifts' very quickly, I said that the coach was sort of:-

"lighting the blue touch-paper"
For those of you visiting from overseas, this too is a confusing idiom, relating to the bit on a firework that you light to set it off (it all dates back to someone called Guy Fawkes, who once tried to burn down our parliament!). It's meaning that we, as coaches, sometimes are such a catalyst, that we facilitate in a truly huge way, the changes that happen.

So, what point am I making here? I guess it's about the things we say are sometimes confusing to those who are listening. In the cases I mentioned above, this confusion is very clear, especially across cultures, but many times in business, it's across the space just between different people and their internal culture and life experience. Then it's much more subtle, but the confusion can reign the same.

And as one whose role it is to communicate clearly, it's worth introducing feedback loops to test the understanding of those who you are talking to, especially with instructions and expectations.

Because the responsibility for getting the clear message across is not the recipients, it is the givers of information.

For the "...nyquill to kick in a prolly 15 mins...", read "Night Nurse starts to work in about 15 minutes" - for those in the UK, or "the sleep inducing cold medicine starts to provide relief and drowsiness quite soon", for the rest of the world.

Nothing could be clearer than that then - or could it?

May 22, 2005 19:35 - Chinese Whispers

How many levels are there from the top to the 'bottom' of a big organisation - a FTSE 100 or Fortune 500?

5? 6? 7? or even more?

How can a major league CEO understand the mindset and motivation needs of his or her front line troops?

You see, sometimes the difference is so big, so huge, that however hard that CEO tries, he or she will never get to really, really understand just what is happening and how they are feeling. Yet, this is a serious mistake. Not finding a way to get your philosophy through to your customer facing people is probably the worst you can do, even if you are strategically strong and wear your MBA with pride.

Many organisations seem to think that policies and procedures, audits and systems are the solution. Well, that's not true. As someone asked me the other day about prioritisation. I told them how easy it is:-

1. Service your clients and customers
   
2. Make sure your product is available
   
3. Everything else

Yet from that remote boardroom, somehow the messages of hope, charisma and challenge are lost in the muddle of inadequate middle-mis-management, so that the poor soul at the sharp end, is bogged down from those two priorities into a mish-mash of arrogant and ill-advised dictats - thus ruining the business forever.

Sure, the staff satisfaction surveys look great as local management beats the people into submission to answer appropriately to the local needs. Or the questions are manipulated to give encouraging results. Indeed, the man at the top doesn't even get to know how bad things are - until it has disintegrated.

Am I sounding morose? Am I sounding distant from the truth? Or are there a few of you nodding your heads?

There are businesses - and big ones - out there right now, who have lost the plot - big time. They have the right ideals, but have no integrity in the quality of management, throughout the ranks, running their businesses.

I fear that we have a lot more misery to come.

May 26, 2005 19:03 - Oh When The Saints...

I've been away on business for a few days, but I'm now returned and perhaps will be a little more frequent for you too - here in the blog!

As you are aware, I love working with football analogies!

So, at half-time in yesterday's European Cup football final, Liverpool were 3-0 down against AC Milan, and I went to catch up on my e-mails for 30 minutes. Now the half-time period is 15 minutes, so I came back to the game 15 minutes into the second half, amazed to see the score at 3-2 and within seconds, Liverpool had a penalty and scored, to level the scores.

Eventually they went on to win on penalties.

AC Milan are no dummies, yet at 3-0 up at half-time, something happened to them, and Liverpool, such that in the space of 6 minutes in the second half, the scores were level.

Raphael Benito, the Livepool manager, must have seemed like the messiah by the end. He denies he had given up hope. Yet most of his players, whilst they did not say they had given up hope, had a massive belief that they could still succeed. AC Milan came out in the second half driving on cruise and with next to no passion. Liverpool, of all the clubs in the world, have passion. And once they had scored through their icon Steve Gerrard, they had the confidence, as well as the belief that they could win.

I once went to a property seminar with Gill Fielding, a wealth coach. When asked any question ('Can you...?'), she has a catch phrase - 'Yes, you can...'

And Liverpool had heard it last night.

We can learn from Liverpool and Gill Fielding, is that whatever the circumstances, if you believe that you can - you can! With Gill's belief I had made my first investment in property within weeks of her seminar. After the belief that they could, Liverpool became European Champions.

You can do, whatever it is you are thinking about - you have the talent and capability to achieve whatever you want - it's just about how you set your mind.

Football is, of course, a game of two halves. Indeed your life can be a game of two halves, before believing you can and after - which do you choose?

May 27, 2005 09:34 - It's a Fine Line Between Success and The Best

I will finally cease with the stuff around the Liverpool victory on Wednesday night after this last piece. But there is an important postscript.

Being deflected from the real goal, the bigger picture, on the back of such a huge success would be one of the easiest things to do - getting sucked into the emotion of the event would be understandable, and to stick with those players who brought glory, for next season as well.

Not for the manager Rafa Benitez - oh no!

Even as the game was being played, the commentators were highlighting those players on the pitch who would be unlikely to withstand the tightening of the screw in the Summer. With a number of players out of contract and some more who are just not good enough to win the Premiership - Benitez and Liverpool's true goal - changes will happen.

Indeed in today's media there are reports of comments from Benitez that when he arrived last Summer the team were 60% capable and now they have improved a measly amount to 70% - so there is clearly work still to be done.

I hold my hand up. There were times as a manager where I accepted 80% - and often paid the penalty. Out of emotional bonds or perhaps more deeply, out of a desire to surround myself by 'people who liked me', it was a tough call to turf out those who were not up to scratch.

In fact, I was pretty decisive about poor performance and through setting very clear expectations and goals, I readily moved on people who were not adequate. Yet for those who achieved that 80% (and this is better than many), maybe I could have sought more. Like Benitez.

True quality, which very, very few managers have, is to see through these understandably strong emotional ties, to see the real needs for your business or organisation. In the end, it will serve you well - but it is very, very tough to do.

Being good enough to be champions of Europe is not proving to be enough. What a great example to us all.

May 28, 2005 20:13 - Ten Reasons Why Asking for Help Works

When you are in charge of a team, or a business, it is easy to fall into the trap of being invincible. Asking for help is something that's easy to do - yet, to the uninitiated, it feels like a weakening position. But there are a number of reasons that is not... (Read Article)

May 28, 2005 21:09 - How to Make a Difference Every Day

Every day, everyone can make the world a better place. It's simple; it's quick and it is free. All it requires is a recipe containing you (yes, that's YOU), awareness and a natural disposition to be brave enough to change the day of everyone you come into contact with, in a positive way. (Read Article)

May 28, 2005 21:14 - Be The Change

I am indebted to George Metcalfe, a fellow coach who alerted me to the excellent interview on the Jonny Walker radio show last week. You can access this until the next Thursday show and after that it gets wiped from being available - and it isn't downloadable. So click this link to catch probably the greatest coach to influence the profession in the UK, Sir John Whitmore.

Note, to access it choose Thursday and then use the fast forward buttons to get to 1 hour 20 minutes (5 x 15 and a 5 - it follows Rod Stewart!) - saves you a heap of time!

His book, "Coaching for Performance" is a superb introduction into the world of coaching. It stands in its own right as a viable and very usable framework.

His current theme, "Be the Change" relates to all of us being keen to make the world a better place, yet if we are all up for it - what are each of us actually doing?

I have been coaching for some time now and I'd like to feel most of the time I communicate with everyone to encourage and engage, whatever they are doing.

Now, I am certainly not an expert on this - I get it wrong loads of times and as you may have read here on the blog a few times (!), my patience gets thinner, the older I get.

Yet I also acknowledge how much difference I can make in the world - albeit one person at a time. In fact that is a lot and I'm pleased to be able to "Be the Change" at least some of the time. It's a start.

You might also like to read an article I wrote on this too. It's just below here, called How to Make a Difference Every Day.