|
December 1, 2005 05:18 - The Transformation
The call came at just after 9 at night. An old business friend who works in a retail organisation, I know well. Many had been the time we'd spoken about the pure lack of support she was experiencing through a bunch of different managers, sadly indifferent to the needs of their people.
Tonight was different. Tonight was special.
"We've got this new guy managing our business right now - what a transformation!"
She said.
For the first time in months, maybe years, there was enthusiasm in her voice - a fresh spark. Sure there were ongoing challenges, but some little things had started to turn things around.
"He came over and apologised for not having come over earlier to say 'good morning'! Was her first exclamation. "Then, upstairs in the staff room there were a few nice things to eat and drink for us, and a list of all the successes we'd had last week", was the second.
Simple things.
"He's recognised, for the first time, that I need support when it's busy and he's rejigged the staffing to make that happen - at last".
Her voice was positive and enthused - yet he had done so little, which made such a difference. Of course this needs to be authentic and maintained.
But let's not quibble too much here.
It is a leap ahead. Through the ability to sense what's important to his people (note that phrase, it's the most important bit on here, he has transformed a workplace, started to transform a debilitating culture, into a creative and positive one.
Everyone will be a winner here, not least the business itself.
December 1, 2005 06:05 - Delighting Customers - Three Solutions to Make the Difference
Customer service is the holy grail of most service and product organisations. Yet there are three basics that are vital to go further - to delight your customers... (Read Article)
December 1, 2005 17:50 - Common Sense at Last - Marks and Spencer Sorted it!
We live in a society where some people abuse their situation, to the detriment of many others. A few spoiling it for the many (have you tried to put an insurance claim in recently?).
As I have mentioned before, this provides organisations large and small with big challenges, where they have to maximise their profits and minimise their losses.
Often this is delivered through a series of systems, processes and protocols which can upset and wrongly discriminate against people who have valid claims.
Recently, a bed we bought and inadvertently stored for several months, showed up with a crack in it when we opened the box.
Despite reporting immediately we put the bed together, we were faced with a sort of informal 'three-month' rule which was deemed 'too long' for a manufacturing fault - quite understandable.
Except that ours was a real situation where we knew we had a valid claim.
Frustrating - I'll say it was!
We challenged Marks and Spencer to resolve this situation and initially the decision was managed by a process, which did not satisfy us. We persevered, so that the matter was put in front of very senior management. Once it actually got there, we had nothing but positive help and a suitable resolution to the affair was soon arranged.
But we did have to jump through hoops a bit. I was impressed, that the senior manager who dealt with us, appreciated that maybe there had been times, in the past, where the 'rules' might have been applied too rigidly - and that he was now in the process of refining; to give customers a better deal. At the end of the day, my wife and daughter can resume their shopping at M&S for Christmas!
That, in itself, will ensure their profitability is maximised and we can continue to be valued customers for many more years.
We are delighted that our expectations, built over 30+ years, have, in the end, been met.
And a turkey has our name on it!
December 2, 2005 21:59 - Performance Contract Review - Is this the Way?
I wonder what you think of the 'invitation' to a performance review shown below. It is real, though some of the details have been amended, for the safety of recipients!
As you read it, please see it through the eyes of someone who expected a 3-monthly review and has not set eyes on their appraiser more than once in six months!
"Saturday, October 22nd, 2005 07:13PM
6 month contract review for managers
please note the following dates for your contract review. they will be held in your base office (jackie, will you contact me and let me know which office you are in on the nominated day).
PLEASE HAVE READY FOR THE REVIEW:
1) AN UP TO DATE SCORECARD
2) A WRITTEN SUMMARY OF YOUR PERSONAL CONTRIBUTIONS YOU HAVE MADE TO THE SUCCESS OF THE BUSINESS IN YOUR AREA/S. (INCLUDE AS MUCH SUPPORTING STATISTICAL EVIDENCE AS YOU CAN).
3) YOUR 3 KEY PRIORITIES THAT YOU ARE GOING TO DELIVER BY END OF MARCH TO SUPPORT THE GREEN LIGHTS ON THE SCORECARD.
*i will have a 'dim' view of anybody not coming having prepared!!!!*
-julie jones: 3pm tues 22nd nov.
-jeff stanton: 3pm friday 18th nov
-jackie smythe:9am thurs 24th nov
-josia long:5.30pm tuesday 22nd nov
-davy thomas: 10.30am thurs 17th nov
-rita singh:10.0am thurs 17th nov
WILL REGIONAL CO-ORDINATORS PLEASE MAKE SURE MANAGERS GET THIS E-MAIL.
THANKS
STEVE"
Add to the mix the following ingredients:-
- The poor senior manager is writing this at 7:13 on a Saturday evening.
- There is a new e-mail system and not only did the recipient not receive the e-mail, nor did their regional controller!
- Jackie Smyth's name is spelt wrong - it was directed correctly though, because her name has been entered on the system wrongly as well (but she hadn't been told how to access her mail - she did get told on December 1st!).
- There is a big conflict with lower-case and upper case - it is shown how it really was written.
- There is a huge chunk of work here putting numbers together - what is the value of that, when these numbers are available on the internal system?
- 3 key priorities before the contract discussion?
- ...and that threat - 'a dim view...' eh?
- On the day set, for at least two of these recipients (both of whom never received their e-mails because no-one told them how to access them), the senior manager didn't show up anyway - and there were no apologies!
So...
Questions for you...
- How would you feel on the receiving end of this?
- How might you do it differently - you can stop when you get to 20 changes you might make.
- What does it say about the sender?
- What does it say about the organisation who employs someone like this and pays them in excess of £60K pa?
- How do you think the culture (morale and motivation) is?
- Above all, what can each and every one of us learn from this example (so at least something good comes out of it)?
And remember, sleep well, this happens in a very small number of organisations, so fear not.
Or does it?
December 3, 2005 23:30 - There is No 'I' in TEAM - or is There?
'Team' and 'I'. These two words are said not to fit together very well. Let's explore why and whether we can't get value from both... (Read Article)
December 3, 2005 23:40 - 100% Successful Management - The Ten Winning Behaviours
Management is all about being the one who facilitates business or organisational success. Delivering the required results. It can be daunting, yet with these ten simple ideas, it might not be the impossible challenge... (Read Article)
December 5, 2005 22:32 - Book Review - The One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard
In this early book of Ken Blanchard's, he is able, through a very precise focus on what makes leaders (and, I think in this case, managers), get the very best from those they employ, to describe a simple process for success. (Read Article)
December 5, 2005 22:33 - Customer Service - the Rackspace Way
Whatever you might expect, the winners of the 'Management Today' 2005 award for Business to Business Customer Service were a little known IT company called Rackspace.
They provide website hosting for organisations whose web presence is not just important, but critical.
They use Dell servers, just like other providers, yet they are clearly the the best in the business - and a very competitive business it is too.
Yet, with an amazing focus on service, they scored head and shoulders aboive competitors (9.29/10 against the runners up at 7.73/10).
Culture makes them winners. With an MD whose personal mission statement is:-
"My role is serving anyone in the organisation to help them do what they need to do. Everyone here serves everyone else with the ultimate aim of serving the customer"
Refreshing or what?
On their packaging, it says 'Fanatical Support', which kinda sums up what Rackspace are about.
As an indication of what their customers think, these are examples of comments they get back.
"Rackspace gives me peace of mind"
"Rackspace makes me feel good"
"I can recommend them to anyone with confidence"
Checkout the full article on them on the "Management Today" website, right here.
December 6, 2005 17:21 - Snippet of the Day - Make Your Meeting Productive
Ever been to a meeting where you wondered what had been agreed.
Only to show up a month later and find out that there had been no progress, partly because no-one knew what was expected of them. So they kept quiet with their heads down!
How frustrating.
To save this being a problem, one possibility that works really well is to have someone capture actions and who is accountable (and by when) for that action during the meeting.
This is then circulated to everyone immediately as the meeting closes, so there are no doubts.
Attendees know exactly what is expected of them and like a little miracle, things start to happen.
And those meetings aren't so meaningless any more.
Action
Accountability
Timeframe
Written
Circulated
Five key words to make your meetings become much more productive!
Checkout here for more on meeting management.
December 7, 2005 11:03 - Making Meetings Productive
Have you ever been to a meeting that seemed to be going nowhere and was a waste of your time. There is one key step you can take that will make the difference to every meeting you go to in the future... (Read Article)
December 7, 2005 11:08 - Focus on the Brand - Courtesy of easyJet's Stelios
A few days ago, I mentioned that an 'easyJet' flight to Venice had provided me with an insight of Stelios (Haji-Ioannou), the founder of the ground-breaking low-cost airline, which has revolutionised European air travel.
He was listing his top five things he 'wished I had known when I started'.
Previously I mentioned that he wished he'd been clearer on his strengths and delegated the rest. If you missed it you can find this on the 18th of November entry.
Number two on his list is a bit garbled (if I may say so!). It states:-
"Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Focus - on your job, on your brand."
This seems a bit of a contradiction to me, but the essence of the best part of what he said, for me is the second bit -
"Focus on your Brand"
As I see it, this can be construed two ways. It can be the brand of the business or organisation you work within, or it can be your personal brand - about who you are in the work you do.
Working on any Brand means initially being really clear about what it is that you represent, where you are going in your offer and pulling all the stops out to consistently deliver that.
It is about questioning every action and measuring against the background of the Brand you personally, your business or organisation are.
Clarity and focus are what you must have as a constant magnet drawing you forward.
December 7, 2005 11:09 - Mother Knows Best
This morning, as I pulled the sleeve of my tee-shirt through my jumper, I realised this was an action I'd taken for granted over the years.
It had become almost sub-conscious. Yet sometime, probably when I was a child, someone had probably shown me how to do this - probably my mother.
The other day, I cracked my head as the boot lid of my car went up more slowly than I expected, on a cold morning. Instinctively, I went to rub my head, hard - again, I put this down to encouragement from my mother, who always believed that if you 'rub it' it will hurt a lot less.
In fact this is true, I'd just put some gel on my hair and couldn't rub it - gosh, it was a lot more painful than when I'd been able to do the usual!
So what can we learn from these episodes, from our learning in the past as well as the experiences of the current? Well, I suppose 'mother knows best' would be a start!
But seriously, we did learn these little tricks in our growing up. So those times where you feel that you can't learn something new are quite incorrect. You can - you did all those years ago.
You have the capacity to learn new things and incorporate them into the way you are, for that change in your behaviour, your attitude, your actions to become second nature and almost subconscious.
In addition, these two little examples tell us other things too.
If you use your thumbs to hook into your tee-shirt to help it through, you can make your life easier and more comfortable by using all the tools you can muster. Thumb/tee-shirt sleeve don't easily sit together out of context, but in context they are perfect!
By rubbing my head, or my knee, or an arm when it is hurt, I distract myself by focusing on something quite different.
So it can be in the workplace.
When things don't go quite to plan, we dust ourselves off and try again - we distract the pain of a failure, by the challenge of something new.
I wonder what you learnt from your mother?
December 8, 2005 23:04 - Book Review - The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook, by Peter Senge
If you ever wanted a book that contains almost everything you would ever want to develop your management skills, this is it. A book to take on a desert island with you to enjoy. (Read Article)
December 8, 2005 23:09 - Planning - a Value or Otherwise
I am going to share with you something that my friend James shared with me earlier today.
The '5P's of Success'.
I thought this was such a great suggestion to remember, that I immediately regarded it as useful for my blog.
The 5p's of Success are as follows:-
Perfect
Planning
Prevents
Pathetic
Performance
...which I thought was rather good.
In all situations where there is a linear effect to manage, I think this an excellent model to follow.
Hey, James, It's a winner.
Then later, when I was driving home, I heard an interesting debate on Long Wave (well, I have very varied listening habits!).
It was how the logic of planning falls apart unless the consequences of that planning are carefully thought through, as well as the challenge of planning for extreme circumstances.
Let's say we had a fuel strike. The plan would be for essential services - people who need fuel for critical roles - to get petrol.
Let's take doctors. They are needed to look after people. They also need nurses, or they can't do things like operations.
But schools are not vital in times of an emergency, so they close, the children stay at home - so the nurses do as well. So the doctors can't do their jobs anyway, so aren't critical (or so the argument went).
So planning is these situations is not as easy as James would find in his linear business, like running a shop at Christmas.
Sometimes don't you just wish things were simpler!
December 9, 2005 23:11 - Manager or Doer - Which One are You?
Managers fall into a trap, quite easily when the pressure is on, of doing more of the regular workload that their employees could. It makes them feel like they are achieving more personally, as well as fighting the fires that crop up every day. But this is not a sustainable solution, here's why... (Read Article)
December 10, 2005 18:12 - Constructive Feedback - How to get the Best from Your Employees
Feedback has become a widely used buzzword in recent years and it's more positive brother, constructive feedback is seen as a more developmental process for employees.
But what are the keys to getting the best from constructive feedback. Here are ten...
(Read Article)
December 11, 2005 20:05 - Customer Service - Not the Guru Way, but Three Simple Steps!
You can spend a fortune on having someone come and tell you how to deliver customer service, or you can do much more, for much, much less.
There are three easy steps. (Read Article)
December 12, 2005 15:27 - All the Evidence
Sometimes, it's a little thing that gives you an indication on the possibilities.
Like Jessica Fletcher in 'Murder She Wrote', (yea, I know, sad aren't I!), those little things can lead to extraordinary and valuable conclusions.
It's about having your senses tuned in fully and being aware of the possibilities that might ensue, which joins up your thinking.
I remember once, getting into a lift with an employee.
Disappointed that she had been turned down from joining a nursing training programme for the third time, she had ability, yet wasn't using it fully in the role she had, which was, frankly, no more than a shelf stacker.
That conversation, put together with someone else later that day, helped me to help her, by getting her onto a healthcare related training programme within the business I was in.
She was brilliant at it, as well as giving herself personal fulfulment.
Key points here were my interest in engaging in conversation, not just with her, but someone else too.
Then adding two conversations together, with a business need. Bingo!
Not clever or special, but being tuned in, asking the right questions, hearing more than the facts and seeing possibilities.
Something we all can do.
December 13, 2005 19:34 - The Road Less Travelled...
Two little incidents to share with you tonight, which highlight just what you can find, if you take a little risk into the unknown.
I share an old Limited Company which a business partner and I don't use anymore.
For months I've been thinking of closing it down, but I couldn't be bothered with the hassle, despite my accountant telling me it was simple (though she did throw another bit of unnecessary information in there, which put me off a bit).
Yesterday the bill came from her to pay for the year ending March 2005, so that was my stimulus!
So, I rang Companies House to be told that I could download a one-page form, sign it and pass it to the co-director (with whom I will now have a partnership - a lot less expensive to run) and return it to file.
Since we haven't put anything through that business for 3 months, there is even no need to file accounts - and that is it!
So those months of tolerating it in the back of my mind were a bit of a waste of time and energy - so investigating it a bit, fixed it and made it go away - yea!
My second moment of joy was an actual 'road less travelled'!
I went to stay overnight last night for a business meeting today, so I had a couple of hours after I got up to have a wander (nah, didn't want to waste it working!) - but where to?
It is really close to the A1, with very busy traffic, which I don't really like.
So, not really knowing the area, I set off to walk. I came to three small roads in a village. Two were dead-ends, whilst one turned out to be a footpath, which I took, thinking, 'Well, I'll walk for 15 minutes and then turn round', thus making up my half-hour walk.
As I went down I came to a delightful river-bank (the River Nene, it turned out to be). As I turned the corner, I caught a glimpse of a large heron, frightened by my clumsy approach - I got sight of it a bit further down, though it flew off again - a wonderful sight.
If I hadn't taken a little risk, I would never have seen that - and, I now have something to draw me back, as well as my colleagues, Steve, Judith and Janet at Your Business Matters, with whom it looks a very promising year in 2006 - more of that to follow!
A couple of totally worthwhile experiences for me - and in just 24 hours too!
December 14, 2005 20:55 - What a Difference Geography Makes
I've been teaching a CoachU class of new coaches tonight.
We have been discussing how to align with clients - in this case, in terms of the language we use.
Partly this is about ensuring that as we coaches work worldwide, we understand that there are differences, some overt (actual language differences) and some more subtle, like the local idioms and cultural qualities found in other countries.
It is important to be aware of these and 'align' ourselves with these worldwide clients - it makes a difference to the relationship, often a big difference.
I had lunch today in a Cotswold village.
I hadn't been there before.
In the rush to get Christmas sorted out, I had lost 4 aimail stickers, which are free, so I went into this village post office to ask for them.
They are free, so I wasn't bringing any business and it showed on the face of the woman behind the counter. When I asked for directions to the restaurant, I noticed that she had an accent I recognised.
In fact she was from Accrington, just 8 miles from where I was born. So we shared a laugh about meeting so far away and the relationship blossomed.
Getting aligned with the geography made a shift in that relationship. It was pretty obvious why on this occasion (Lancastrians together!), yet there are many other opportunities for us to 'get aligned' in the way we build relationships, often in the way we make conversation, showing an interest in the other party, not being afraid to speak up.
And it makes the world a much more interesting place too.
December 15, 2005 21:40 - Where Are You Now?
It's a time of year again for reflection, to take stock about what's gone on in 2005.
It's too easy in the hurly-burly of our busy lives, not to realise what we have achieved, so now it is time.
Here's an activity to undertake (there will be a follow up in a few days):-
- Think back where you were a year ago. Not where physically (though you can), more what you had achieved, experienced or proposed.
- List ten things that you've done, since then, in the last year, of which you can be proud, excited, even wondrous and joyful about - c'mon, get buzzy with yourself!
- Think too about the efforts you made, and, more especially the things you learnt.
- Appreciate yourself, by writing them down longhand somewhere you can find again.
- Recognise the journey and that, truly, whilst not everything might have gone to plan, you had a go! And that really is something to celebrate.
- Think about these successes as you go off to sleep each night till the next chapter from me.
- Recall, like Clarence helps George to do, in It's a Wonderful Life, the difference you made to someone, or more, through the interactions you had (note - you made a positive difference to many people, whatever you think, we all do.
Above all, make it fun, keep in context and appreciate the truly fab. person you are!
December 16, 2005 08:06 - Work Hard - Number Three for Stelios
In the sequence of Stelios (easyJet) Haji-Ioannou's "Five Things I Wish I'd Known When I Started" list, extracted from their 10th anniversary in-flight magazine, we come to this, number three:-
"Work Hard. It will take hard work to get what you want in business."
Clearly if you want success hard work is a pre-requisite. Yet I see a distinction. Focused, progressive hard work is fine and a must. There are other types of hard work.
Many individuals, not limited to (of course), but in my view especially managers and entrepreneurs, work too hard, in unproductive ways that damage themselves, their families and their businesses.
I think Stelios is implying that the hard work you need to do is the right hard work. make no mistake, if you are working hard in the wrong direction, you will not be successful in anything except frustration and exhaustion.
When you work hard in a focused way, doing the right things and particularly getting the best from your people (remember the first on his list (delegate the stuff you aren't good at) as a priority), you will get there.
A valid lesson from the great man himself.
Hard work, but the right hard work...
December 16, 2005 22:48 - Recruitment Issues - Is it Me?
Sometimes, I feel that I'm one of a few who are flying a flag of common sense and fairness (though I know from readers that I am not alone!
I was in a bar earlier today.
Not spending a decadent long lunch over wine and a platter, I'm afraid, just that I love good coffee and I've found a little corner where I can get one, a bit different to Starbucks and cheaper too!
So, as I'm sitting there, enjoying almost perfect Italian coffee, a young man comes to the bar and nervously asks if there is any news of the application form he left over a week ago.
It is clear he is nervous, and I sense that in him.
The barman, not discourteously, asks some details of what he is after and goes off to find the manager (who I know is not in).
He returns to ask the young man how old he is. With 'eighteen' as the reply, off he trots again.
This time he comes back and say that as it's Christmas, they aren't considering anyone till the new year and the young man should come back then, oh, and yes, they've found his application.
I suppose what went through my mind were the following thoughts:-
- How did the young man feel as he left?
- What could the barman have said differently?
- What could change in the organisation to make such an interaction more user-friendly?
- Why does it matter - perhaps a bigger question even?
The reason I raise this is that I feel there is a need to treat everyone with dignity as well as understanding what they need as part of their life experience.
Who knows what effect that little interaction might have on the young man - maybe it is necessary to have such experiences to 'toughen us up', but I wonder. A little support, encouragement and consideration never did any harm.
My experience is that often we don't treat people very well - in the case of job applicants I was always very determined, that I as well as my HR people respected every single applicant, with timely responses as well as the courtesy of a personal reply.
At the very least, these people might well be my customer one day and sure as anything, poor treatment as a potential employee will be discussed, just as poor customer service - not good for business.
Am I alone in seeing this as important?
December 19, 2005 19:12 - It's Getting Closer!
Christmas is getting closer - as if you hadn't noticed!
The stores are all in a panic because they are so reliant on season for their overall profitability. Yet they are quieter. Sales seem to be struggling.
But fear not. There are three things to make the hotshots at the top of our major retailers feel easier (though I don't suppose they will take the pressure off their people!).
- Retailers open much longer.
Compare the actual hours that retailers open these days, compared even with a few years ago. Opening 'for the convenience of our customers' is a bit of a joke, because so few turn out at 2 in the morning, that it is a no-brainer profit eater.
Yet they believe it works, but I doubt it. A couple of months ago, I felt 'Lost in Oulu' for a weekend (look it up, it's near where Santa lives!), because I was there on a Sunday when all the shops are closed. But it felt rather nice, quiet, comfortable - they seem to cope OK with it. There were no noticeable food shortages, people were clothed, or so it seemed. So stores open longer, yet the increases in business, year-on-year, are only slight.
Many more trading hours, slightly more business - I wonder why overall it seems quieter - duh!
- This is a long, long week.
This year has the 'longest week' in retailing. With a Saturday at the end of it, and one which will be pretty busy, any shortfalls will be made up on that day, or the day before. Trust me! Retailers always judge their business wrongly - certainly to their store staff. The belief seems to be that if we fall behind last year, we're in trouble. Yet most businesses will have their busiest or second businest day on the 23rd. It will come! These are massive sales days.
- The spend is always much the same.
People will spend. It will happen this year - much as it always does.
The amount spent seems to still be slightly on the rise, even in traditional retailing, as well as that ever present threat of online (we placed our sixth order at Amazon today!).
And finally. If you are in a traditional retailer this week, I implore you to do three things (it's a list of three's tonight!):-
- Get something, anything on your shelves.
Almost anything will sell this week (and that from a guy who once sold an electric hairbrush - don't ask!). Checkout your stockrooms for those boxes that have no labels and find out what's in them - get the important stuff really visible - get creative!
Fill shelves with best sellers, then with poor sellers, shift it all - after Christmas it's worth less than half (though the sale can produce good revenue and minimise losses too!).
- Man your tills effectively.
Revisit what you think are appropriate staffing levels regularly - more regularly than you usually do.
- Review Review Review!
Making written notes of the experience will be a big help for you for next year. Planning, pro-activity, effort, organisation, logistics - monitor and record - now!
And remember, it's pretty certain that next year will be more fraught, more hectic and absolutely definitely ,' the toughest Christmas ' ever, so be prepared!
And enjoy at least a day with your loved ones.
December 21, 2005 19:56 - Ten Reasons Why It's Best to Accept How You Feel During Change
Change is challenging. It impacts on people and they resist.
But sometimes they resist experiencing the feelings that accompany change.
Yet accepting and appreciating how you feel in changing situations can help. Here's how... (Read Article)
December 22, 2005 21:01 - Three Films for You to Cherish at Christmas
According to viewers who voted, the top three films for Christmas are all very worthy of watching.
On tonight's Jonathon Ross show, they are identified as follows:-
At number three is the wonderful (and I feel sure you would expect me to say this, as I've been banging on about 'A Christmas Carol' for weeks now), is 'The Muppet's Christmas Carol' - jollity and fun with a stark message for us all. What's gone has gone and we have a chance to choose to do things differently in our future, which will make a difference to us - as well as benefit others.
Second up, and a particular favourite of mine, because the tiitle song was my first ever record (you know, one of those round black things that made music when a needle was scratched across them!), and is 'White Christmas' - which I haven't seen yet this year, but we have the video! A great message from Bing Crosby and pals about how we can all pull together for a leader admired for his leadership as well as people skills (you see I knew I'd get a tenuous link in for you!).
Finally, top choice as a Christmas movie for UK TV viewers, is 'It's a Wonderful Life', with Jimmy Stewart in the title role, as a guy who feels like life has dealt him a bitter blow, deciding to end it all. Except that budding angel Clarence, who saves him and gives him a view of the world and his loved ones, where his own influence had never been felt.
I only said it today to a bunch of class students for CoachU, in a class I was leading:-
"Every question we ask, and ever interaction we have with people makes difference - we never know how much, but it does."
In a remarkable experience, shared with us in the film, James Stewart experiences that contrast (with him, or without him), and realises just how much of a difference he has made.
Take it from me, we all make a difference in the world, with the people around us, every day.
If you haven't seen these three movies, get out there and rent or buy them - or if the TV schedule still allows, find the time to watch.
You will not be disappointed.
Me, I'm onto my audiobook of 'A Christmas Carol' again tomorrow, when I'm on the road!
December 23, 2005 23:00 - Change One Thing
A major player in the healthcare market, is looking to take a major leap in helping it's customers in the New Year.
They will ask, "If you were to change just one thing in your life for the better, what would that be?' And above all, they will ask, "How can we help?"
It strikes me that this is the time to celebrate the things we have done over the last year - remember how we took a look at that recently - and to focus on just one thing that we can do and above all choose to do differently in 2006, what would that be?
More, what would it take to sustain that for the year?
So for the last exercise before Christmas - yep, I'm hanging up my mouse for a few days (back on Tuesday), have a think about one thing that's been bugging you that you could choose to change in 2006.
Once you've got that, here are a few questions:-
- What preparation do you need to do to enable you to be successful?
- What does it take to action it?
- By when will you have made a start?
- What help do you need?
- Who can help you?
- What will make it stick?
One thing to change, to make a big, big difference in your life.
Make you think doesn't it?
December 29, 2005 18:06 - Prepare for Success in 2006
Whatever your measure of success is, this is the time to look for what you want to achieve in 2006.
It's a time for planning
But let's not get too gloomy about it!
Around this time of year, after recognising the positives that came from last year (see Deecmber 15th), I find some time and space to seek the steps I'd like to achieve over the next 12 months.
It takes me a day - a long time? Maybe, but it makes such a difference.
A really valuable activity is to picture yourself a year from now and take a check-in. This takes the form of writing a couple of pages. Clients have found writing an imaginary letter from then, back to today, invaluable. It describes your life at the end of 2006, very fully and very descriptively. Be varied in your goals and descriptions.
Choose varied areas of your life. For me, I'm choosing the following:-- Me & My Values
- Business
- Family
- Giving Back
- Legacy
- Replenishment
- Development
This sets the scene.
Creates the potential for your goals, as described by you in the outcome you've envisioned.
So what do you do next? Apart from hire a coach? ;-)
Here's what I do:-- Change the annual goal to a 90 day one - what would it look like at the end of 90 days if I was one quarter along the path to that goal?
- Change it to action steps - what will I have to do, step by step to make this happen?
- On a weekly basis, what will you do - makes it bite and makes it happen
- Exactly when will you do each action - in your week, precisely at what point will you take this step, effectively and efficiently.
Step by step things happen. I suggest that you do a 90 day review (yep, that's right, schedule that in too!) to see just how you are doing.
Don't deny any of your key action areas, ever. The balance is so rich and valuable.
Can't fit it all in? What is that saying? Ask yourself the question - because it's very important. Getting to the bottom of that question by your first 90-day review time might be a very valuable step.
If you don't know, e-mail me (use the contact form in the nav bar to your left) and I'll respond, and share the concerns that you have raised (anonymously, of course) so that everyone gains...
December 30, 2005 21:44 - Red-Line to Action!
Busy workplaces make for challenges to get things done. More, it's about getting the right things done. Here's how to set about it.
There are business days that seem to start off empty and despite your biggest efforts, get filled with all the unproductive 'doing' things which amount just about fire-fighting. An unending cycle of flying by the seat of your pants, lacking no more progress than surviving to fight another day.
Is that what you want it to be? Is that what you want it to be a year from now?
One of the biggest challenges is to squeeze into your ever busy schedule time to make progress. Things such as coaching your people to do some of your tasks; planning the future; goal-setting; time-outs; creating time for fun and just hanging out with your people; developing the skills of yourself as well as your people.
There is a way to achieve this - be absent. Take yourself artificially or even, in some circumstances physically out of the system and away from that fire-fighting.
I call it 'red-lining' the time. It is a way of ensuring that the 'big rocks' - the most important things in your work are not overwhelmed by the myriad of small things that need your attention - or seem to.
When you have a key development task to plan into your schedule, draw a 'red-line' around it. The red line is a boundary inside which you are not allowed to enter unless the time is only for the development task you committed to.
For example. You want to show one of your people how to carry out an administration task that you currently have the responsibility for. Others could do it (why you are still doing it is another article, but, at last, you have decided to delegate - well done!), and so you need the 2 hour slot to spend with one of your people first to show, agree satisfactory outcomes, coach them through and finally hand over that activity, with an open door for them to touch base if they need to.
Yet, suddenly, there is a crisis that needs you to solve - what do you do? Red-lined time is forbidden. It cannot be crossed, so, hey, unless the place is one fire, or something else literally life-threatening is on hand. That's all, no other weakening allowed. What do you do? Leave your people to fend for themselves, that's what. For a boss who is demanding an unexpected piece of work, you tell them an achievable time for the work.
These steps can be challenging and painful and as you work to amend the behaviours of others around you, your red-lined time becomes easier.
This also means that your red-lined time is available for the whole breadth of the areas of your life.
So, at last, you can red-line 3 o'clock on a Friday afternoon for your child's sports day. As well as using this focused and creative way to ensure that you drive progress upward and not you downward.
Is a red-line real - of course it is. Whether you use a traditional diary or calendar or print off your day/week/month on Outlook, get that red pen out and start red-lining your future!
December 31, 2005 19:54 - Out of Africa
OK, it's New Year's Eve and I was going to give you a night off.
But watching 'The African Queen' tonight one small comment struck me as valuable to share, so tonight will be short and sharp!
About half-way through, Katherine Hepburn has experienced her first ride through the rapids on that smoky little boat, belonging to Bogart.
As she settles to achieving survival at the end of the run, she says something I want you to take on board for 2006.
"Now that I've had a taste of it, I don't wonder you love boating Mr Allnut"
In that moment, Hepburn captures a sensation I'd love for each and every one of you to capture this new year as it starts in a few hours time.
Once you try something that, for whatever reason, you have avoided before, is so amazing that you can get passionate about. The trying of something which, for some unidentifiable reason from your past you have shunned in recent years, becomes invaluable to you and your life.
I'd love for every one of you to find that one thing this year. it doesn't have to be perfect, it doesn't have to ring all your bells (though it can!). But, it does have to make you smile; see a different face on the world and have a moment to treasure going into 2007.
Thanks for hanging out with us in 2005 and from all of us here at Coaching Businesses to Success, we wish you a very Happy New Year!
|
