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June 8, 2007 10:01 - Truth Hurts - Hiding It Hurts More
It's not something I usually watch, but I was busy and I could hear it in the background. Gordon Ramsay's nightmare kitchen programme is quite an astonishing experience.
In earshot I could pick out that the individual who was on the wrong end of Ramsay's tongue-lashing was getting a tough time.
What intrigued me more was the clear evidence that he didn't know that he was doing anything wrong.
It's quite a challenge, not knowing what good looks like. In fact we all learn from those who go before, so if the evidence isn't there, it's tough to recognize what outcomes are acceptable, let alone exceptional.
Do your people know what 'good' is? Are they able to appreciate the standards of not just performance, but the expectations of customers, clients and business partners?
Whilst Ramsay's tactics are extraordinary, there is a lesson for us all in management, that being truthful with what you expect and whether they are delivering it is not only good for your business, but, however tough it is ion the short term, it is better for your people as well.
In fact, Ramsay's approach is very confrontational - very heavy and cringingly straight at first. Yet he is supportive and encouraging, even though he is extremely demanding too.
In a boss, people don't mind very demanding. They might not like it at first and in fact you might lose one or two in the beginning. Then you get a lean, mean team who really can go places.
And the truth is, you're doing them a favor too.
Following on from the hugely successful "How To Land Your Dream Job", at long last the website challenges are over with "How To Win At Assessment Centers - Hints and Tips to Beat Recruiters at Their Own Crazy Games", so it's well worth a look at, especially as there's a great 6-part mini-course free to site visitors.
June 8, 2007 10:54 - How Assumptions Fail Us
A friend went to a meeting the other day.
It was one of those where people who work in distant locations, get together occasionally to share ideas and generally get the low-down on what's been happening in that big company they all work for.
So, he sits on a table with some people he knows and some that he doesn't. And one person he met briefly once, but who seemed in the moment to shun him, ignore even.
During this get- together, my friend was able to get to know this person a little better and found, rather to his amazement, that they got on quite well.
Up to now, with that one single and pretty unsatisfactory interaction, he'd felt that they wouldn't get on. It just seemed that way.
It's quite surprising how we all make decisions about other people, based on fragments of information, sometimes just a mere moment's interaction.
In the hectic lives we lead, both sides of an interaction can easily get the wrong impression, especially when it's the first time they meet.
And that can lead to damaging assumptions and perhaps months of a lack of relationship. Which, after all, might have been productive much earlier.
Naturally, we have to make snap judgements about those we come into contact with. It is, after all, a natural defence mechanism.
It's also wise to see if you can't follow up the assumptions you make in a hurry, with real evidence, so that those assumptions get firmed up, or you may need to change your mind. "How To Land Your Dream Job" is always available, as now is "How To Win At Assessment Centers - Hints and Tips to Beat Recruiters at Their Own Crazy Games", so it's well worth a look at, especially as there's a great 6-part mini-course free to site visitors.
June 11, 2007 10:36 - Coaching - What's The Bloody Point?
Visual Arts have a great coaching video, "The Helping Hand".
It involves John Cleese as a sort of trainer and he is helping a young manager (played by 'power to the people' - a very young Robert Lindsay), use coaching as a skill with an employee.
At one point, the manager asks the very question posed in the title of the piece right here.
"What's the bloody point"?
And then Cleese tells him (in, as he says, quite an uncoach-like manner!).
My definition would be as follows. "Coaching is where you support someone to discover their own solutions, so that they learn 'how to'. This enables them to know the way to do something for themselves as well as, and I think this often gets missed, how to think in a way that will discover solutions for themselves."
Which they can also use in the future.
This has a number of benefits:-- They start to fix problems for themselves
- They appreciate that problems are solvable
- Their confidence builds
- They become more motivated
- They stay longer with you
- They want to learn more and more
- You - yes, that's you, their manager - have less problem-solving to do
- Your weaknesses can be solved by others strengths
- You can spend more time supporting the development of others
- Your business grows
Is that enough?
It's a few more than Cleese finds to support his manager and they are all true and valuable.
That's the bloody point!
Have a good week!
June 17, 2007 23:20 - How To Get Top Customer Facing Employees
The truth is, it's always best to recruit the people you want and need in your business, rather than create that silk purse out of the sow's ear you already have.
That's not to say that great people cannot come from those employees you already have - of course they can, if they have the potential and great support to develop.
Of course they can.
It's just that to get the very best people, you are sometimes best off introducing them from your recruitment efforts.
Now there are many capabilities required in running any business. Some roles require attention to detail; some flexibility. Some require great skills in relationship building with colleagues.
And then others need the ability to extract the most value from every one of your customers or clients. Your customer facing people.
And for these, it's not possible to make them out of just anybody - they have to be great 'people' people, be wonderful at building relationships super-fast, and capable of generating memorably compelling interactions with others that will last.
Truth is, these people stand out when they come to you for interview. Yet they often get dismissed because, to be frank, they can grate a bit.
You see, what's typical about these people is that they are so outgoing that they can, well, to be honest, they can get on your nerves.
And to be honest, that's their strength.
They are a friend to you in seconds. They behave like the neighbor from over your garden fence and that can get in the way of an objective assessment of suitability.
Get over it!
These people are wacky, creative, noisy and amazing!
But they might not be quite your personal cup of tea.
So, it's time to get over your own personal feelings and ensure that you get the right people, in the right places for the business you run.
Look out for people you already have on your team and reposition them. Pick up great ambassadors as you recruit. Take a chance; risk someone.
You will not regret it.
June 20, 2007 22:08 - Leadership - Ten Ways To Be Better At Leading Teams
Leadership is a fascinating art. A balance between getting things done and having enough about you to maximize both the motivation and engagement of all of your people for now and the future. In any business there is a need to lead teams... (Read Article)
June 25, 2007 19:48 - Prioritizing When The Chips Are Down
It's a funny thing, and yet sometimes we really are able to be at our best when our backs are to the wall.
I'm not sure whether the mixed metaphors are mixing you up and so I hope you know what I mean (backs, walls, chips etc.)!
When things get really difficult, how challenging do you find it to get the priorities right?
When I was a retailer facing a very challenging day, with absence and poorly planned holidays getting in the way, I had a simple rule of thumb.
What would our customers expect as the very first minimum standard?
For me, it was that there would be someone - even if, when we're having that 'chips down' moment, we're down to our very last one - to take their money and provide service.
Second up would be to make sure there was stuff on the shelves for them to buy (some might say that would be the priority - but humor me!). Then third would be, well, everything else.
So let's swing it around.
In your job, what would the 'chips down' absolute priorities be?
What would be next?
Then you can ask yourself why? And you will get a far clearer view on the expectations of customers, clients and employees from their perspective. Which is a very interesting place to put yourself!
Have a great week - and watch those priorities!
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