Coaching Businesses to Success News Update

"The capacities of the average human being for creativity, for growth, for collaboration, for productivity (in the full sense of the term) are far greater than we have yet recognized"
Douglas McGregor, The Human Side of Enterprize
With just 3% of the average brain fully utilized, there is the potential for so much more.

Overlay that with chronic lack in self-confidence, focus and will and there are so many possibilities.

We have only scratched the surface of the opportunities that the human race has inherently built into the individuals that make up the mass.

One by one, we can all stretch ourselves more - even shifting our performance from that 3% brain usage to 4% is a massive 33% gain. What potential we have.

What opportunity.

Open to every one of us as individuals, we have the time and capacity to make more of ourselves - much more, in the lifetimes we all have right now.

January 4, 2008 22:34 - Management Snippets - Slow and Simple Does It

"When we slow down, we go faster"
Japanese saying
How can this be? Logic would suggest that to go faster, we need to go faster.

Yet in life, in work, more pace so often leads to worse performance.

This is partly because as we add pace and complexity, we hit the sludge of our own drag coefficient. We bog ourselves down by lack of focus and simplicity that always brings steady results

Like the tortoise and the hare, a steady focus and progression is more likely to give a consistent outcome than uncontrolled pace and the distraction that follows.

Where you can, do less; take your time and focus clearly on your goal.

Slowing down to go faster, has proven itself over the ages.

January 8, 2008 22:22 - Management Snippets - On The Outside looking In

Sometimes it's hard to see our world through the eyes of others, after all, who has the time when it's busy on the inside?

Yet unless we see ourselves as others do, even those with little interest in the work we do, it's a tough message to absorb when things start to go wrong and we don't know why.

By seeing your business, or part of it, as others do - clients, customers, colleagues and even unknowing bystanders, you will get a true picture of the performance you are giving.

Of course the bigger organizations outsource this kind of work, but what if you aren't in that luxurious position - how can you do this effectively?

Well, here it gets simple, you just think of questions that will get to the bottom of what you want to know and ask for the help of those key people your business depends on.

Amazingly, outside the formal processes the biggest businesses use, few do this simple task. And it's hardly surprising then when performace falls off a wall.

January 9, 2008 15:16 - Management Snippets - Be There For Your People When It Matters

"The worse the news, the more effort should go into communicating it"
Andrew Grove, CEO, Intel Corporation
It's just the thing to do, hide in your office when there's bad news out there - NOT!.

When there is difficult communication to be given out there in your business, your place is out there, hunting around for ways to help people out.

In their thinking; in their emotions; in their information seeking; in their pain and worry.

To get the very best results when news is bad - like layoffs, short hours, takeovers etc. - make yourself (and your management team too) available, open and willing to listen.

That's what your people will be desperate for right now and you can make the difference to them.

And, amazingly, that will make all the difference to the outcome of this challenging time.

Even when the going is tough, you can make the difference, not only to the issue in hand, but also to every one of your people that you help.

January 11, 2008 09:46 - Management Snippets - On The Outside looking In

Sometimes it's hard to see our world through the eyes of others, after all, who has the time when it's busy on the inside?

Yet unless we see ourselves as others do, even those with little interest in the work we do, it's a tough message to absorb when things start to go wrong and we don't know why.

By seeing your business, or part of it, as others do - clients, customers, colleagues and even unknowing bystanders, you will get a true picture of the performance you are giving.

Of course the bigger organizations outsource this kind of work, but what if you aren't in that luxurious position - how can you do this effectively?

Well, here it gets simple, you just think of questions that will get to the bottom of what you want to know and ask for the help of those key people your business depends on.

Customers, clients, employees, shareholders, passers-by and more - get extreme and think about it.

Anyone and everyone and the more the merrier - for you!

Amazingly, outside the formal processes the biggest businesses use, few do this simple task. And it's hardly surprising then when performance falls off a wall.

Bleating 'I don't know why', is no excuse at all.

January 13, 2008 22:41 - Make A Difference - Yes, You Can

This week, I wanted to tell you about something that a friend told me about this week.

My friend works for Sainsbury's, one of the top three food retailers in the UK. Everyone there was given an interesting gift this week and most people (they call them 'colleagues'), also had a one-to-one briefing with someone from the management team to explain what it is all about.

Others who couldn't have the one-to-one had a letter of explanation from Justin King, their Chief Executive (his change - Action 25 'Use a mug, not a plastic cup').

I have to say that in my experience, it was one of the most unusual and probably enlightened activities I've come across in a large PLC and all the more creditable for it too.

The book, which came with a Sainsbury's corporate wrapper (explaining their involvement so far), is called 'Change the World for a Fiver - Fifty Actions To Change The World and Make You Feel Good', from those interesting people at www.wearewhatwedo.org.

First of all, I love the ideas in the book, simple steps that we can all take to 'make a difference'; secondly I'm vastly impressed that an organization like Sainsbury's would use this activity to demonstrate their corporate social responsibilities and thirdly, I was interested in the varied responses from the 'colleagues' who received them.

In any random collection of people, you will find a range of reactions to a quirky idea like this.

Sometimes it is in response to the bigger picture of how people are treated in their business, both by local and senior management. Sometimes, people are just being who they are, in a whole range of attitudes from cynicism to enlightenment.

They were all there, so I understand.

You know, 2008 is starting pretty well - get yourself a copy of the book and this year, work out what little thing you can do differently, in your life, to make a difference.

January 14, 2008 20:26 - Management Snippets - When Things Are Going Well, The Best Get Going

Think about it, your business is going well, after all that hard work you put in to shake things up, it should be.

The irony is that this is exactly the time that the very best shift up a gear and make their names.

It's all too easy to rest on your laurels and notice what has gone well, basking in that glow - and sure, you can celebrate.

Next day, back at the office, it's vital to regroup and test again all the steps forward you and your team have made.

Making sure that you seek out the great performances in all aspects of your business and seek out the next level.

When you and your people are accustomed to doing just this, you'll be amazed at how much more opportunity you can leverage for the future.

January 17, 2008 11:26 - Management Snippets - Only Here For The Paycheck

"Some people, not everyone, but too many, were only here for the paycheck"
Dave Woodward, President Heinz UK and Ireland on taking the helm in 2006
When your business is merely the means to a finacial end for most of your people, you're in trouble.

You might say, nice idea, but get real.

The truth is that if all your people see their work at the lowest level - just what they take home in a material sense, you won't get the best from them.

Full engagement with work brings motivation, creativity and a deep desire to be internally satisfied by a great job done - and a desire for next step.

That sense of deep satisfaction is way stronger than putting bread on the table, important though that is.

Great managers enable the drivers that draw their people in though the challenges, support and development the work offers - and get a rich return for their people investment too.

January 21, 2008 21:52 - Stick or Carrot, That Is The Question

There are two distinct management styles (with a twist!).

One is where your people fear you as you literally threaten them with achieving goals, 'or else' (you'll lose your job).

The other is where there is a 'bribe' whereby they will receive a 'prize' of some sort - there will be a benefit at the end of it, when they succeed.

What works for you?

It can be so difficult to spot the 'right' way indeed...

Or maybe there's a third way - where you work in collaboration with your people to develop their skills and performance and you recognize that in a supportive and encouraging way.

I wonder what turns you on, if you are a manager? What works when you are on the receiving end?

Which 'style' of management would you, or indeed have you, responded to yourself?

Think about it...The stick method is OK for a short time, until you really worry people so much that they leave (hint - they take a lot of sick time first - it's a good clue).

The carrot way helps for a while until the 'prize' is meaningless in the context of the role they have (a Mars bar for doing what?).

The third way works well, when you give it your time and focus; when you are sincere; when you deliver what you say you will.

Not got the time to do this - well, what are you doing with your time then?

Time to analyze whether what you waste your personally skilled time doing, could be done by someone else - leaving you to do what you are paid for, manage effectively.

It's worth thinking about!

January 24, 2008 16:35 - Management Snippets - Hang Back And Watch

In the business world there are those with little experience and a lot of energy.

Then there are those with less energy perhaps, yet with a lot of experience.

If there were a combination of the two, what would that be like?

Energy can be used efficiently and not wasted, so being careful about what you as a line manager do and what you offload is vital - experienced managers know this.

Experience can mean that even though you haven't got that much in terms of the years you've put in, you have a smartness about you that is careful about how you expose yourself to challenges that not only might be with little value, but you might find take your eye of the ball for little purpose.

Sometimes, without being overtly unwilling to get involved, standing back and watching when the challenges are doled out, might build the experience level that you need to make the right, and for you, the best, decisions of all.

January 25, 2008 22:26 - Management Snippets - Put Your People First

Whatever you manager; whoever you manage, your role is to manage people, not things.

Taking time to spend with your people is the very best investment you can make, however 'busy' you might feel that you are.

By spending time building your relationship with each and every one of your people, you will facilitate great outcomes - ignore these relationships at your peril.

It's worth rationalizing just what is most important each day.BR>
If the balance takes you away from your people, you need to notice that and fix it - fast.

Because without nurturing the performance of your people through your personal investment, you will always struggle for success.

January 26, 2008 19:52 - Management Snippets - It's Not What You Are Taught at School...

"School teaches you to obey authority. We need people to think for themselves"
Maggie Hughes, President, Life USA
School is all about compliance. Get your homework in on time. Respond when the bell goes. Sit up straight.

Over the 10-12 years we live within that framework, we learn to react to orders and deliver, as best we can, what we are told to.

Up to a point, business is like that. Where it requires mere compliance; reactions which fit; behaviors that are knee-jerk, 'just do it' responses.

Our employees become automatons with little reason for any buy-in and over delivery. Hardly any point in contributing much.

Great employers help their people to move beyond this and get involved, safe in the knowledge that their interest; motivation; pro-activity and creativity will be welcomed.

Moving away from the compliant we were expected to be in school, to the contributory that a truly enlightening workplace welcomes, is a step up indeed.

January 28, 2008 22:21 - Management Snippets - Give Ownership To Your People

"To me, giving ownership to the people who do the work has always seemed like the simplest way to run a business"
Jack Stack, CEO, SRC Corporation
If it's your own, you are way more likely to take good care of something - it figures, right?

When you are an employee, it can be tough to buy in to the corporate anonymity, so engagement is likely to be lessened.

Great managers, in organizations from big to small, have the knack of getting their employees bought in, in small ways, to the business that employs them.

By making employees 'owners', however which way you do it, will ensure that they are strong advoicates of your brand - and your business success.

Where this happens, you can almost smell the energy and motivated teams therein.

Success becomes all the easier.