From The EarthAsylum Leadership Circle Newsletter

This Song's Got No Title (just words and a tune)

I've been having some trouble coming up with a good subject for an article this month, you know, writers block and all that - and I'm not a particularly proficient writer.

One topic that's been on my mind lately is that of the analogy of sports to business. Particularly coaching.

It seems we quite readily accept and take for granted that with any sport, there's a coach. I wrote about Tiger Woods and how he works with his coach in an earlier article and how even the best player still works with a coach.

Yet in business, this idea fails to reach us. Although coaching is gaining acceptance, it's still the rare company and rare person that hires a coach to help them in their business endeavors.

I suspect that there are a number of factors contributing to our reluctance to hire a coach. One may simply be that we never thought of it. Never thought of the possible value of coaching in business.

Another may be the "I don't need no stinkin' coach" scenario. We tend to think that with all of our education, training and experience, we don't need the help of someone else, particularly someone outside our scope of reality.

Another scenario is the "I'm just a _____ (manager, accountant, programmer, sales clerk, whatever). Why would I need a coach to do this job? I'm not important enough.

I'm sure there are other factors - and some may even be legitimate - such as budget constraints, time constraints, etc. But if we realized the value of coaching, even those constraints would be overcome simply by prioritizing.

Simply put, coaching helps people succeed. Nothing more, nothing less. If we accept that, it seems pretty unreasonable that we don't hire a coach.

As for our reasons not to... most are perceptual - faulty perceptions.

If you never thought of hiring a coach for yourself or for your employees, well now you have.

If you think you're too good to need a coach, ask Tiger Woods what he thinks. If the best player in the game benefits from having one, surely you and I can benefit from a coach.

If you think your position (or the position of your employees) isn't important enough to warrant a coach, then why do you even have the job? If it's important enough that a company would hire you, pay you, give you benefits... than it's important enough that you succeed in that position.

So what about the manager as coach? Absolutely, a good manager is a good alternative to hiring an outside coach. But who's coaching the manager? And how many managers are really good at coaching? Sadly, most managers (myself included) fall into their management position due solely to their technical abilities and longevity with their company. Few become managers because of their superior coaching abilities.

That's not to say that there are not good manager/coaches out there. If you're lucky enough to have one, you're blessed. I applaud and admire the great manager that recognizes his or her responsibility to coach.

I started out with a sports analogy and I want to briefly turn to another one. This one having to do with strengths and weaknesses.

Why do we expect all of the players on our teams at work to be equally efficient in every skill? By skill, I don't mean accountant or lawyer, but I do mean communicator, planner, strategist, negotiator, team player, etc. We typically have a list of core competencies that we expect every employee to have.

We want well-rounded players on our team. To that end, we lose the sharp points - the ones that excel.

Again, it's perfectly acceptable that a field-goal kicker can't throw a pass to save his life. It would be nice if he could, but since he can't we try to avoid the situation altogether.

It's equally acceptable that a quarterback may not be a very good blocker, or kicker, or even runner. If we have a quarterback that is a good runner, we use that strength to our advantage. If he's not a good runner, we build our offense around that and we use someone that is a good runner - like maybe a running back - to run the ball.

We don't site down every year or every 3 months with our quarterback to discuss how he can become a better runner. We don't have our quarterback meeting with his coach every week to discuss how he can become a better blocker or kicker.

But our quarterback does work with his coach - everyday - to be a better quarterback.

This is the heart of strengths based performance management. Realize what you're good at, where your talents lie, and capitalize on them. Work to build those talents into superior strengths. And don't stop - because, just like on the playing field, there's somebody better than you right behind you. Somebody that is working every day to build his or her strengths.

If you're a good quarterback, be a better quarterback. If you're a good running back, be a better running back. If you're a good planner, be a better planner. Put those talents to use.

If you can't throw a pass to save your life, stop throwing the damn ball! And if you're not a good negotiator, then don't sit down at the negotiations table.

And one last thought...

Sometimes you may play the best game you ever played - and lose.

Sometimes you may have a lousy day - and win.

Whatever happens, when the game is over; you have to get ready to play again tomorrow.

###

Have You Tried Something New Lately?

"No manager is so handicapped as he who will not try something new."
-- Tom Brown, management consultant

Trying new things at work can have multiple benefits. It can produce results much better than what you're currently producing. It can also break the routine of work, helping create a more exciting work environment.

But how can you come up with ideas for new things?

One of the most effective ways of generating new ideas is hold a Brainstorming Session. This is a meeting with your staff or colleagues with the purpose of generating new ideas to improve work, or for any other purpose you define. Here are the rules of Brainstorming:

- All Ideas Are Acceptable

During Brainstorming, nobody is allowed to judge the ideas proposed, no matter how crazy or impractical they may sound.

- Quantity, Not Quality

What you're after is a large number of ideas to chose from. Your interest is in the quantity, not the quality of ideas.

- Write Them All Down

Write down all the ideas people generate on a board or a sheet on the wall for all to see. This will help with the next point.

- Hitch-Hiking Is Allowed

People are allowed, even encouraged, to hitch-hike on the ideas of others by adding to them, modifying them, or coming up with ideas close to them.

How to Work Smarter, Not Harder

It's 5:00 P.M. and everybody is on their way out of the workplace. You, however, are still in full gear, going over a pile of papers. Your sleeves are up, your tie is loose, and your cup of coffee is hot. There's every indicator that you are going to be working late.

A colleague passes by your desk on his way out and laughingly shouts, "Hey, don't work harder, work smarter!"

You ask yourself: What does he mean? How Can I work smarter?

Here are a number of Working Smarter strategies that have worked for many people:

• People first, paper second
  In your work in general, give more priority to returning your calls and talking directly with people in meetings and over lunch. The more you personalize your work, the more effective you will be in working with others. Paying a visit to discuss an important matter is better than writing a memo. The visit allows for informal rapport-building which can be very important in getting the job done.
• Plan
  Planning is not the same thing as paper shuffling. Start your day with a simple" to-do" list that helps you focus on doing first things first. Keep it manageable. There will be interruptions, but you will have the list to come back to.
• Act
  All the planning, organizing, goal setting, motivating, and analyzing in the world will not bring results without action. Yes you need to gather relevant information and to analyze what you find, but make sure you don't fall in the "Paralysis by Analysis" trap.
• Work backwards
  Start with the end goal, the results, and work backwards in your planning to discover the most effective approach to those results. Then get up and go.
• Set aside blocks of time
  Bunch similar tasks together and do each group at one time; phone calls, e-mails, reading. Do your mail once or twice a day, and your e-mail perhaps four times a day. Utilize your prime time to advance your own agenda, not to merely respond to the demands of others.
• Determine your creative peak time
  If you are groggy in the morning, schedule routine jobs for then. If you hit your creative peak in the mid-afternoon, reserve those hours for tasks that require your utmost attention and creativity.
• Use fillers
  Keep a pile of things to read or do for when you have a few spare minutes. You may find time while waiting for a phone call, waiting in an outer office, or waiting for a meeting to start.
• Sort your paperwork
  Use folders with labels such as Urgent, Must Do Today, Hold for Action, Read, Follow-Up in July, etc.
• Use the 80/20 principle
  This principle states that few key activities (20%) produce most (80%) of the results - 80% of the sales value comes from 20% of the customers. 80% of the results come from 20% of the time, 80% of the creative ideas come from 20% of the staff. This may be the most important principle in working smarter, not harder. Not only must you work well, but you must do the right things in the right proportion to achieve your goals. You don't want to spend 80% of your time on activities that produce only 20% of the payoff.
• Keep it sweet and simple.
  Use summary sentences to describe your goals and projects. Visionary professionals respect simplicity.

The Messenger, Not the Message

Good Communication starts with good intentions

Our communication can create cooperation and camaraderie, or it can create confrontation and conflict. It can make our life at work and off work easy and pleasant, or it can make it unnecessarily difficult. The choice is ours.

One of the main causes of the break down of communication is the question of trust.

Good communication starts with good intentions. Are you communicating to build a positive relationship, or to 'put others in their place'? Are you communicating to affirm, encourage and help others grow and succeed, or to put down, criticize, and conquer? People will quickly uncover the intent of your communication as revealed by your attitude and communication style. Once suspicion about intent develops, trust will suffer, and communication will quickly deteriorate into confrontation and conflict.

When people believe that your intention is positive and affirmative, they will be OK with almost anything you say. They will welcome your suggestions, tolerate your mistakes, and honor your requests. They will trust you, the messenger, and therefore will be receptive to your message. But if they suspect your intention, they will lose faith in you, and will resist your message no matter how appealing and convincing you try to make it.

If you want people to listen to what you say, ask yourself: Have I given them enough reasons to trust me? Have I been consistent? Do I do what I say and say what I do? Do I walk my talk? Do I communicate with their interest, not just mine, in mind? Are my good intentions toward them clear and credible, and have been repeatedly proven by my action?

Before people can believe the message, they need to believe in the messenger.

About The EarthAsylum Leadership Circle

The EarthAsylum Leadership Circle is a business networking, support, and educational association started in January 2006 by six friends and family members who wanted a way to develop their own and other's leadership abilities.

We strive to understand and develop leadership skills and talent in a way that transcends trends and looks beyond short-term goals. We see our mutual role as supporting individuals and organizations in achieving effective and transformational leadership through life affirming and supporting practices.

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