Yearly Archives: 2013 (Page 6)

Productive Meetings – Are They Possible?

By Cindy Stadling CSP, CPC

I hear it all the time, people complaining how unproductive meetings are in their organizations.  I have participated in meetings that have proven a waste of time as I am sure everyone reading this has.  There are some key areas where meetings fail:

1. The chairperson is not skilled or interested
2. Often they are too long
3. Often the wrong people are attending
4. They don’t have a strong purpose and objective
5. No one is held accountable to execute on any action items
6. In some meetings Egos are running the show
7. Often not everyone participates or if they do, they pay lip service

Pretty uninspiring, wouldn’t you say?  It doesn’t have to be this way.   Here are 7 tips to running effective meetings:

1. Create an agenda – with clear outlines and objectives.  The chair is responsible to have distributed in timely manner and making sure only those who need to be there.  List the priority items first and leave small agenda items to the end (these could be things that could be addressed in a follow up meeting or email after the fact.  The chair needs to keep things moving and on track also recognizing when they need to exercise flexibility. This should be the exception, not the norm.  Having clearly defined expectations of the participant’s participation will help make sure everyone comes with the necessary information.

2. Assign a minute taker – having the information captured from all the presenters after the meeting will serve your team well.  This will give those in attendance and those who missed the meeting a summary of discussions, any of the decisions that were made, any agreed upon actions.  This is also a great follow up and tracking tool for future reference on things that did or did not get accomplished.  It is a respectful way to raise accountability.

3. Schedule shorter meetings – these are great 10-15 minute check in meetings.  The agenda can go out just prior to the meeting and is very useful for updates on the status of projects or how the team is performing.  As a leader it could be beneficial to have two short meetings instead of one longer one – especially if the attendees need only be there for part of a longer meeting.

4. If someone is talking too much, interrupt them and speak to them privately. Be respectful of their contribution as you don’t want to offend anyone and the agenda needs to be followed.

5. Often there are quiet people with great ideas and because they have a tendency to not speak up, valuable ideas and input could be lost.  Invite them by using their first name to speak. “Barbara, do you have anything to add to what Henry shared?”  If needed, put them on the spot.

6.  Occasionally conversations will stray but an effective chair will always bring them back to the topic. Encourage the participant to come back to it at another time.

7.  Stick to the Agenda Timing – sometimes new ideas and breakthrough discussions can take time.  Take this into consideration when setting the agenda.  If the topic is very important allow extra time for discussion.  Start and stop on time as participants might be heading to another meeting right after.

These tips may or may not work in your organization, but give them some thought and possibly come up with your own creative ways to run more effective meetings.

Customer Service – A Little Goes a Long Way
by Cindy Stradling CPC, CSP

Recently a friend of mine was sharing the excellent customer service experience she had during their annual Christmas function.  She told me how the catering company had taken care of every detail, including emery boards in the washroom.  As she was speaking a memory of a time I had were I felt so very taken care of, came to mind.  The entire incident came vividly back like it was yesterday.

I too was at a Christmas function at the Royal York Hotel in downtown Toronto.  We were a very small group of about 50 people.  The meal was a buffet set up and waitresses walked around offering us champagne, wine or spirits to drink.  They were smiling and attentive, exactly what you would expect in a place as prestigious as the Royal York.  The food looked spectacular and the room was decorated in a classic Victorian style Christmas.   I was standing chatting with a colleague of mine when she offered me a piece of brie with cranberry on a cracker.  It looked delicious and I declined, explaining to her that I was gluten sensitive and didn’t want to take a chance on eating the cracker.

My colleague expressed her concern and how difficult it must be to eat out with such a sensitivity.  I said it really didn’t limit me; I just needed to be careful.    As we continued to chat, one of the waitresses came over to me and excused herself.  She explained that she had overheard my conversation and asked me if I would like her to get me a gluten free plate.  Both my colleague and I were so impressed with this young lady.  I gratefully accepted her offer and when she returned she gave me this wonderful plate of chicken, salads and cheeses, all very delicious and gluten free.

At the end of the evening I thanked her again and also found out who the manager was and told her the exceptional customer service experience I had that evening.  That incident happened over five years ago and I still remember the experience as though it was yesterday.  I learned so much from that short interaction and it has helped me with my level of customer service.

If we look at this situation, what can you and your customer service team learn from it.  What can you do in 2013 to create an experience that would be remembered five years later? 

What immediately comes to mind is go beyond what is expected.  Everyone expects good customer service, but having a commitment to give great or exceptional customer service can be the differentiator.  Look for small ways to make a difference.  Listen and pay attention to what your customers are saying and ask yourself “Is there something I can do here that could have an impact that will last 5+ year?”  There may or may not be something you can do every time, but by asking the question there is a higher likelihood over the year you will have absolutely delighted your customers on more occasions.

Think of a time when you have been delighted.  What made it so special?  What was your experience? How can you transfer that experience into your workplace? 

Remember this quote by Mother Teresa: 

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echos are truly endless.”

Visualization- The Lazy Man’s Tool for Success???

When I ask participants in either my sales or presentation skills training programs if they visualize, I often get a blank stare back at me.  I then go on to explain that visualization is a mental practice that can help you achieve more of what you want in your life and prepare you mentally for success.  The great news is that you can do this from anywhere, sitting on your couch or lounging in your backyard.  It requires no accessories or tools.  Whether you are mentally rehearsing your next presentation, your golf swing or asking for a raise, you are setting yourself up with a better chance for success.

Some research shows that mental practice is almost as effective as physical practice and by doing both was more effective than doing each one alone.  Many athletes both novice and seasoned create very detailed mental practices engaging all their senses to enhance their performance.  Tiger Woods has been doing this since his pre-teens.

Jack Nicklaus, World Champion Golfer has said: “I never hit a shot, not even in practice, without having a very sharp in-focus picture of it in my head.”  Muhammad Ali, Heavyweight Champion used different mental practices to enhance his performance in the ring such as: affirmation; mental rehearsal; visualization; self-confirmation; and the most powerful epigram of personal worth ever uttered: “I am the greatest!”

We have learned from brain studies that our thoughts produce the same mental instructions as actions.  We can train our brain through our mental practices.  This can result in increased effectiveness, improved motivation, increased confidence and simply setting yourself up for the expectation of success!

So how can you use this at work?  Great question!

Start by getting very clear about your desired outcome.  Imagine you are looking at a TV screen and you are watching yourself in the future, having already achieved what it is you are wanting to achieve.  Engage as many of your senses as you can.  Notice how you are feeling once you have achieved success.  Notice if there are other people involved, what are they doing and saying?  Practice, practice, practice!  It is good to practice just before going to bed or just when you wake up.

The next time you have an important presentation to deliver, practice it in your mind as well as physically go through your presentation.  You will be amazed at how much more you will be in “flow” and confidence you will feel. 

If you are in sales and have a new client you want to impress.  Of course, you will do your due diligence and thorough research about your potential client, but this time you are going to go one step further.  You are going to step up your sales game and spend some time before the call visualizing how the call will go.  You will see yourself connecting with the prospect and watch in your mind’s eye how you easily and effortlessly you interact with this person.  You will visualize how the call will end and see agreement to your desired outcome.  I recommend doing this several times before an important meeting.

The next time you have to engage in a difficult or challenging conversation, see yourself with the other person working things out so it is a win win for everyone.  By mentally rehearsing in such situations can help calm your nerves and help you stay more present during the actual conversation.

Doing visualization exercises doesn’t guarantee that you will get everything you want but studies have shown that results increase when they are combined with practical practice.

“Ordinary people believe only in the possible.  Extraordinary people visualize not what is possible or probable, but rather what is impossible.  And by visualizing the impossible, they begin to see it as possible.”  ~ Cherie Carter-Scott

Motivation – An Inside Job!

The word motivation is derived from the word motive, which means the internal drives, desires, needs and wants of a person.  It is important to note is that it is “Internal” and is the process of an internal drive that causes people to take action toward their goals.  People have many different factors that can personally stimulate their behaviour.  In the workplace it can include such things as a desire for money, recognition, job satisfaction, success, teamwork, leadership and others.

The performance of employees is a product of both their abilities (e.g. skills & experience) and motivation.  An employee who is de-motivated by their circumstances is unlikely to perform well at work, whereas a motivated employee can often deliver far more than is expected from them!

I think one of the most important things a leader needs to understand is the ways in which they can arouse an employee’s interest in performance. By creating an incentive plan that fosters the desire to work and encourages employees to commit to achieving goals, will help leaders create teams that have the motivation to succeed.  Leadership is creating a powerful vision that others are motivated and empowered to work toward.  When the need to produce the vision is satisfied, employees are motivated to continue to reach other goals.

Anyone in a leadership role understands the need to lead by example, do what you want others to do. If you observe people’s behaviour you can often determine what motivates them.  There are both internal and external motivators.

So where does motivation come from?  It comes from different sources:

• The satisfaction of doing a good job or successfully completing a difficult task or project.
• When you love what you do every day, especially if what you do is in alignment with your values
• People can motivate you (actually inspire you too)
• Fear can motivate us (fear of reprimand) –this can be negative and motivating just the same (ie could take us away from danger)
• Beliefs you hold about live can be motivating (living in possibility)
• Seminars, trainers, books can be motivational
• Messages in cards, songs, poems and stories can all motivate

Messages in cards, songs, poems and stories can all motivate

Is money a motivator?

In his book “Drive” Daniel Pink notes that any discussion about motivation in the workplace is a fact of life.  People need to make a living.  Contracts, salary, benefits and a few perks are only baseline rewards.  If someone’s baseline reward is not adequate or equitable, the focus will be on the unfairness of the situation and the anxiety of the situation.  As a leader you can expect to get very little motivation.  The best use of money as a motivator is to pay people enough to take the issue of money off the table.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

A theory in psychology proposed by Abraham Maslow in his 1943 paper “A Theory of Human Motivation”.  Maslow subsequently extended the idea to include his observations of humans’ innate curiosity.  His theories parallel many other theories of human developmental psychology, some of which focus on describing the stages of growth in humans.  Maslow used the terms Physiological, Safety, Belongingness and Love, Esteem, and Self-Actualization needs to describe the pattern that human motivations generally move through. 
Source: Wikipedia

Depending on where a person is in their life could change what motivates them.

We all have a deep source of motivation that is available anyplace, anytime all you need to do is look and connect with it

“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily” ~ Zig Ziglar”

Procrastination ~ Good or Bad???

Definition: The act of replacing high-priority or important actions with tasks of lower priority, or doing something from which one brings enjoyment, and thus putting off important tasks to a later time. – Wikipedia

If you are someone who procrastinates, you will be pleased to know there are two types of procrastinators, active and passive.

Active procrastinators purposely delay tasks because they are more focused and productive when they work under pressure.  They know how to use their energy, and the adrenaline rush to fuel them to meet their deadlines, just in time.

Passive procrastinators are often paralyzed by indecision, worry and can often interfere with your relationships.  Passive procrastinators live with anxiety, guilt and stress over the frequent missed opportunities and deadlines.

We often paint procrastinators with the same brush and consider it a negative trait.  The most important point here is to identify the type of procrastinator you are and then decide if there is value in you changing.  There may not be and you can continue the way you are.

We are all leaders in our own lives and whether you hold a leadership position or not it is important to fully understand yourself.  It is worth the time to explore the impact that procrastination has on your life and the lives of your team.  By making a list of the Costs and the Benefits of procrastination can provide you with the information to make the decision if it is worth taking the necessary steps to change.  Effective leaders “walk their talk” and need to understand the example they are setting for their team.

A few examples of these benefits include:

• Avoidance of possible failure ( or success)
• People stop expecting you to do things – reduced anxiety
• Sometimes problems simply solve themselves
• You get to only do the tasks you enjoy

If you decide that you want to change, our Alliance partner Mark Ellwood has created an accountability website that can support you.  It is a website where you can post the activities you want to achieve and through the website you can connect with an accountability buddy.  Visit the website:  http://www.buddyhive.com/

Mark has the following tips to help you overcome procrastination (there are more on his website):

Unpleasant tasks

Situation: Tasks that are rarely turn out to be as bad as you think.

Tip: Do tasks first. Early in the day is usually the best time to schedule them.   reward yourself once they are completed

Complex Projects

Situation: Something looms ahead of you: starting a small business, getting a job, preparing the annual budget. The job is too big or will take too long to do now, so you put it off.

Tip: Larger jobs are easier to manage if broken into smaller tasks. Start with even the smallest task.

Fear of failure (lack of self confidence)

Situation: Sometimes people want to avoid the consequences of failure, so they delay. (People also suffer from fear of success!)

Tip: Have a clear mental picture of the completed task and how you and others will feel at that time.  Focusing on the end result, not just the process.

Perfectionism

Situation: Projects delayed due to people wanting everything to be perfect.

Tip: Clearly defined deadlines with accountability to others will support you.

Tip: Recognize that sometimes 80% for you may well be 100% for someone else. Know when less detail is required and only provide what is needed

A New Year – New Goals or New Excuses?

It is time to take stock on how you performed in the past 12 months.  How did you do?

Often people set goals every January with the very best intentions of achieving them. We have all learned over the years the importance of writing our goals down, having clear outcomes and setting milestones to help us step by step to success.

 So what happens?  Often a strong start then nothing!

Having written goals is only part of the equation.  One of the most important elements of setting powerful goals is to tie them to your values and get connected to why you want to achieve the goal in the first place.  By taking the time to ask yourself questions like: “Why is this important?” “What difference with this make?” will give you the fuel you need when the going gets tough.

And the going will get tough at times, especially if it is something that takes you out of your comfort zone.

SMART goals have been taught to leaders, managers and employees for many years and while they are somewhat effective, there are other components that go a long way to help keep you on track.  Listed below are a few questions to help to ensure success.

Ask yourself:

Do the results I will achieve once I achieve my goal energize me?

How passionate am I to achieve my goal?

How personally committed to my results?

Is my intention clear?

Will I be in integrity with my commitments? (say what I will do and do what I say)

What structure have I put in place to support me? (a way to measure milestones)

What is the opportunity for growth?  What difference will that make in my life?

Do I have an unstoppable attitude?  How do I know?

How do I intend to track my program?

Have I created a step by step action plan?

Who can support me in achieving my goal?

What are any possible obstacles?  What can I put in place to be sure they don’t stop me?

At the end of the day there is only two things you can have – Reasons or Results.  You can have the results you set out to achieve or the reasons why you didn’t achieve them.  It is really about self leadership.

You choose.

Often the smallest steps forward can make a huge difference.  If you think about a horse race, the winner wins by a nose, or in the Olympics it can be a few seconds that makes all the difference.

What little step can you talk today to move you closer to your goal?

In December 2013, what do you want to look back on?  A year of results or reasons?  I suspect you want results!!!