engagement Archives - Page 2 of 3

Mar 29

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What Is Your Team Vision

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“Think of football managers… They have a vision and a plan for their team…”

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It may surprise you to learn that many leaders right now, don’t have a vision for their team. If you are one of them, you are in good company.

Why is this so?

Most leaders and managers are focused on delivering against the targets set by their board and senior management. They are working extremely hard to do the right thing for the business.

When you are a leader, you have the choice about how you are going to lead your team, what decisions you are going to make for that team and how you are going to motivate them. To do this consciously and consistently, you need a vision.

Think of football managers. They are focused on the club aspirations, the demands of the shareholders and the fans, they are answerable to the board. Yet they each go about managing their team their own way. They have a vision and a plan for their team.

There are 3 key elements to consider.

GOALS – What must your team achieve in order to be successful (over the next 12 months, 6 months, 3 months)?

ROADBLOCKS – What might get in the way? You will need to overcome these obstacles or find a way around them.

IDENTITY – The core character and team values that will ensure success?

There are many different ways to arrive at the answers. However it is vital to:

a. Commit and do it!

b. Keep it simple – Limit yourself to specific milestones. Small, yet significant steps forward every day, week, month are enough to transform team motivation and capability.

c. Check back – make sure your vision is in line with that of your senior management and echos the company aspirations.

d. Create – a one-page Dashboard and pin it up so you can have it in front of you at all times.

e. Perspective – Celebrate team successes and view everything else as work in progress.

To find out more about EPiC Leadership,or or to work with us, click here to arrange a conversation with one of our Consultants.

Mar 22

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How Do I Get My Team To Step Up?

By Lucy Windsor | Blog | No Comments

“In my experience, it doesn’t help to go delving too deeply into the problem…”

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It is not unusual for a leader to express their frustration at their team or a member of their team for not stepping up and taking responsibility.

There may be several reasons for their reluctance to step forward and really take ownership and it may be that you will never really know why.

In my experience, it doesn’t help to go delving too deeply into the problem. You can analyse and rationalise as much as you like, but the problem will remain and your frustrations will grow along with their resistance to step up.

Imagine a new Manager, Rory. One of his team members is Alan. Alan appears to be working very hard. He is often the last to leave. But he doesn’t communicate, so Rory never really knows what Alan is doing and what his workload is really like. In the past, Rory has found Alan to be quite defensive when he has asked about how he is spending his time. Not one for confrontation, Rory has backed off and has let him get on with it.

Have you recognise this sort of dynamic?

Next time you notice that a team member is resisting you, maybe try this exercise before you meet:

Take a pen and paper, and write down their name in the centre, then write down whatever words come to you that sum up how you would like the ideal relationship to be with that person. See below:

rory-and-alan

Once you have completed the exercise, you will find you have much better clarity of what you want and why you want it.

In Rory’s case, because he has something of a vision for how they might best work together, he can now focus on ‘the future relationship’ rather than ‘Alan’s failings’.

This simple exercise moves attention away from the frustrations and the problems Rory is experiencing with Alan, allowing space for him to create a new relationship, together with clear boundaries about the expectations he has.

In addition, Rory has opened up the communication channel between himself and Alan.

It’s time to have that chat!

To find out more about EPiC Leadership, click here to arrange a conversation with one of our Consultants.

Mar 15

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Feel Great When You Have Every Reason Not To!

By Lucy Windsor | Blog | No Comments

“These scenarios and many more have an uncanny knack of throwing us out of our flow…”

Hands up who’s been to a networking event or social gathering and the conversation has been clunky or awkward. People talk over each other, they ask boring questions like ‘what do you do?’ then don’t listen to the answer because they are looking over your shoulder for someone more useful to them. There might be a sense of competition between those vying for attention. Others just don’t ask any questions at all but ramble on about themselves.

How about working in teams where there is a whole range of different dysfunctions: lack of purpose, conflicting agendas, demotivated members, disgruntled members, friction around role specifications and functions. These are examples of situations that can put you off your stride, out of your flow.

What does flow mean?

When we are in the flow, everything seems to fit together. Productivity is high, conversations click, inspiration is abundant.

What takes us out of the flow?

The biggest reason we step out of the flow is this: When our experience at any one time does not match what we want. Or in other words, someone does something that we either didn’t expect, or we didn’t like, or we anticipate that they will do something unexpected or that we won’t like.

Typical examples:

Networking – worry that people won’t want to spend time with you, or being ‘cornered’ by someone who you have nothing in common with

At work – anxious about your upcoming review, or feeling undervalued by Head Office

At home – anticipating a lack of support from your partner, or dealing with confrontation from your child

All these scenarios and many more have an uncanny knack of throwing us out of our flow.

When we are out of the flow, we notice that we are physically and emotionally uncomfortable and that fires up all sorts of feelings and triggers all sorts of reactions.

How can you get back into the flow?

Most people when they notice they are out of the flow, seek to justify why they feel like they do. We’ve all been there at times – at least, I know I have. For instance, you might think, ‘If my colleague had done what they were supposed to, I wouldn’t be here now picking up the pieces.’

If you believe, as I do, that it is more important to get back in the flow and feeling good, than to pick over why you are out of it, then the following might help.

Accept the situation – Things aren’t as you want them to be in this moment
Embrace it – It’s OK! Life throws us many curve balls, here’s the latest one. Decide not to analyse it, or worry about it. Instead just notice how you feel without judgement of yourself or others
Say to yourself “I choose to feel _____________”. Whatever it might be. With choice, comes a sense of control and empowerment. What might change, for instance, if you choose to feel confident, compassionate or capable in this moment?

Getting you back in the flow.

To find out more about the services we offer, click here, or call us on +44 (0)1932 888885.

Mar 08

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Avoiding The Blame Game

By Lucy Windsor | Blog | No Comments

“It can be very stressful to pick the bones out of what went wrong…”

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Why do we come to work? To deliver on the mission of the organisation. That’s how crucial every single employee is. You matter greatly and so does every member of your team. What you do and how you do it impacts everyone.

Your work should feel good and congruent with who you are, you should feel able to weather the pressures and the highs and lows that will inevitably come in any work environment and to do that, you need the best tools and strategies to support you.

We give leaders who work with us powerful and practical tools and strategies they can use to maintain clarity even in potentially difficult or confusing circumstances, leading their teams back on track, focused and feeling understood.

Many of our clients are leaders who have to deal from time to time with issues that involve one party blaming another for something that should or shouldn’t have happened. And we know that it is all too easy to get caught up in the detail of the problem and to get sucked into the blame game. It can be very stressful to pick the bones out of what went wrong.

The quarrelling parties will each want you to believe their side of the story. They will be focused on getting you to see that they are right and the failing was due to the other party, the system, the client, or something/someone else. Most people get unsettled when things go wrong and they feel a compelling need to be vindicated.

Whilst it is important to recognise the feelings the other party is expressing (eg: frustration, anger, disappointment), it is really important to stay objective so that you can find a resolution.

Here’s one simple strategy that might help you to elevate your team out of the blame game and keep standards high:

Breathe!
Accept the situation for what it is (it’s happened and you are all where you are)
Focus on the best outcome possible in the circumstances
Make your intentions clear
Agree with the parties involved, the steps that need to be taken to get there from where you are now
Assign ownership and timescales to the plan
Review the process, revising where necessary to avoid a future recurrence
Gain commitment from all parties concerned
Thank all for their cooperation towards a successful outcome
Address knowledge/performance gaps with the individuals involved, privately one to one. Support them as they learn and agree a plan

Remember, things will go wrong from time to time. They provide an opportunity to improve. Address the situation early on, make the changes necessary and set expectations for the future.

To find out more about how we can help your business, and to arrange a conversation with a consultant, click here, or call us on +44 1932 888885.

Mar 01

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How To Turn A Difficult Conversation Into An Important One

By Lucy Windsor | Blog | No Comments

“Difficult conversations tend to be those where one anticipates some form of disagreement or resistance…”

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One of the biggest fears many people have is how to approach a difficult conversation. And yet, in business, difficult conversations are inevitable from time to time.

Why do so many people find certain conversations difficult? Here are some typical answers:

I think they will resist what I have to say
I worry that I might upset or offend them
What if they get angry?
I don’t like to let people down
I hate confrontation
I feel for their situation
I don’t like them and would rather not have to speak to them at all
They might dislike me

Difficult conversations tend to be those where one anticipates some form of disagreement or resistance.

Any internal struggle you are having about how the other party may or may not respond is going to cloud your ability to be open and honest. So much so in fact, you may well be setting yourself up for a very uncomfortable meeting because your anxiety will leak out through your verbal and non-verbal language.

How might you prepare for success? VOICE might help in some situations:

Vision – Remember. If it wasn’t important, you wouldn’t need to have the conversation at all. You must be really clear about what you are going to achieve from this conversation and why the outcome is important. Share your vision with the other party in a way that makes sense to them. Make sure the vision is objective and future orientated.

Options – Use your preparation time, and your time together in the meeting to uncover any viable options. What options do you have that will deliver on the vision? What is the likely impact of those options? What is the potential impact of doing nothing?

Immovables – There may be some elements that are just not negotiable. Know what they are and make them clear to the other party (eg: Service Level Agreements must be met). Stand by your non-negotiables. Stick to the facts, be open and clear. The other party may well try to talk you around, argue with you, justify their point of view, try to convince you otherwise. Be strong, be calm, and stay resolute.

Clarity – Make sure you have clear boundaries. Know your responsibility and live up to it. At the same time, expect the other party to own their responsibility, ensuring they are adequately equipped with the training, knowledge and resources they need.

Empathy – You are responsible for your behaviour and it is important to remain calm and clear headed. If the other party becomes worried, angry, or upset, it is important to understand and address any specific concerns they have.

Turn a potentially uncomfortable and difficult conversation into an important and purposeful one using VOICE.

To find out how the EPIC approach to Leadership will help your business, click here.

Feb 07

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Putting An End To Constant Interruptions

By Lucy Windsor | Blog | No Comments

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“This was impacting his own ability to deliver on his work. So much so that he was having to take work home and work throughout the evenings and weekends to catch up…”

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A client of mine, a Managing Director dealing with high-end customers, came to me with an important issue. One of her senior leaders was complaining because people weren’t respecting him and they were going ‘above his head’ on important matters.

This was happening over and over again in different situations. He was becoming resentful and felt he was being taken advantage of.

The Managing Director introduced us, we had an initial meeting, and got to know each other a little. I found out that he restores classic cars as a hobby. We defined his coaching goals and he asked me to help.

As we delved deeper, it transpired that he was being ‘dragged into issues’ that he felt others should be able to deal with. This was impacting his own ability to deliver on his work. So much so that he was having to take work home and work throughout the evenings and weekends to catch up. He wanted the team to recognise just how much he was taking on and for them to take him seriously, rather than escalating things to the Managing Director.

Interruptions

My client was used to being the ‘fixer’. He described to me how he fixed problems at home and he fixed problems at work. He told me ‘That’s just who I am’. However, tired and crabby, he wanted an alternative.

Boundaries

The frustration from the ‘fixer’, I’ll call him James, was the constant feeling of spoon feeding others around him. The answer lay in creating healthy boundaries. By always being on stand-by to pick up the pieces, he wasn’t empowering his team to learn and grow, instead, they were dependent on him and were losing motivation.

This is not an untypical situation. It is easy to become the ‘go to’ person. Especially if that’s how you’ve always operated. It can feel really good to be the person people rely on. Yet, when it impacts on one’s own ability to deliver and limits the teams efficiency, it is unsustainable.

Here’s a story that helped my client to see the true impact he was having on the business by continuing to be the ‘fixer’:

Imagine a dual carriageway with a light but steady stream of traffic. Then notice a high performance car towing another car and driving at 30mph in the fast lane, even though the slow lane is quite clear. The traffic is all backed up around it. Not only the vehicle’s performance is compromised, the free flow of the traffic is affected, impacting the performance of all the other vehicles in the vicinity.

Sometimes, it just takes a change of perspective to create the motivation that leads to change. This story helped James to realise how he was creating a bottle-neck by taking on so much of the work. And I know too that the same story might not achieve the same result with another client, or even with James on another day. As coaches, we get to know what matters to our clients. That way, we can communicate in a way that works for them.

Now back to James, with this fresh awareness, he committed to developing his team and I was able to share some simple strategies that helped him make the shift he wanted.

Our mission is to create happy, productive work environments that make the platform for success. If you enjoyed this Insight, please follow us and tell your friends and colleagues. You can receive EPiC Insights, like this one in your inbox every Monday. Go to the Home Page and sign up. It’s just a click or two away!

If you would like to talk about communication in your business, please call us on +44 (0)1932 888 885.

Kind regards

The Insight Team

Feb 02

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7 of 8 ways to get into the zone and find the fun in your work

By Lucy Windsor | Blog | No Comments

hand throwing a grenade isolated on white

We are pretty well programmed to look for the blame in any situation. And of course, things go wrong and people are at fault. However, no one is infallible. Even when things have gone wrong. Even when the rug is pulled from under our feet. We have a choice: 7. Avoid blaming others

Read on to find all 8 tips and for the ‘how to’ and ‘why to’ for tip number 7. It is all coming together now, just as it should be. As you incorporate these tips into your daily routine, you will be well on your way to regaining your joie de vivre and finding the fun in your work.

Daily checklist:

Be at peace and in silence for 15 minutes
Clarify your purpose
Find something or someone to inspire you
Do something today better than you did yesterday
Any time you feel tense – breathe deeply and be still – it will pass
Take responsibility for your wellbeing
Avoid blaming others (for information on ‘how to’ and ‘why to’, read on)
Write down one thing you’ve learnt about yourself today

Avoid blaming others

It is easy to blame someone else for how we feel, or for the failing of a task, often there is justification for doing so. If someone else had done things differently the situation might never have happened. However, there is a huge downside to blaming. In doing so, we render ourselves powerless. It wasn’t our fault. We weren’t responsible. We had no option. Our hands were tied. When we dwell on blame, we are focused in the past. What should have, could have happened and the injustice of it.

No one enjoys being powerless.

Regain your power.

The situation is what it is. The events leading up to the situation have already happened. The clock can’t be turned back. You regain your power when you focus on what you can do next that will lead towards the best outcome instead of focusing on what is or was outside your control and blaming others.

This is a small shift. It absolutely does not mean allowing yourself to be a soft touch or a doormat. It just means to accept the reality as it stands and put all your energy and attention on where to go from this point forwards.

To talk with us, call +44 (0)1932 888 885 or click here.

Feb 02

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6 of 8 ways to get in the zone and find the fun in your work

By Lucy Windsor | Blog | No Comments

Golden egg among common eggs

Is that a smile creeping across your face now as you get into the zone and find the fun in your work? The next step towards regaining your joie de vivre : 6. Take responsibility for your wellbeing.

Read on to find all 8 tips and for the ‘how to’ and ‘why to’ for tip number 6. It is all coming together now, just as it should be. As you incorporate these tips into your daily routine, you will be well on your way to regaining your joie de vivre and finding the fun in your work.

Daily checklist:

Be at peace and in silence for 15 minutes
Clarify your purpose
Find something or someone to inspire you
Do something today better than you did yesterday
Any time you feel tense – breathe deeply and be still – it will pass
Take responsibility for your wellbeing (for information on ‘how to’ and ‘why to’, read on)
Avoid blaming others
Write down one thing you’ve learnt about yourself today

Take responsibility for your wellbeing

One of the biggest stress factors is the feeling that we don’t have control of a situation. Perhaps someone has upset or offended us. We, or someone we know, has been treated unfairly in some way. There is nothing worse than to think that the behaviour of others has made us feel bad.

It is time to let others off the hook. They can’t ever be responsible for how I feel. It is the same for you.

Practise this in situations that are trivial, safe and have little impact first (for instance, a minor confrontation in a shop). Someone does something that causes you distress or upset, make a note of it and when you are on you own, analyse it. Ask yourself this question: What could I have done differently that would have created a different, better outcome? Take Tina’s example:

Situation: I was cross because they didn’t give me a refund for my goods even though they were in perfect, unused condition. They were really ‘jobs worth’ about it. I refuse to be talked to like that by anyone.

Analysis: I knew that I only had 30 days to return the goods and it was day 33. I came up to the counter ready for an argument about missing the returns window. I was visibly irritated when they didn’t accept it.

OK, so now she knows. This particular scuffle would definitely have been prevented if Tina had returned the goods within the timeframe allowed. Or, if she had apologised for missing the deadline and asked if it was at all possible to accept the return, despite being outside the 30 days, they just might have the goodwill and the authority to accept the return. If not, Tina would have learnt a good lesson – there is a consequence to missing deadlines.

If you have a minor confrontation, wait till you have calmed down and analyse it. If there is an opportunity to apologise and make amends for the way you have behaved, do so. If the other party’s behaviour was also inappropriate, it is likely they too will apologise. But they might not and you will notice that acceptance of your own behaviour is actually all you need. What others do is for them to reconcile with themselves.

Either way, make a note of how you would approach the situation another time. Perhaps chuckle at yourself for getting uptight over something you could have avoided, and look forward to the next opportunity so you can practice.

To get in touch with us, call +44 (0)1932 888 885, or click here.

Feb 02

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5 of 8 ways to get into the zone and find the fun in your work

By Lucy Windsor | Blog | No Comments

Perfect Wave

If you have already been incorporating steps 1-4 into your daily routine, the load you have been carrying should be feeling much lighter already. The next step towards regaining your joie de vivre and find the fun in your work is: 5. Any time you feel tense, breathe deeply and be still – it will pass.

Read on to find all 8 tips and for the ‘how to’ and ‘why to’ for tip number 5. We will give you more information on each tip over the coming weeks and as you incorporate these tips into your life, you will be well on your way to regaining your joie de vivre and finding the fun in your work.

Daily checklist:

Be at peace and in silence for 15 minutes
Clarify your purpose
Find something or someone to inspire you
Do something today better than you did yesterday
Any time you feel tense – breathe deeply and be still – it will pass (for information on ‘how to’ and ‘why to’, read on)
Take responsibility for your wellbeing
Avoid blaming others
Write down one thing you’ve learnt about yourself today

Any time you feel tense – breathe deeply and be still. It will pass

Over the course of a day, it is possible that something or someone will bother you. Or several things or several people. It is a natural desire to want to defend or justify your position.

However, when you are in the middle of experiencing a physical response to a situation (a feeling of tension somewhere inside your body) it is often best to say nothing at all. This is because when we have a physical reaction to a situation, this means we are in fight or flight mode. At this place, we only have access to a small area of our brain, the reactive area. Its purpose is survival and protection.

In this state, when you feel tense, you will be quick to arrive at short term solutions (for instance, get angry and shout; blame others; get upset, cry; leave; give in etc…) but you will not have considered the broader consequences and you are likely to end up feeling, at the least, misunderstood.

Stop, walk away, sleep on it, breathe deeply. Put your attention onto something you are in full control of, like cooking a meal, or if you are at work, use this as an opportunity to tidy your papers or do something else that distracts you and gives you an immediate positive reward. As you focus elsewhere, let the thoughts that are troubling you come and go like the waves of the sea washing over you, and away without trying to resolve them.

Be peaceful. The answers you are searching for will come when you are ready.

To speak to us call +44 (0)1932 888 885 or click here.

Feb 02

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4 of 8 ways to get into the zone and find the fun in your work

By Lucy Windsor | Blog | No Comments

Sprinter leaving on the running track. Explosive start.

By now you are finding 15 minutes in your day to be at peace. Stopping the world just for that moment to recharge. You have also clarified your purpose and are finding inspiration in the most unlikely of places and you are beginning to enjoy yourself. The next step towards regaining your joie de vivre and find the fun in your work is: 4. Do something today better than you did yesterday.

Read on to find all 8 tips and for the ‘how to’ and ‘why to’ for tip number 4. We will give you more information on each tip over the coming weeks and as you incorporate these tips into your life, you will be well on your way to regaining your joie de vivre and finding the fun in your work.

Daily checklist:

Be at peace and in silence for 15 minutes
Clarify your purpose
Find something or someone to inspire you
Do something today better than you did yesterday (for information on ‘how to’ and ‘why to’, read on)
Any time you feel tense, breathe deeply and be still – it will pass
Take responsibility for your wellbeing
Avoid blaming others
Write down one thing you’ve learnt about yourself today

Do something today better than you did yesterday

Have you ever resolved to make changes in the way you do things? Launching yourself confidently with good intent into a new way of operating. We probably all have at one time or another. Yet, within a few days, maybe a month, we are back to old habits without even realising it.

Changes take a bit of bedding down. We have to get used to the idea of behaving differently. We need to have a reason to make changes, or they just won’t stick.

One way to create positive changes that stick is to remind yourself everyday that you will do something better than you did yesterday. No grand goal, just something better every day.

Upping your standards, just a little bit every day, coupled with knowing your purpose (see step 2) means you have the beginnings of new habits. It is quite fun to record your progress. Over the period of several months, you can look back and see the enormous strides you have made and how easy it was.

engagement Archives - Page 2 of 3 - The Performance Biz

“Difficult conversations tend to be those where one anticipates some form of disagreement or resistance…”