Leadership

Dec 04 2012

How great are you at making decisions? Here’s a tool to help you out

This is such an easy tool to use yet so frequently we struggle with options, we do our pros and cons lists or we just let things rattle around in our head without being totally happy with our final choice.

This is a logical way of getting to that final decision and allows you to find peace with yourself on the decision you make, giving you the confidence through its rationality and can make you stand out as the decision maker when others around you are struggling.

This tool is simply called ‘GRID ANALYSIS’. To start off with, you need to consider two lists. The first is the OPTIONS shown in the row and FACTORS needing to be considered shown in the columns. Then you give each a score in the matrix which gets totalled at the end. May sound a bit too complex to some but it’s truly easy.

Okay, so here goes…

FIRST List your options as the rows on your table. Along the heading, write the factors needing to be considered as the column headings (these can be anything that matters, like cost, availability, service level, maintenance, reliability, dimensions etc).

SECOND Score against each of these headings against the options, these may be supplier, candidate for promotion, product whatever it may be. The score should range between 0 (Worst) to 5 (Best) and score relevantly not differently! By this I mean that if all score 2, then, so be it. You don’t have to be concerned about whether the score matches or not but that you give it a true reflection of what you believe it to be worth.

THIRD Now ‘Weight’ the importance of the factor in your overall relative importance (eg if the items were cost, practicality, reliability, quality you may rate them cost(4), Practicality(1), Reliability(3) and quality(4)… again, it doesn’t matter if a few have the same ratings). Create a row at the top or bottom of your options and write this value.

FORTH take each of your scores set against each factor/option and multiply this by the weight. So, let’s say we were looking to buy a camera. Supplier ‘A’ scored 4 on reliability so based on the previous weighting, this would equate to 4×3=12, whereas, Supplier ‘B’ may only score 2 on this factor, ergo 2×3=6 etc etc

FIFTH is the final stage where you total all the scores at the end of the row and the highest score represents the strongest option to work with

As an example, we’ll use the camera idea from before. The number before the line goes through it is the initial score, the number next to it is the total having used the weighting factor (hopefully that’s clear enough)

FACTOR	Cost	Practicality	Reliability	Quality	TOTAL
Weighting	3	2	4	4	N/A
Camera 1	4 12	3 6	5 20	4 16	54
Camera 2	5 15	1 2	2 8	5 20	25
Camera 3	2 6	5 10	3 12	5 20	48

From this, it is clear to see that Camera Two was never really in the running but One and Three were close, however, by adopting this approach, a clear winner (Camera One is ‘exposed’ as being the right one to go for – sorry, bad pun but you get the idea)

And there you have it, a Grid Analysis tool that helps you to decide between several options, where there are many different factors needing to be considered.

And you can also use this tool to help select that all important Business coach that you need in your organisation, just remember to add Coaching to Success to the Row and speak to us concerning areas that we can help with, costing, availability, benefit, ‘fun’ (always an important element to learning or striving forward with new goals or objectives) and call Neil on 07761 187238… well, it’s worth a try by us isn’t it?

Oct 22 2012

DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT! EBAY HAVE MANAGED TO PAY JUST £1.2m IN TAX AGAINST £789m SALES!!… BREAKING THE LAW OR ‘CHANGING’ THE WAY OF DOING THINGS!

Sunday Times reported that eBay had £789m sales in 2010 in the UK alone, using worldwide profit margins in the region of 23%, the return should have been £181m profit with an expected corporation tax around £51m! Morally correct? Ethically correct? No matter where you stand on this, issues will vary immensely but there is one clear process that has driven this and that’s the change of thought process. To coin one of those loved (hmm, or not!) business metaphors… This company have “Stepped out of the box” when it comes to normal route that is expected.

Consequently, they are making vast amounts of money due to the fact that they haven’t followed the norm and ‘Change’ is the critical element here. I’m no expert in the financial market, however, I am when it comes to change/change management and much like the EBay story, some won’t like the outcome but the ‘management’ element of ‘change management’ is what’s important.

If you’re not happy with how your firm or business is going and can only see one direction it’s heading then you will inevitably reach that destination. As a saying by Siddhārtha Gautama goes “If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading” so if you desire anything from increased sales, profitability, staff ratio, turnover per head, alternative markets to any other new or improved aspect of your current situation, then ‘Change’ is an absolute MUST!

The draw-back with change is getting others to go along with it harmoniously. I know the hard-line approach of “This is what’s going to happen, deal with it” as I’ve worked in exactly those environments as a director, however, if you want to bring others along with you and make the transition a lot smoother and you also need to establish the benefit of change. Richard Beckhard developed a concept called ‘The Change Equation’ and realised that some countervailing steps were necessary, hence, his equation.

A = An attractive vision of the future

B = Some dissatisfaction with the present

C = Some practical first steps

D = The pain involved in changing

The sum of A + B + C must exceed the value of D

Once you have established that change IS needed, then areas to consider further are:

Not only build a rational case but an ‘Emotional’ case for change too – Although ‘Managers’ are great at expressing the rational case, you need people with ‘Leadership’ skills to appeal to people’s emotional nucleus.
Ensure this ‘Leader’ or ‘Leadership Team’ are a prime role model for change – It is no good simply telling others to do, you have to have those in the limelight demonstrating the change too.
Understanding what impact this will have on those within the company or firm and spell it out – This is a fundamental prerequisite of what you are about to engage in. Let those that will be affected by it have transparent assessment of what the impact will likely to be on them.
Embed the change as quick as possible – No one really likes change, we’re creatures of habit so make the change swift and ensure you don’t celebrate too soon… if something’s not right, this will be used as a lever to prove the old way was better. Get people involved with ‘how to implement or improve’.
Let the people take the ownership! – Most of the time we ‘tell’ people and make changes ‘to’ them. Implement changes ‘with’ them or, better still ‘by’ them. Allow a sense that they are involved with this change and not a by-product of it.

Coaching to Success have helped firms/companies and the people therein to move through change, to create a new business in these times of austerity and succeed, help teams to bond and increase the output two fold over the sum of the individuals by getting them to work together through change… it’s taking the first step outside of your own confinement that’s the difficult one!

Coaching can bring people together and if this is an area you are looking to venture into, please take note of just a brief over-view of areas to consider and then take the next step by speaking to someone new and pick up the phone to call us to arrange a free consultation on how we can help, contact Neil (07761 187238) or throw us an email at info@coachingtosuccess.co.uk… We’re here to help

Oct 08 2012

I’VE GOT TOO MUCH WORK TO DELEGATE… NOBODY CAN DO IT AS WELL!

Hmm, and therein lies the egotism or even the lack of confidence of those who need to share the workload. Many years ago, I too foolishly believed that only I knew everything, others simply couldn’t do it as well or to the same standard as me, surprising how much better the company grew once I started to delegate, trust those around me and act like the director that I’d been employed to be.

Delegating is a critical skill and not an easy one to manage. Often we feel like we should be seen to be under stress with massive workloads, however, efficiency is all about insuring the operation runs smoothly and with direction, if you don’t delegate tasks that others can do, it builds distrust, feeling of reduced worth and despondency.

Here are some simple steps to help you along the path of delegation:

DUMP THE EGO! – No, you’re not the only person in the whole world that can do that job. Ok, it may not be done to the standard YOU BELIEVE to be correct or the way that you would do it but we’re all different and with guidance, training and some support someone else can do specific roles and possibly even have the ability to do it faster or even better than you… there’s a thought!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED, ANYONE? – You may end up waiting some time for someone to offer to help. If they don’t realise you need assistance, they’ll get on with their own jobs. Think about if someone asked you for YOUR help, would you? More than likely you would so put it out there. Don’t wait for someone to come to you whilst building up your frustration of why no-one’s offering
WEAKNESS – It is not a sign of weakness to delegate but strength, know your people and show your trust. Maybe there’s feeling of shame, guilt or wanting your own badge of honour showing what a martyr you are by letting everyone see how you manage to continue handling everything yourself. Be truthful with yourself as to the reason why you don’t delegate, it IS NOT a weakness to delegate but shows signs of trust and responsibility… ok, stick by your thoughts there’s no one responsible enough to hand it to!! Been there, seen it, got the badge and proved totally wrong.
BE OBJECTIVE NOT PROCEDURAL – Two forms of management, Micro and hands off, both equally incorrect in their opposites! Insure you delegate the task and what the outcome is that you’re looking to achieve and show them how to do this and that they can come to you. Indicate that they can do it as they wish but the outcome, the objective is what is at stake here and set SMART goals. Allow sufficient time for them to be innovative in what they are doing or to learn their own way, we do, after all have a prefrontal cortex that allows us to think for ourselves.
PATIENCE – Are they likely to get it right first time without making a single error? If yes, why didn’t you delegate it ages ago, if not, well, this is the learning curve. Mistakes will likely to be incurred, a line I used in the last blog… Thomas Edison commented when he eventually found how to create electric light “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work”, don’t assume it will be carried out perfectly first time round as if they already have a track record of success, this isn’t their fault it’s yours for assuming too much without giving the FULL guidance and support needed in the first instance.
BACK-UP PLAN – If handing tasks that have a deadline, support your delegate with that given task. Remember, they too will probably have other tasks to perform within their day-to-day workload, systems to deal with that aren’t infallible (don’t you just love technology when it goes foul?) and uncertainties that creep in. Approachability is key, let them know that if there is a problem, come to you immediately so between you, you can resolve it but without the fear of reprimand or belittling and certainly without the fear that if it’s not accomplished on time… over to you Jack, it’s ALL yours! Remove this sense of potential fear before it even crops up, if they feel they have your support, they won’t be looking for excuses as to why it failed.
RECOGNITION – When everything goes well, don’t take all the credit! Bestow credit where it’s due. Your superiors (if there are any) will see how well you manage your team/staff and your delegate will see their worth in not only your eyes but the firm/company’s too and will be more likely to be more confident with handling other such like tasks. Notoriety is a reward in its own right. Also, on this, show your own recognition and gratitude for the work completed, say Thank You and truly show your gratitude, this feeling of appreciation will certainly do you well when the next task comes along.

Coaching to Success understands the complexities that directors/associates/partners and managers undergo, we’re here to help you understand how to let tasks go and the great freedom this allows those who delegate to concentrate on what they should be doing, ie direct or manage the workload. If this is an area you feel you or members of your team would benefit from, take that first step by speaking to someone who can help you improve the power of delegation and thus becoming even more productive, after all, that’s what coaching is all about so pick up the phone to arrange a free consultation on how we can help, contact Neil (07761 187238) or throw us an email at info@coachingtosuccess.co.uk… We’re here to help.

Sep 24 2012

SO HOW’S THE MORALE IN THE TEAM YOU’RE IN, OR RESPONSIBLE FOR, DOING?

Whether you’re into it or not, the footy season is upon us and new teams have been formed, existing teams re-jigged, new members joined and established members have departed… not much different to the world of commerce really but how does that leave you especially if the morale of the team has taken a knock?

“Morale is the capacity of a group of people to pull together persistently and consistently in pursuit of a common purpose” is how sociologist Alexander Leighton puts it so it’s critical to invest time in developing good morale for your organisation to flourish, those that do experience much higher productivity, profitability and staff retention, decreased level of absenteeism and turnover of employee numbers as well as producing an amazing place to ‘want’ to come and work in!

So what are some common factors to cause morale to dip, check off those you feel within your environment…

Dismal communication.
Difficult co-workers.
Heavy workloads and/or stress.
No recognition or reward/gratitude.
Restructure or Layoffs
Deplorable leadership.
Inflexible working conditions.
Loss of contract that’s had a lot of time/resources ploughed into it.
Cancellation of team benefits.
Lack of enablement or autonomy.

And how frequently do Managers or Leaders turn a blind eye, or not even realise the state of morale by just putting it down to workload pressure. How often can the following clues be overlooked…

Increased absenteeism.
Increased staff turnover.
Lack of enthusiasm by not only individual members but groups too.
Obvious despondency.
Decreased productivity.
Increase conflict between team members.
Increased complaints about work, or other team members.

You don’t have to be an Associate, Partner or Director of a firm or company to be a leader but whatever your role, Lead from the front and build your own positive attitude or outlook. See what difference this has on those around you. Understand what’s affecting your morale and then ascertain means by which you can address this to create positive affirmations even through the quagmire of assumed despair. Self-confidence inspires others, ‘Positive’ thinking encourages positivity around you (negative has the same effect but in the wrong direction), Quick wins results in improved morale with confidence flourishing in your team as well as yourself and understanding of the reality of the situation not just the emotive shackles we often tie around our own ankles.

Some other tips to consider:

CONNECT WITH YOUR TEAM – Avoid hiding behind a desk with closed doors. Get out there, speak to the team, find out about personal as well as work subjects and show interest. Show presence by walking around and being approachable, keep communication channels open and get to ‘feel’ what’s happening around you, this is ‘emotional intelligence’ and don’t run from it, embrace it and show empathy with commitment to deal with issues arising. Remember earlier the ‘No recognition’ comment, reward your team/members and this doesn’t have to cost a penny, simply making an announcement to all how well a member or team have done builds positive feelings but physical rewards work well when they’re due or even awarding time off.
CLARITY OF DIRECTION – Set ‘Clear’ goals. This way members ‘know’ what they should be doing or aiming for. SMART goals, yeah, I know, business spiel but it works!
COMMUNICATION – The mother of all problems! Without clarity, rumours start and with rumours come the segregation within any organisation even if it’s sound as a bell, so it’s imperative that timely and accurate information is given. If there are changes being made, keep those around up to date so they can’t make their own ‘assumptions’. Express how things will affect them but remember to ‘Receive’ as well… after all, communication means “the activity of conveying information through the exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, visuals, signals, writing, or behaviour”
ENVIRONMENT – You’d be surprised to what a lick of paint, new air-conditioning, personal storage facilities, cooking equipment etc etc may have. Bright airy rooms to work in have extremely positive outcomes, tidy environment brings order both physically but mentally too.
DEVELOPMENT – Regardless of managerial belief, people generally want to improve their lot, as it were. Find out what needs for development exist in your team(s), especially if there have already been lay-offs. By offering this, a better sense of security in what they do can be seen
MAINTAIN MOTIVATION – All too often there’s a positive ‘get up and go’ approach and the following month, life’s back to normal! Know what makes your team members tick, it’s not always financial! (look into Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs). Keep up with SMART goals and stay ‘Connected’ with your team(s).

Coaching to Success understands where individuals and groups can suffer from the drop in Morale and how to help those leaders develop a positive environment and helps keep you motivated to succeed through these times as well as supporting you along this path. If this is an area you feel you, your team or firm/company would benefit from, take that first step by speaking to someone who can help you improve morale whilst keeping you on track to reach them, after all, that’s what coaching is all about so pick up the phone to arrange a free consultation on how we can help, contact Neil (07761 187238) or throw us an email at info@coachingtosuccess.co.uk… We’re here to help.

Aug 13 2012

THINGS CHANGED… FOR A WHILE! SO, BACK TO NORMALITY THEN!

It appears to be a human trait that we look at things cynically with great expectations of failure. The 2012 Olympics came to an eruptive conclusion Sunday night with everyone in the country thinking what a spectacular event and what a total SUCCESS it was. If ‘Change’ is handled correctly, we’ll embrace it, if not… we fight against it! So, how do we go about making positive change that everyone wants to buy in to? Read on…

Prior to that though and with the full knowledge that we were to make some drastic changes to our beloved capital city, our lives were to be disrupted. The burden this would put onto our country that seemed to already bowing under the pressure of every other bit of doom and gloom the media could throw at us… CHANGE, we frequently don’t like it but it’s inevitable and with change, benefits can be found in abundance should we choose to look but there’s more! COMMUNICATION is the key.

There is a cycle we go through individually as well as in the organisation or firm from ‘Crisis’ to ‘Opportunity’ and understanding where people are along this route means we can help them as well as ourselves towards the ‘Opportunity’ whilst aiming to insure that we don’t add further barriers.

Elizabeth Kubler-Ross looked into this cycle and it goes along the line of…

FIRST THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL … Relief (rumours have passed, now I know!) … Shock … Denial … Anger … Bargaining (‘if’ I do this then maybe!) … Guilt … Panic (What if it fails, will I be caught out that I can’t do this??) … Depression … THEN WE HEAD UP … Resignation (Nothing I can do about it, ‘spose I’d better just get on with it) … Acceptance (maybe these changes are going to be beneficial?) … Building (ah, this is where I can contribute) … Opportunity (this is good, I’m liking where this is going. This is actually fun!)

Using, but more importantly, understanding this cycle, you can relay different messages throughout the whole change process. Plan to keep people involved and informed. Understand where they are in the cycle and insure clarity of communication is given and to help them through that area they may be stuck on/in.

This is an area where we’re strong in at Coaching to Success but leadership in your organisation may not be as strong when it comes to making change in your organisation. Going back to the Olympics… remember the news coverage? Support that the stars and sports people offered all through the process! Updates on how we were actually ‘Ahead’ of schedule in the construction of the park! The ‘feel-good’ factor that emanated without it having even started! And when we started to win medals, there was no stopping the ‘Positive’ communication that came out.

Don’t assume people know what’s happening. Keep them informed and involved, ‘Change’ will happen without as much pain as could otherwise be avoided. Such a positive end to the Olympics, long may that positivity reign before the media head back to what they do best , hmmm!

Should ‘Change’ be something that you will have to go through or are going through and are struggling to get others on board, consider the cycle and if you or your organisation/firm would appreciate some external help to smooth the way, we would welcome your initial enquiry just to chat and see how we can benefit what you’re doing. Simply call Neil to arrange a free consultation on how we can help, on 07761 187238 or email info@coachingtosuccess.co.uk… We’re here to help.