Coaching to Success

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Strategy

Change Management skills required when moving office or premises…

I have recently been involved with two organisations who are moving their whole business and people therein to more suitable premises to handle their situations and growth.

In both cases, the whole focus has been on planning the processes, legal documents are converted through soda pdf which you can view in this site http://online.sodapdf.com, logistics of the move and the how and who of doing it but not necessarily what affect the people will have on the success of the move.

All too often we see the bigger picture of what the move will bring but frequently forget the people who will make this move a success or a failure. A quick transition or a long drawn out one. A beautifully smooth passage or one with mental obstacles at every step.

This then got me thinking that as they were caught up in the process, then so will the majority of others. With this in mind, here are Coaching to Success’ tips to increase the odds of making the transition a much smoother experience.

PLAN – As stated, we often look at the expected ‘outcome’ and frequently from our own perspective without giving as much consideration to the people-side where impact on them is concerned.

I look at people’s working environment noticing their little personal touches which will be altered if a new ‘desk sharing’ policy will be the new regime. Consider what impact this will have on them. And what of those little quirky habits may be associated with the current location compared to the new place, since moving the equipment is easy with the help of services from adtmoving.com but making the people get used to this will be way more complicated. Simple things like mini catch up meetings in the kitchenette while grabbing a coffee that may no longer be available.

Discuss with all stakeholders to allow them the opportunity of raising ideas and concerns. This allows you to squash negative thoughts that likely don’t exist other than in their beliefs. Or to address those that are real.

COMMUNICATE – Communicate often and via different means. Not everyone understands the need for change to their settled working environment or see the benefits. As well as the message itself, think of how you are going to relay it.

I lose count of the times people simply send an email/message! Think of the times you are sent important information via email and leave highlighted as un-read until you get the time to look at… and then forget?

Sending messages is a slippery shoulder exercise of thinking you have informed someone so it is no longer your responsibility or fault if they didn’t read or act on it! Bad news, just because you’ve passed information on, does not negate your responsibility or ownership.

Consider all means to pass vital information on: (i) Face-to-face (ii) Email (iii) Intranet (iv) Presentations/workshops and (v) Social media. Keep in mind, people pay attention to people, so engaging in face-to-face and verbal communication will be key to getting your message across. Email/messaging is useful and timely, but consider that the mood the receiver reads it will dictate their interpretation of what the meaning really is.

OWNERSHIP – Involve everybody in the process. We are communal creatures and even the quiet ones among us like to feel they have a part to play.

Engage ‘Move Champs’ to relay the message and motivate the teams they have been given responsibility for. Not simply the message of process and order but utilise their skills to get the feel-good buzz concerning the benefits of the move.

This requires more than mere buy-in or passive agreement that the direction of change is acceptable. It demands ownership by leaders willing to accept responsibility for making change happen in all of the areas they influence or control.

Ownership is often best created by involving people in identifying problems and crafting solutions. It is reinforced by incentives and rewards.

LISTEN – Be conscious of who your naysayers are and consider what their arguments will be. Better still, invite them (rather than simply ignoring them) to put their points forward.

As a business coach, the most frequent obstacle I observe is leaders expressing their beliefs and demands on others without considering that the other party may actually have a better way of resolving a given situation.

Listen to your people. Do not simply TELL them what they need to do but ASK what they believe to be the best solution. You could be pleasantly surprised if you open your mind to others possibly having an idea you may not have thought of yourself!

“The art of conversation is the art of hearing as well as of being heard.” (William Hazlitt)

PREPARE FOR THE UNEXPECTED – Be understanding but realistic about expectations for the move! We all have our own thoughts on how things should be done or what the outcome looks like for us and this may be somewhat different to reality if we are not kept informed and up to date.

Even the obvious may not be! There will inevitably be changes to the best laid plans and it is not about how these changes affect us but how we deal with them and relay the message to others.

Consider other factors as well, such as staff who may well have had the same regime every day, been located in the same place for years and probably have an emotional attachment to their locale. There can often be a feeling of loss.

Remember, change programmes rarely go to plan. People have an uncanny ability to confuse what we believe to be the perfect solution and the odds of a smooth transition reduces further still the greater the number of people which are likely to be affected. There is no intention to upset the apple-cart but we are dealing with emotional states that rarely are controllable.

Effectively managing change requires continual reconsideration of how individuals will adapt to what comes next. Knowing, analysing and understanding this live data feed, those responsible for change can make real-time adjustments towards reaching the desired outcome.

MAINTENANCE AFTER THE EVENT – So you’ve moved and through careful planning and adapting you have reached your new location, woohoo … but it does not stop there!

Support needs to remain for a while after the transition. Catering for new technologies such as items like the new telephone system, desk sharing, office layouts and many other changes need to constantly be addressed to ease people into the new environment.

Finally, close the door on the old place, both literally and metaphorically by celebrating the success of the move by having an open day or ‘welcome’ event where not only staff are invited by so are suppliers, customers, those involved with the logistics.

Coaching is an exceptional tool to help the transition go as smooth as possible. Coaching to Success are here to help individuals and organisations to understand how coaching can help them help their teams, contact Neil on 07761 187238 or email neil@coachingtosuccess.co.uk, where you will be assured a warm, friendly welcome and the chance to discuss how change management helps moving to become a pleasure rather than a hurdle to overcome.

Is it time to make a ‘Career Path Plan’?

So we take the first step on the career path and have a vague idea of where we are heading but how many of us created a ‘Career Path Plan’? Are we sticking to it? Have we discovered it’s not the path we expected or some pretty hefty unknown obstacles were thrown in the way?

Nothing is set in stone where so many external influences can affect the outcome, however, Benjamin Franklin was attributed to the saying “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail” and Winston Churchill came up with “Those who fail to learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.”

So the simple answer is to plan ahead and learn from our mistakes!

Historically, career pathing was associated with the process used to chart a course within an organisation for a given career through self-development. The attributes involved in this were based around knowledge base, skills, character and experience. Once clarified, a path, whether promotion, laterally or transfer would be worked out. Now this can still be the case but with the onset of such diversity and uncertainty along with more people being self-employed compared to years gone by, we need to be honest with ourselves where career goals are actually at and whether we have the necessary attributes to reach it.

There is a lot more to creating one and reviewing it than can be written in this short blog but if nothing else, this will get you on the right path (excuse the pun) and Coaching to Success can help you with the details whether creating one for your team members or for yourself at a later time.

Much like travelling, you plot a route (or your SatNav does) and sometimes the obvious route is blocked but with some lateral thinking and change of course, you will eventually head back on track.

Here are some simple steps starting with the first and hardest element to start your course:

  • Ascertain what your desired job is. Sometimes this may not be apparent but give it some serious thought. If self-employed, where do you want your business to be within a given time-frame and what role will you play in it?
  • What jobs, departments, areas of businesses do you need to plot a course through to get there? Speak to your line manager, HR department or research others to find the most likely path that will let you achieve your goal.
  • What skills do you need to develop? What course of action do you need to take to obtain them? What channels of development are open to you and what experience do you require to achieve the objective?
  • Where can you get mentoring, supervision or coaching from to help you with this transition in your development?
  • Consider where you can obtain, or if there are career professionals you could turn to (even if researching the web, books, audio or video files – there’s plenty out there) to find focus.
  • OWN IT. This is Your career path, not somebody else’s and once realised, it gains body and momentum. By all means, welcome help given by others and search for a mentor/coach. Apply for those jobs and don’t get disheartened through lack of response but rather seek information to turn knockbacks into a learning exercise but always remember, this is yours and only you can drive it forward, no one else will care about it as much as you.
  • Let the decision makers know of your interest and intentions. Make it very clear to all who have the power/authority to help you get there know what your intentions are. Employees want to see who their next opportunities are within the organisation and showing off your plan makes it very clear. And don’t be afraid to ask for their assistance whether it be gaining more experience or increasing your knowledge or skill especially if looking to move laterally.
  • PUT IT IN WRITING. Then share it. Line managers, supervisors, family, friends, whoever will hold you accountable to reaching your objectives. Writing it down then insuring others are aware of it is an integral element to making it work.

If working within a large organisation, speak to HR or senior management to obtain knowledge of the following to incorporate within your plan. Then use this to plot your path:

  • Job descriptions (and locations)
  • Formal planning process (if applicable)
  • Application process
  • Competency levels
  • Learning/Training/Development courses pertaining to role
  • Shadowing and access to people currently doing the job
  • Access to mentor/coach
  • Lateral roles that are associated with you path or potential transfer opportunities

Coaching to Success believe in the power of the individual so whether you are the employer looking to help bring team members on or an individual looking to move up the career ladder, then take your first step to gaining clarity and contact Neil on 07761 187238 or email neil@coachingtosuccess.co.uk, where you will be assured a warm, friendly welcome and discuss what it is you wish to achieve.

Stand out and promote ‘Your Personal’ brand!

Understanding the importance of ‘Branding’ is crucial. Not just a logo but what it stands for. The stones in Coaching to Success are about taking steps (that get bigger and stronger) to reach your goal and will be found on all their correspondence.

On a personal level, look at your LinkedIn/Twitter/Facebook profiles. What IS your branding? Your recognisable trait?

Question… how do you want to be thought of when your name is brought up in conversation? Are you the go-to person, knowledgeable in your own field of expertise? The vivacious up-lifter or motivator? The studious completer? You will have a ‘brand’. Consider how promoting your personal brand will obtain a great ROI whether it be looking for a career, or standing out from others.

Now you have started thinking of yourself as a brand, how do we go about promoting it?

  • Study – Get to really know your industry or subject. Become the expert. Immerse yourself in all the latest updates as well as current matters. Sounds obvious but often people get to a level and stop!
  • Match taking with giving! Be a humble expert. Build working relationships with others where you can give equally as much as taking. Stephen Covey refers to this as Win:Win, an expression we have all heard, meaning to allow the other party to contribute which accordingly encourages them to speak favourably of you adding value to your brand.
  • Avoid camouflage – Be seen, refrain from hiding behind an office door or computer monitor. Attend networks and industry conferences. Open Social Media channels so others can see you and comment. Write features (like this) about your area of knowledge. Paint your picture for all to see and soon your style will stand out.
  • Align your brand with existing strong examples – This isn’t to say copy, but associate with established brands who emit similar beliefs to your own, e.g. “GoPro: Helps people capture and share their lives”, “Marriot Hotels: Quiet luxury. Crafted experiences. Intuitive service.” and how can you associate who you are to them?
  • Be charitable – Whether this means your time or finance. People remember selfless acts adding immense value in the eyes of others. There is no shame in marketing this on your social media or web sites either.

This is not only a start on a road of self-awareness allowing you to recognise how each of us have ‘branding’ but also understanding how you go about enhancing it. Once you truly get to know how people see you, you can then look to market the qualities you wish to be made more visible, enabling others who may not know you that well (or at all), to seek an association with you.

Coaching to Success know how to dig deep and help you extract what makes you stand out from others, to look for that USP. When you are ready to create your own Brand to compete with the best and stand out from the rest, contact Neil to discuss how he can help by emailing neil.nutburn@coachingtosuccess.co.uk or 07761 187238.

And why not get a feel for this person’s branding style by checking out our short ‘interview’ video at https://youtu.be/RvCwOL4hPco

Building on past setbacks. How to develop your resilience…

People often refer to how Thomas Edison persevered over others’ scepticism of his diversity. There are others, such as James Dyson, who likewise fought through challenges. Taking 15yrs, 5100+ attempts creating a bagless vacuum.

Resilience is the ability to get back up when knocked down or not going to plan. So why is it so important?

People often comment on how I overcame throat cancer diagnosed in Feb 2008. I use this as an example for most wouldn’t even know I suffered with it or the hard work it took to be able to eat the simplest of meals but this is another form of resilience. I would not be beaten, so now enjoy a wide variety of foods that otherwise I would not have had if not for resilience.

In business/life, it is critical that we neither dwell upon nor wallow on how things appear unfair. Resilient people acknowledge and learn from mistakes or situations, using this as ammunition or stepping blocks to forge forward.

Resilience is as much about the mindset and self-talk as it is about viewing the glass as half full, not empty (or as some have said, “Neil, your damn glass is overflowing”!). It is about how you perceive life and situations. We will always be subjected to knock-backs but it is how we deal with these that our strength of character and persistence originates. Here are some areas that I noticed the aforementioned people used:

GOAL SETTING: Obviously, as a business coach, I believe this to be one of the most important areas. You can set SMART goals and make sure they align with your beliefs as well as values to insure a higher chance of success.

PERSPECTIVE: put things into perspective. They may seem overwhelming but assess what affect this may have long-term. Incorporate these areas into your goals and know how to break them into manageable or relevant parts.

POSITIVE THINKING: Consider how you talk to yourself or mind-chatter when something goes wrong! Do you focus on the negative or look at it as a lesson to be learned? Convert to the positive, eg “That didn’t work” to “knowing that, how can I…”. Reframing the way you talk externally and internally changes the mindset.

SELF-CONFIDENCE: Believe in yourself and work from the success you have achieved including those at school, college, University and the workplace. Self-confident people will also learn to take risks (as did Dyson). Confidence encourages taking these necessary risks from as early as taking the stabilisers off our bikes for the first time!

LEARN: Mistakes can be painful. The first fall once the stabilisers have been removed, but we move forward by getting back on (excuse the puns) and learning from the experience. Never stop learning and always find ways to improve from reading, watching experts, observing others and taking risks.

FLEXIBILITY: Kodak, Encyclopaedia Britannica and Woolworths ignored how the world was changing. Sticking by the old format and failed spectacularly. Constantly refer back to your objectives/goals making sure they can bend to accommodate new elements for development. It is important to work to a plan, however, constantly review and change where necessary.

RELATIONSHIPS: A great asset to have in building your resilience is a strong network of friends, family and colleagues. Stephen R.Covey wrote about ‘Interdependence’ emphasising the importance on building strength through experts around us who support us in areas of uncertainty or needing help.

REACTION: Bad news or negative actions can have a devastating effect on how we respond. For example, going back to the cancer, the news was not only shocking but impacted on the future. Treatment options were considered and chosen, developing a positive plan.

SLEEP & EXERCISE: As much as releasing endorphins, which stimulate positive thoughts, exercise helps stress-management. Being in a sedentary job, I go out walking at least 5 miles per day, helping clear the mind and giving focus when I return to work. Whether it be the gym, walking, cycling, a sport or, as is my other love, martial arts, find an exercise you enjoy and insure you get quality sleep to rest your body and mind too.

This is an area Coaching to Success are well versed in so if you or members within your team are finding Resilience to be out of reach or slipping through your grasp, then contact Neil to discuss how he can help by emailing neil.nutburn@coachingtosuccess.co.uk or 07761 187238.

And why not get a feel for the person by checking out our short ‘interview’ video at https://youtu.be/RvCwOL4hPco

First Strategies… Then Capitalise

One thing I noticed in my earlier days of management was that to truly succeed, you need to work ON the business and this requires a strategy.

How is your business? Are you simply working to keep your head above water? Are you drowning in areas that, quite frankly, are avoidable? What plans have you made for tomorrow, next month or a future point? These are all reflective questions I would ask people to look at.

With a strategy model you can formulate a plan to truly promote your great product or service. Lafley & Martin 5-Step Strategy Model has some interesting elements to consider.

  • WINNING ASPIRATION – The organisation’s goal or objective. Not simply about making money but market placement and establishing YOUR aspirations.

In coaching, we use the ‘Rocking Chair’ tool where we ask clients to mentally move away from today and cadge a lift in Dr.Who’s Tardis to drop them at a time in the future so they can envisage on how their business is doing.

Here you can see where you are compared to competition. Do you aspire to be #1 or increase your percentage of market share etc. Be realistic as much as optimistic. Know where you wish to be in a given time. “A dream is but a dream, but a goal is a dream with a deadline!”, set that deadline and imagine what your endeavours now will lead to.

  • WHERE WILL WE PLAY? – Know your market, the players and the customers. As a business coach, I can work 1-2-1 either face-to-face, over the phone or Skype so potentially my clients are global. However, when I run workshops, at the moment I tend to keep them UK bound due to the return on investment. I specialise in ‘Business Coaching’ rather than encompass other areas such as Youth or Retirement so I become a known specialist that helps businesses flourish.

If you sell a product, get to truly know your market rather. You’re your target audience. Is it B2B, B2C, OTC, Local, European, Global? Establish this clearly and focus your energy in a given direction rather than scattergun.

  • HOW WILL WE WIN? – After research comes ‘Strategy’. This is where the most valuable time is spent.

Careful consideration is required here to establish your position in the market and where your competition can challenge you! Look to incorporate your Unique selling Proposition (USP).

Quite simply, your audience requires a good product/service at a fair price. Think about quality and time frame, know what your market requires and create a strategy towards that.

  • CAPABILITIES NEEDED – Your action list. As a coach, I helped one client ascertain his team’s skillset. It became apparent that some were better in certain areas than others. We juggled members around to fit those they were more proficient in and productivity increased resulting from staff being in the optimum place.

What of technology, do the team work with laptops or have they to return to base wasting valuable time? Complaint procedures, route to market, your organisation’s infrastructure all of these require consideration and planning and not simply to be left to chance as you meander forward.

  • MANAGEMENT SYSTEM REQUIRED – Up to know, it has predominantly been management. This area refers to the ‘Leadership’ of people therein.

Dwight D. Eisenhower said “Leadership: The art of getting someone else to do something you want done because they want to do it.” So the key is to have the person who ‘Leads’ to drive the passion of the businesses objectives through those who actually make a difference.

Avoid top heavy, glory seeking and self-promotion management structures. Delegate sensibly and without ‘dumping’. Understand your team’s workload and apply pressure NOT stress (there is a fine line!).

Although extremely simplified to serve this feature, it opens thought processes that time spent creating a workable with focused strategy is valuable. Much like a swan on fast running water, looking beautifully serene on top while paddling away frantically just to stand still. Whereas, with less effort, one which knows its surroundings better will fly to where the same effort put in will cover so much more ground reaping better rewards.

Should you or your organisation be looking to create a strategy bespoke to your business, then contact Neil by emailing neil.nutburn@coachingtosuccess.co.uk or 07761 187238 to discuss how Coaching to Success can help you.

And why not get a feel for the person by checking out our short ‘interview’ video at https://youtu.be/RvCwOL4hPco