19 Jul

Promoting your team to internal customers

“The way you think your customers feel about your product is not always the same as what your customers really think about your product. ” – Bo Bennett

For those of us who work in or lead a team that supports internal customers, often the last thing we have time to do is to promote or market the team’s work. And why should we? Surely ‘they’ see the great things we do?! Actually, our internal customers are often so busy themselves that they may rarely notice or think about those who support them. So perhaps take a moment to think about how to promote the team and get the message out there about the work we do.

Before we go any further – what do we mean by ‘promoting’? In this sense it is about raising internal awareness of what the team does to support the business, what elements will help it operate more successfully and what achievements are being made.

So why should we promote the team to our internal customers? Well, wouldn’t it be great if we created business partnerships with our customers – relationships that enable optimal efficiency and effectiveness through working together? And to help create that business partnership, our internal customers need to see us as more than just the team that responds to their reactive needs.

Engaging customers in a business partnership is not just about handling an issue or delivering a solution. For a productive relationship, we should be finding ways to: anticipate customer needs, provide relevant services to support their work and highlight the benefits of working together.

If we start to do this well, ultimately this will help us to: reduce duplication, minimise customer complaints, maximise resources and reinforce our success in the business.

Promoting the team starts with effective communication regarding services –  making it meaningful and relevant to the customer.  It’s also about demonstrating exceptional customer service, even during stressful situations. And it is about marketing the team internally, through value-add services, promotional activities and celebration of success.

Effective communication regarding services

Often we assume that internal customers know what we do to support the business. However, if you took a survey today, would all your customers know all of the areas you cover? Would they understand the value you add across the business? It’s likely that your internal customers only see the work you do for them and they might forget even that after a few weeks.

If you can paint a ‘big picture’ of how your team supports the business overall, then you may find that customers are impressed with the scope of work and it could even highlight efficiency areas e.g. perhaps another team duplicate parts of your work, perhaps knowing that you do more strategic work for other teams will reduce the demand for lesser value work. Often our customers ‘don’t know what they don’t know’!

  • Think about getting the team to brainstorm the key areas they work in and group similar work under major headings. Then get them to identify the value of that work to the business. (Tip: if they can’t identify the value, then why are you doing that work?)
  • Do you have a team vision? You could communicate that to your customers as well.
  • Do you have areas that you work in that could be more efficient if customers would only cooperate? Think about mapping out “help us to support you” guidelines to discuss.
  • Have you had some great successes recently? Consider how you will highlight that meaningfully to others.

Whatever you do want to showcase with customers, think about the relevance of the information and how you can structure it simply, yet with impact. Make sure all team members are equipped to discuss the key points as promotion is a group effort.

Once you know what you want to communicate, think about how best to get the message out there. You could schedule meetings with key customers to review recent work and update them on the team’s focus areas; you might want to meet with a number of customers to identify areas to ensure better business support; or you could host a morning tea break for new employees to showcase your service areas. These are just a few suggestions, however ensure that the team is communicating consistently and in an ongoing fashion!

Demonstrating exceptional customer service

Exceptional customer service is not just about delivering everything a customer asks for. It is about anticipating customer needs, understanding those needs and delivering valuable solutions and services to meet the needs. To be effective here, you need to consider how actively you try to anticipate needs or truly understand your internal customer’s daily challenges and opportunities. If you can do this well and deliver appropriate support, then you will raise awareness and respect for the team and probably end up doing more satisfying work.

To anticipate and understand needs, you will obviously at some point have to ask your customers some questions! You will be surprised at how much most customers will appreciate being asked. This in itself is team promotion!

Exceptional customer service is also about handling stressful situations. Make sure you and your team are equipped to approach these difficult scenarios with professionalism, calmness and a focus on results. This is a complex area and one that requires much support, preparation and coaching. But if you can win over a customer in a stressful interaction, then you are truly promoting the team.

Marketing the team

Marketing the team internally has already started if you have addressed the previous two areas! Now think about what else you can do. Whilst you don’t want to overload internal customers with too much information, consider how you can remind them you are there, highlight your work and perhaps even make them smile.

If you give presentations, perhaps you can showcase ‘how we have helped the business this month’. Maybe you can ask for customer feedback through an online survey with a prize for the first five participants. Sometimes even a laminated desktop card can be useful for some teams. Or think about relevant value add services – what about an online ‘tips’ section; a short training session; a monthly newsletter?

.

There is value in promoting your team to internal customers. Not only will it help build awareness of your achievements, it should also help build effective business partnerships with your customers. Promoting is not just about highlighting what you do, it’s about identifying how you help the business, demonstrating exceptional customer service and marketing your team in different ways.

Happy promoting!

engagingPOTENTIAL: training, team development, coaching

Specialising in working with managers to develop extraordinary teams!

© Engaging Potential Pty Ltd

21 Jun

Cross-functional teams – roles and responsibilities

“O, Puchan, may we meet with a wise man who will guide us at once, saying: “Behold your way!” – Rig Veda

Have you ever sat on a cross-functional team and wondered “why am I here?” How long were you left wondering this – a few minutes then it all became clear? Or were you wondering for the entire project?

Not many of us love wasting time in our busy working days. So when we are involved with something like a cross-functional team, we want to know why we are there and what we are expected to contribute. Otherwise, wouldn’t we be better off working on something else? Yet it is a common issue for people working on cross-functional teams. This uncertainty can be exacerbated by managers who tell us we are involved, rather than asking or explaining the reasons.

If you are setting up or leading a cross-functional team, you will be a step ahead if you are able to provide participants with a clear understanding of their role and expected responsibilities right from the start. You are then more likely to have willing and effective team members ready for the first meeting.

Some tips to help you do this:

Choose representation carefully

Having the right representation on a cross-functional team is important. But don’t just think you need to choose ‘1 person from each department’. Challenge this commonly held belief. (NB: we are talking here about cross-functional project teams, not focus groups providing input) Ask yourself: “To achieve the project objectives, what representation is critical vs. nice to have?”; “Who is essential to the discussion and decision-making that will be required?” Too many people on a project team can be dangerous – a good number to work with is somewhere between 7 and 10, but this varies depending on the type of project. If you do believe you need a large group, consider having a ‘core team’ with major decision makers and a couple of sub-teams working on certain elements or piloting suggestions.

Choose roles, not people

When making decisions about representation on the team, it is tempting to consider the dynamics created by combining different personality styles within the one room. Although there will be cases when this is appropriate, generally a more successful approach is to consider job roles required first. In this way, it will be clearer to explain why someone has or hasn’t been asked to join the group. And, it will prevent your own assumptions and likes / dislikes from entering into a professional decision.

Be clear on responsibilities

When you are choosing roles to be on the team, consider what you expect them to be responsible for. Of course, as the team establishes itself, these responsibilities may change, but having an idea up front will help you communicate with the people involved and obtain mutual understanding from the start. Three questions to help you here: “What are the reasons that this role / person needs to be involved in the project?”; “What contributions might be reasonably expected of them during the project?” and “What would they potentially be responsible for  as part of the project work?”

Communicate the key points

Once you have determined your team make-up and they have been informed / asked to be involved, ensure that you have effective communication channels from the beginning. Although not always possible, it is ideal to meet one-on-one with team members in person. If this is not feasible, then a phone conversation is the next preference.  There are a number of items to cover with the team member to ‘get them on board’ – here is a suggested flow for the conversation:

  • Thank you for being involved in this project – your input will be very important to our success
  • You have been asked to be on this team because of <reasons for being chosen>
  • The objective of this project is to <cross-functional team’s reason for being>
  • It is likely that your responsibilities would be <expected responsibilities> and we will discuss this further as a group
  • Our time frame for the project is <timeframe and any relevant milestones initially known>
  • I would expect that your weekly / monthly time committment will be <time> which includes a regular meeting and follow-up work
  • What questions do you have for me before the project begins?
  • Thanks again for being involved. I look forward to working with you!

These tips may sound like common sense, however in a busy working day, it is often the little things that are rushed through or missed when cross-functional teams can feel like ‘something extra to do’. It is, though, the little things that will help you and the team you are leading to get off to a good start.

engagingPOTENTIAL: training, team development, coaching

Specialising in working with managers to develop extraordinary teams!

© Engaging Potential Pty Ltd

16 May

We’ve set up our cross-functional team – now what?

“Coming together is a beginning.  Keeping together is progress.  Working together is success.”  ~Henry Ford

So you understand the objectives and have chosen the members for your cross-functional team. Your first meeting is tomorrow. Now what? The next stage may seem like it should be ‘just get the job done’, but how do you do that effectively?

Your first meeting with the team will help set the scene for your ongoing work together. If you are the team leader, you should be able to answer these questions:

  • How will we build trust and mutual regard in the group?
  • What steps will we take to get the group from “why am I here?” to “how will we do it?”
  • What will we do if there is a disagreement or barrier to action?

If you are unable to answer these questions, you could use an external facilitator, seek support from a mentor or get advice from a project management expert. Or, you may find the following tips help you get started.

Prepare for the meeting

Make sure you have thought about how you would like the meeting to run. (Please note – this does not mean that the meeting will run this way, but having a plan certainly helps!) If you are prepared, you raise your own credibility with the group and should get off to a better start as a team overall. To plan the first meeting, consider:

  1. What should we achieve at this meeting?
  2. What roles will each of us play?
  3. What process will we follow to achieve our meeting objectives? (NB: here ‘meeting objectives’ are distinct from ‘project objectives’)
  4. What are some important interpersonal / housekeeping points?

This 4-step planning will help you map out some important considerations, as well as giving you a great structure to open the meeting. For example: “Thanks to all for coming today. As you know, this group is to work on <Project X>. To start us off, our objective for today’s meeting is to <ensure we all have a clear idea about the project and to map out our team charter>. Each of you has been invited to be involved because <you are integral to the project and as such, we hope you will freely contribute your thoughts today>. We’ll start with <an introduction from our sponsor>, then we’ll <introduce ourselves and provide others with an idea of any relevant experience>. We’ll finish the meeting by <discussing what’s important to us when operating in this type of team>. So we can be focussed today <it would be great if we can agree to turn off all mobiles and laptops before we begin.>”

Be clear on team purpose

In any team, people want to know why they are there (the purpose of the group and their role in it) and who they will be working with. Discussing these areas at the first meeting is recommended.

Establishing a clear understanding of the project objectives is vital for the success of the work. Many people in cross-functional teams are short on time and love to solve problems quickly – being action oriented is often why they keep getting asked to work in teams! Whilst getting things done is important, sometimes team members jump to action before they truly understand what they are actually acting on. Many hours can be wasted working on a solution before the problem or objective has been defined – often leading to more work later when the action is off the mark.

To get your team off to a great start, define the purpose of the team. This does not have to be the actual detailed goals – it can be a broad objective that is worked through as the group proceeds. For example, the purpose might be to ‘improve the operational efficiency of  the customer services department’ and working out the more detailed goals (e.g.‘to measure  ROI of the current ordering process in the next two months’) may happen at a subsequent meeting .

Help the team build trust

As mentioned, people on the team also want to know who they are working with. Inherently, people form their initial opinions on the project partially based on who is associated with it. If they have trust with those involved, they generally feel more positive about its likely success than if they are suspicious or uncertain about anyone on the team.

Early on in the first meeting, you should give people the opportunity to introduce themselves and interact with others. There are many ways to do this. A very simple way to start this is to ask each person to tell the group their name, current role, relevant experience they have for the project and their favourite holiday destination. Facilitate the discussion by prompting where they offer little information (e.g. “John, I believe that you also worked on a similar project at your last company” or “Sally, what do you like about Spain as a holiday destination?”). After the introductions, organise a short coffee break and allow time for people to mingle – you’ll find they will generally relax and find connections based on the introductions.

There is more that can be done to sustain trust in the group over time, but highlighting experience and connecting personally is a first step.

Encourage the team to determine operating principles

Another area to explore up front is expectations of each other, which contributes to a team charter or operating principles. For each group this will look very different, but starting with the question “What’s important to ensure we work effectively together?” should get the ball rolling. Encourage the group to be open with each other to ensure expectations are clear from the beginning. If there is hesitation, you can always ask people to write their thoughts on sticky notes and then gather them up, group into similar concepts, and discuss.

Likely areas that will be covered in this session include:

  • Decision making processes
  • Handling disagreements
  • General courtesy e.g. punctuality, listening, limiting distractions such as mobile phones
  • Meeting logistics e.g. frequency, minute taking

With your operating principles in hand, you will be ready to begin the process of discussing the detailed goals and steps to achieving your objectives. It may seem like a lot of time to spend getting to this point, however it will help you have an effective transition to the ‘meaty’ parts of the project. And it needn’t take a long time if facilitated well.

Kicking off a cross-functional team requires planning, purpose and participation. It’s not always easy, but with the right approach you will be on your way to creating a successful cross-functional team.

engagingPOTENTIAL: training, team development, coaching

Specialising in working with managers to develop extraordinary teams!

© Engaging Potential Pty Ltd

27 Apr

Creating an effective cross-functional team – the initial considerations.

“Coming together is a beginning.  Keeping together is progress.  Working together is success.”  ~Henry Ford

Most businesses – small and large – use cross-functional teams at some point. Whether or not they actually call it a cross-functional team is irrelevant – if there is a group of people from different parts of the business working on a project, process review or planning – it’s a cross-functional team. Cross-functional teams have many advantages over a single department focus – sharing of ideas across the company, gaining valuable input from stakeholders, compiling a strong business case for change – just to name a few.

Whether the cross-functional team is undertaking a one-off meeting or involved in a year-long committment, it’s important that we maximise the resources (people and time) assigned. So how do we get the most out of these often diverse teams?

There are many factors to be considered to help ensure and effective cross-functional team: ranging from budget to office politics to communication skills. At the very basic level, there are some core elements to address in the initial stages of creating a cross- functional group. These elements may be handled differently depending on the business and the scope of work, however they should all be considered.

These core elements can be divided into three areas:

  1. What
  2. Who
  3. How

The above order is deliberate. Deciding the ‘what’ helps determine the ‘who’, which in turn will help shape the’ how’.

What

  • SMART  objectives (specific-measurable-realistic-timebound): what is the team to achieve?
  • Business impact: how might the team’s objectives help the business? are there any predetermined risks in either not achieving or achieving the objectives?

Who

  • Relevant representation: what roles / people are essential to be involved to achieve the objectives? what roles / people might be required for occasional input beyond the essential membership?
  • Team leader: who will lead the team and what will be their responsibilities? (having a leader is actually quite important!)
  • Team sponsor: is an executive management sponsor required and if so, what will be their responsibilities?

How

  • Operating guidelines: what are the different team members’ roles and responsibilities; (and once formed) what is fundamental to ensure we are working well together? )
  • Milestones: to achieve the objectives, what are the key steps involved?

Beyond these initial key elements, there are other factors that should be considered to sustain an effective cross-functional team -these will be discussed in a later post. In the initial set up of such teams, if the WHAT, the WHO and the HOW are at least covered, then you will be off to a good start in maximising your team’s efforts.

engagingPOTENTIAL: training, team development, coaching

Specialising in working with managers to develop extraordinary teams!

© Engaging Potential Pty Ltd

21 Mar

High performance teams – just another fad?

“Think of yourself as on the threshold of unparalleled success. A whole clear, glorious life lies before you. Achieve! Achieve!” – Andrew Carnegie

The term ‘High Performance Team’ has been around for a while now, but is it just another corporate phrase or organisational fad?

Actually, if you peel back the ‘High Performance Team’ (HPT) label by changing the very important looking title case (i.e. getting rid of the capital letters for each word) you have something that has been around since caveman times!

In the early ages of man, teams formed into what we might call family groups, or tribes. These groups were formed out of the necessity associated with survival. A team that had a common purpose, shared their strengths and tolerated differences would be more likely to obtain food, ward off attackers and raise healthy offspring. High performing teams were born!

In the corporate world, there is indeed still ‘survival of the fittest’ at play. A team that operates effectively, collaborates well with  stakeholders and delivers results is likely to be a team that achieves reward, combats competitive threats and develops competent team members. This type of team will generally have what we have referred to in previous posts as team SPARK. The team will have positive energy and satisfied members. The benefits of such a team are many – lower disgruntled turnover, fewer sick days, higher career progression rates, stronger company wide interaction, increased efficiency and ultimately greater business returns.

So what’s important in creating a high performance team? Firstly, there must be consistent help from the team leader or coach. At the micro level, teams that are  performing will generally have a manager or team leader with excellent leadership qualities (never fear, many of these can be learnt!). At the macro level, organisations with a large set of high performing teams will have a strong leadership team and company head.

Leaders of high performance teams (whether departmental or cross-functional) coach their team members individually and collectively to engage their passions, leverage their strengths and inspire outcomes. They communicate effectively with their team and deliver and seek feedback. These leaders are clear on objectives and facilitate achievement.

The second important factor in creating a high performance team is to have a process to follow. Now this is not “a process for the sake of it”.  A process is simply a structure or model that breaks down the key milestones a team must go through towards high performance. You have to start somewhere to get the team to that ‘wow’ phase of super achievement. And even when you get there, you will have to revisit the milestones if there is an impacting challenge or if new members join the team. A process provides the framework and language around which the team can develop.

There are many HPT models out there and all have their merits. One very good model is the Drexler-Sibbert Team Performance™ Model. This is a well structured and supported model that can be used alone or with team diagnostics. The model moves through time from creating to sustaining. There are 7 milestones or phases – Orientation, Trust Building, Goal Clarification, Committment, Implementation, High Performance and Renewal (Team Performance Model Overview, The Grove Consultants International)

Whatever framework you use to help the development of your team, the third important element is to recognise time. This is an evolving process and one that will change its focus as new challenges and opportunities emerge. The team must know what they are aiming towards (their shared purpose) and that it will take time, patience and willingness to achieve high performance team status. As a manager, coach or external facilitator you must ensure the team is supported and encouraged towards their ultimate goal.

So, to create a high performance team, there are three key factors to help you get started:

  • Leadership
  • Recognised milestones
  • Time

Developing and working with a High Performance Team is rewarding and motivating. From cavemen to corporates, the benefits are worth the time and energy to get there.

engagingPOTENTIAL: training, team development, coaching

Specialising in working with managers to develop extraordinary teams!

© Engaging Potential Pty Ltd

21 Feb

Ban the bullet point!

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” – Steve Jobs

When you present, do you feel pressured to capture as much information on power point as possible? Do you fill up every slide with thousands of words so that your audience doesn’t miss a thing?

A few months ago we looked at preparing engaging presentations. One key aspect was to make sure that your visuals (e.g. power point) supported, but did not distract from the message you were trying to get across. There are many things you can do to ensure that they support your message in the best possible way.

Have you ever seen a presentation given where the presenter simply read through a list of bullet points on a slide? What did you think of the presentation? What do you recall it being about? What key points do you remember?

Chances are, with a presentation read off slide bullet points, you found the presentation somewhat dull and it is highly likely that you recall very little about the presentation message.

So, why should we ban the bullet point?

Bullet points form the foundation of most power point templates. These templates encourage us to list information as text in points and subpoints. Often businesses encourage us to use this format through in-house templates as well. This format usually means that many of us fill a slide with lots of words and few, if any, pictures or diagrams. 

Research into the cognitive theory of multimedia learning points out that following a presentation in which information is presented only in text, there is a significantly lower recall and application of knowledge than when the information is presented as both illustrations and words. (“A cognitive theory of multimedia learning: implications for design principles.” R Mayer and R Moreno) 

In the worse case scenario, this means that if your presentation is constructed with only text in bullet points, then your audience will recall very little of the information you are trying to impart. Now, supposing that you have spent hours preparing and practicing and also supposing that there is a hoped for benefit from doing the work, you have potentially wasted yours and your audience’s time.

What can you do to improve your slides without bullet points?

  • Stop using bullet points (OK, I know that there are bullet points in this blog…but  this is not a presentation)
  • Summarise your message in as few words as possible on the slide (even one word !) and provide the detail verbally
  • Use a relevant visual to accompany the word/s

This might seem too simplistic and you may argue that your presentations contain highly technical information or that the slides act as a handout for the audience to take away. Following on from the ‘words with picture’ benefits mentioned above, research has also shown that words are more effective when presented auditorily rather than visually. In a study of students learning about the formation of lightning, those who viewed an animation whilst listening to a narration generated 50% more effective test results than those who viewed the same animation with only corresponding on-screen text. (Mayer and Moreno, in press)

So you can support even technical learning without bullet points and lots of text. It may mean that you just have to think about it a little harder. Just remember – YOU are the expert presenter, not the slides. People have come to see YOU present, not just to read slides! So help them get something out of it, through cognitive principles. (Remember, people can take notes, or you can provide handouts and resources afterwards.)

When you start to prepare your next presentation, think about these principles and banish the bullet point!

engagingPOTENTIAL: training, team development, coaching

Specialising in working with managers to develop extraordinary teams!

© Engaging Potential Pty Ltd

19 Jan

2011 – the year of success (with a positive attitude)!

 ” Two men looked out from prison through the bars – one saw mud, the other saw stars” – Unknown

Happy New Year!

What does 2011 hold in store for you personally and professionally? A brand new year, a fresh start perhaps? A new job? Renewed enthusiasm for work? Building on 2010 for even greater success?

No matter what you hope for in 2011, to make it ‘the year of success’, you must have the right attitude. A positive attitude doesn’t guarantee success, but a negative attitude will be a big barrier to achieving (have you ever noticed how a negative thought or comment can lead to another and build on itself?)

The great thing is that you have the ultimate control over your own attitude. So for all of us who are high achieving control freaks, this is a good thing! We are in control of our attitude. Granted, it’s not always easy when we come back to work after holidays to find 5,000 urgent emails, but we do still own our attitude towards those emails!

There are three things to try at the start of this year to help with choosing a positive attitude:

  • Be clear on what you want to achieve – having goals or visions for success will help you stay focused on the positive outcomes you are looking for
  • Know what motivates you – understanding what you love about your work and life will help you seek out those positive opportunities
  • Have a strategy for when the negative attitude seems like the easiest option – using simple techniques can help reduce negative emotions and thoughts

This final point is critical. Right now the year might seem like a clean sheet of paper that you will fill with new year’s resolutions and positive experiences. If we are honest, we all know that there will be times this year when we feel a little negative – a structure change at work, a busy day, unresolved issues, conflict with colleagues – all examples of when we may give way to negative emotions and thus impact our mindset for success.

There are thousands of books and experts to consult about coping with frustrations and situations where negativity can take hold. A simple Google search will give you plentyof options for resources. In the interim, here are some steps that might help on the precipice of negativity.

  •  Breathe! When we feel stressed, frustrated or disheartened, we have an immediate and sometimes powerful emotional reflex, which triggers many physiological responses – heart rate, sweating, headaches. The emotion can also lead us to act in a ‘flight or fight’ mode without always thinking through the consequences. Or, it can lead to a spiral of negative thoughts that lead us to build an issue into a catastrophe. So, in the heat of the moment or even during a long period of stress, we can help ourselves immensely if we just BREATHE. With that breath, we have the opportunity to calm the mind and the body before we deal with the issue.
  • Smile! This is not always easy to do (and on rare occasions may be inappropriate) yet it can help us refocus on our positive attitude. A smile is an action that will release stress. Even if it is a determined, gritty smile to say – “I can deal with this and be positive”. Exercise those facial muscles and get the endorphins flowing!
  • Choose! Tell yourself that you choose to be positive about the situation, no matter how hard that is. This might mean that you decide on positive action – “What are our options to solve this problem?” Or that you make an effort to think more constructively – “I can overcome obstacles and achieve my goals!” Or you may choose to try to empathise with a ‘difficult’ colleague – “They are only trying to do their job, just like me.” Or you might even remove yourself from a negative discussion “It’s hard, but I want to take a positive approach, so I don’t want to spend the day talking about all the bad aspects to this.”

Whatever  your technique for ensuring a positive attitude, if it truly works then it will put you on the path of success. So here’s to 2011 – the year of success!

engagingPOTENTIAL: training, team development, coaching

Specialising in working with managers to develop extraordinary teams!

© Engaging Potential Pty Ltd

08 Dec

2011 almost here…

 “Good plans shape good decisions. That’s why good planning helps to make elusive dreams come true.” – Unknown

It’s hard to believe, although somewhat necessary to notice – 2011 is almost upon us!

At the end of a long, hard year it’s good to take stock of the year that was and also plan for the next 365 days. So, in this last blog post of 2010, here are some questions for you to ponder as we wind down towards the festive season…

The year that was!

  • What were your achievements in 2010?
  • What did you do well to make these achievements possible?
  • Was there anything you learnt about yourself and your business over the year?
  • What could you have done better?

 

The year that will be!

  • What do you want to achieve in 2011?
  • Which of your awesome strengths will help you get there?
  • What challenges do you predict and how will you overcome them?
  • Who will help and support you in 2011?

These are just a few questions to help you celebrate your 2010 successes and start the planning for 2011.

Wishing you all a very successful year end and a happy holiday season! Thanks for reading and we’ll be back blogging in 2011.

(engagingPOTENTIAL will still be working with clients throughout December –  just no blogging until January.)

engagingPOTENTIAL: training, team development, coaching

Specialising in working with managers to develop extraordinary teams!

© Engaging Potential Pty Ltd

29 Nov

Pre-holiday reading!

“A good book on your shelf is a friend that turns its back on you and remains a friend.” – Unknown

This week’s post is short and hopefully sweet – a recommended reading list for those who need some brain stimulation as we wind down to the holiday season.

At this time of year you may find work slowing down as those around you start to relax about deadlines or chill out in the party season. For others, the pace may actually pick up as you try to slog your way through the end of year ‘to do’ list so that you can forget about work over your holidays.

Whether it’s slow or busy, many of us like to keep our brains stimulated with something in addition to what we can buy for our ‘secret santa’ colleague or how we will complete the year-end sales report.

Here are a few suggestion for those who like to learn through reading – enjoy!

Presentation skills

‘The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs.’ – Carmine Gallo.

Simply the most interesting and practical book I have seen on presentation skills!

 

Coaching

‘Coaching for Performance.’ (4th Ed.) – John Whitmore

A great resource to help understand and use the GROW coaching model and to use it well!

 

Team management

‘Managing Teams for High Performance’ – Harvard Management Update

A compilation of articles on developing high performance teams – PDF available for purchase through Harvard Business Review website (www.hbr.org).

 

Marketing / branding

‘The Big Moo’ and ‘Purple Cow’ – Seth Godin

Great perspectives on marketing and business in our increasingly competitive world.

 

Innovation

‘Innovate the Pixar Way’ – Bill Capodagli and Lynn Jackson

Well written and fascinating book about Pixar and its amazing business success.

 

General

‘The Art of Happiness at Work’ – the Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler

Practical advice and approaches to getting the most out of your daily work!

Happy reading!

engagingPOTENTIAL: training, team development, coaching

Specialising in working with managers to develop extraordinary teams!

© Engaging Potential Pty Ltd

11 Nov

Engaging presentations – preparation and practice

 “There is in the act of preparing, the moment you start caring.” – Winston Churchill

Delivering a presentation can be one of the most stressful tasks undertaken in the workplace. People can get anxious and even sometimes sick at the thought. It is a shame most don’t realise that if they simply applied this nervous energy to preparation time, then the whole experience would not be so bad!

Preparation for a presentation takes time, but the return on investment can  be high. Every minute you spend preparing will increase your confidence, reduce your anxiety (sorry, it will rarely eliminate it but a little nervous energy can be OK) and improve your chance of delivering an engaging presentation.

Focus on three areas for preparation and practice:

  • Clear purpose
  • Clear message
  • Clear delivery

Clear Purpose

  • Ensure that your presentation has an objective and that it’s clear, not only to you, but will be to your audience. (It’s useful to include the purpose at the start of the presentation so everyone knows why they are there!)
  • In the preparation phase, think about how you would state the purpose. Practice saying the objective out loud. Is it easy to say? Will it mean anything to the audience? Is there a way to state it in fewer words?
  • Remember to bear the audience in mind – what’s in it for them? What might they hope to learn from the presentation and how will that help or benefit them in the future?

Clear message

  • Ask yourself questions as you begin to structure your content. Who is the audience? What is their level of knowledge and interest in the topic? How much time do I have to deliver my message? What outcomes am I looking for?
  • Think about the three key points you want to deliver in this presentation.What do you want the audience to know / believe / think about at the end of your presentation?
  • Once you have your three key points, decide on the supporting information for each point. Keep this content to the minimum information to highlight your point – a succinct, well structured message will be more easily recalled than a long-winded explanation.
  • If using PowerPoint, try to use only key words or a picture to support your message. Don’t fill the slide with bullet points! A slide is meant to reinforce your message, not be notes for you to read!

Clear delivery

  • Practice your presentation a week or a few days before hand – either with a video camera, with a colleague or just by yourself. Make sure you are comfortable with the content and also with your stance, verbal tone and audience eye contact.
  • Focus on your messages – are you being clear in what you are saying? Will the audience understand and remember your key points?
  • Get used to standing with your feet slightly apart and your arms at your sides – it will seem strange at first but it looks professional and confident.
  • Use your voice for effect! Vary your tone through the presentation; speak clearly and slowly, with pauses after key points; vary the volume to highlight certain words or messages.

With a little preparation and practice, you will be on your way to delivering a confident and engaging presentation!

engagingPOTENTIAL: training, team development, coaching

Specialising in working with managers to develop extraordinary teams!

© Engaging Potential Pty Ltd

01 Nov

Coaching and problem solving

“The problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems is a problem.” – Theodore Rubin

Many managers complain about the fact they have to endlessly solve problems for their team members. Unfortunately they are often doing themselves or their team members a disservice by continuing to do so.

Often employees seek guidance or reassurance from their managers when making decisions or solving issues. Where it may become a problem in itself is when the individual expects the manager to provide all answers, or when the manager prefers to control all issues. 

Whether it is the employee or manager relying on the problem solving hierarchy, it can create a stressful backlog of issues, stifle employee growth and empowerment and even waste time. In the worst instances, it may impact customer service or profit margins.

An effective way to improve employee problem solving is through coaching. Rather than giving them the solution, a manager encourages individuals to understand the issue and come up with possible solutions. Over time, the employee will develop their skills and confidence and the manager will reclaim time and trust in delegation.

So how to break the manager-driven problem solving?

  • Start with the next problem that ‘walks’ through your door!  Ask the employee about the issue and what options they think there are to solve it.
  • Discuss with individuals or the team that you would like to build their involvement in issues and would like to see them come to you with possible solutions, not just the problem.
  • Provide problem solving training to outline the importance of these skills in developing a high performing team.

In order for your team members to evolve their problem solving, it will be useful to have consistent steps in coaching conversations. Below is an example simple format, although many companies have their own problem solving model.

  • Define the problem and possible causes – to ensure that the individual has a good understanding of the issue in the first place, ask them to briefly explain the problem and its impact as they see it. Then encourage them to outline the contributing factors or direct causes. This step will help you determine the level to which you need to be involved and most importantly will ensure the employee understands the issue before jumping straight to a solution.
  • Brainstorm options to solving the problem – ask their opinion as to what might resolve the issue, encouraging all options without too many initial restrictions. Some people will hesitate, but persevere and offer prompts if you think it will help e.g. “If budget was no obstacle, what would you do?”; “If you were the customer, what would you want to see happen?”
  • Prioritise the options – seek the employee’s thoughts on which option would best solve the issue, with reality checks as required. e.g. “Bearing in mind that we have 24 hours to solve this, which do you think is the best option?”; “If we can’t get additional budget, what option looks the most favourable?”
  • Develop an action plan – ask what the next steps should be for the prioritised option; including any analysis, further discussion or approval that may be required. Be sure to add any expectations or suggestions you may have and reinforce that you are available to discuss further if needed.

Over time, your employees will need less prompting and will take more initiative, coming to you with issues, solutions and action plans, or even solving problems and telling you what the outcome was!

Then you will find more time can be spent solving your own business issues, planning strategies, developing employees and servicing customers.

engagingPOTENTIAL: training, team development, coaching

Specialising in working with managers to develop extraordinary teams!

© Engaging Potential Pty Ltd

19 Oct

Team ‘spark’

“No one can whistle a symphony. It takes an orchestra to play it.”   – H.E. Luccock

What level of energy is there in your team? Are team members motivated? How much ‘spark’ does your team have?

Teams all go through different motivational phases, impacted by projects, individual influencers and wider company impacts. Overall though, certain teams will have a visible energy, while others can appear tired, negative or unmotivated. How would you describe your team’s motivation or energy?

Team ‘spark’ is a phenomena that some teams create through individual contribution, team cohesion and strong leadership.

Breaking it down more simply:

  • S: Smile – Do your team members smile at work? Do they smile at each other and at customers? How much fun do you have as a team? (Yes, you can have fun at work!)
  • P: Participation – Do people participate in team discussions and problem solving? Are they interested in what the team is trying to achieve? Do they want to contribute to team success?
  • A: Attitude – Is your team made up of people with a positive attitude? Does the team have a ‘can do’ approach?
  • R: Respect – Do team members respect each other, their customers and other colleagues? Do they demonstrate this respect every day in meetings, in emails and general dialogue?
  • K: Knowledge: Does the team share knowledge internally and externally? Do they work to build their knowledge of the company, of products and services, of industry influences?

If you answered ‘YES’ to many of these questions, chances are your team has ‘SPARK’; your team has energy! This may be demonstrated through positive attitudes (especially during times of change) a keen interest in the company’s achievements, support of each other in achieving team goals, and even laughter at work!

A team with SPARK will generally have better retention of staff, higher morale, noticeable efficiency and effectiveness and of course greater achievement of goals compared to other teams with less energy and motivation. And not to forget the flow on effects – of less sick days, better stress management, stronger support networks and improved company or team external advocacy.

How to develop a team’s SPARK?

Here are some examples:

  • Organise a team meeting away from the office to formulate a team vision; finish the day with a team building activity that is fun, non work related and team based.
  • Establish team operating guidelines. How will we communicate and operate effectively in meetings, on projects, in daily work?
  • Regularly celebrate success. Recognise a project completed, a new client signed up, even a new skill learnt.
  • Get to know each other better. At team meetings assign a portion of time to developing an understanding of each team members role, exploring personality preferences (e.g. Myers Briggs Type Indicator) or simply finding out what motivates each other.
  • As a manager, coach team members towards developing behaviours that enhance their own or their team’s SPARK.
  • Train the team to give effective feedback and then encourage regular feedback (positive and developmental) within the team.
  • Set up a knowledge sharing forum on-line for team members to contribute snippets of appropriate industry, company or product knowledge. Or even ‘know how’ tips for daily tasks e.g. powerpoint, spreadsheets, selling etc.
  • Welcome fun! Share a joke on the team internal voicemail, go out to lunch, play a spontaneous game of office soccer, leave a bowl of chocolates out for a quick break – the list is endless for simple and appropriate moments to have the team smile.

 So SPARK some energy into your team and enjoy the results!

engagingPOTENTIAL: training, team development, coaching

Specialising in working with managers to develop extraordinary teams!

© Engaging Potential Pty Ltd

13 Oct

Structuring feedback

“We believe we do a better job at giving feedback than we really do.” – Rick Maurer

How many times have you given someone feedback and felt afterwards that it could have gone better?

This happens to all of us and it’s important to reflect on what could have been done differently. Chances are that your feedback may have been more effective by being more structured.

Receiving feedback – especially developmental feedback – can be a confronting situation and the clearer you can be in delivering your message to the recipient, the easier it is for them to understand what you are telling them. Well prepared and structured feedback will help minimise the mistakes of talking too much, not being specific and not explaining the impact of their actions.

There are many different models people use to structure their feedback. One effective model is ‘STAR’, which can also be used in interviewing. The model provides a framework to keep your feedback succinct, clear and relevant.

S/T = Situation or Task;

A = Action;

R = Result/s.

If you are providing developmental feedback, it’s also useful to be able to outline an Alternative Action (AA)and an Alternative Result (AR).

So how will STAR help?

Using the STAR framework will help you prepare and deliver a clear and focussed message. Ultimately this will enable you to  feel confident in delivery and help the recipient to understand the value of what you are attempting to communicate.

How many times have you received feedback that was unclear or not specific? “Great presentation Sally!” provides little value to Sally beyond the initial flush of pride at a positive comment. More benefit could be gained by telling Sally what you thought she did well.

In a similar fashion, “You are always late to meetings!” might initially indicate there is concern, but the recipient of this ‘feedback’ would perhaps be more likely to change their behaviour if they could see the impact or result of being late.

Here are two examples:

“Geoffrey, that was a wonderful presentation for the Directors today. When you presented your proposal (S/T) you spoke clearly, highlighted your points with relevant examples – such as the Solicitor’s Forum – and answered questions confidently (A). The Directors were clear on the recommendations you were making and they were able to make a speedy and informed decision (R).”

“Jane, thank you for presenting today. When you presented the slide outlining your proposal for the Directors (S/T) we noticed that there were some errors in the calculations – for example, with Case Number Two the totals did not match the figures given by Finance yesterday (A). As a result, the Directors were not confident in the information provided and so they have delayed their decision (R). For your next presentation, it would be useful to have the figures checked by Finance in advance (AA) and then it will assist with a smooth process for the decision makers (AR).”

Those receiving the feedback above should receive a clear message outlining their actions and the resultant impact/s. Of course, there are other factors that will determine whether they agree with and wish to act on the feedback, but hopefully they will understand what is being said!

Once you have used the STAR model a few times, you will find that it becomes easier to use and should enhance your confidence in delivering effective and valuable feedback.

So be effective and be structured!

engagingPOTENTIAL: training, team development, coaching

Specialising in working with managers to develop extraordinary teams!

05 Oct

Giving feedback

“Feedback is information about past behaviour, given in the present, with the hope of influencing future behaviour.” – C & E Seashore & GM Weinberg

Ever since we started communicating, there has been feedback! Even before speech, a facial expression or action could be used to indicate what you thought of someone or something. Today we are a little more sophisticated in giving feedback – hopefully!

At work, feedback can be used as an opportunity to learn and grow professionally. It can help build skills, confidence and competency. Given well, feedback can improve working relationships, increase performance and contribute to job satisfaction.

Feedback is important – both positive and developmental. Positive feedback is often neglected as people believe it’s not as important as developmental feedback. It could actually be more important! Leveraging strengths and reinforcing positive actions can create a productive and motivated work  environment. Think about last time you received feedback about a job well done – how did you feel?

Developmental feedback can be an effective way to assist others to learn new skills, to help resolve misunderstanding and conflict in the workplace and to reinforce performance expectations. Believe it or not, in many cases it can also motivate!

But what do we need to focus on to do it well?

Often our biggest mistake is giving non-specific feedback – e.g. “Great presentation!”. Whilst this might seem like good feedback, it is not feedback given well. Feedback should be specific and behaviour related – “Great presentation! You had a very clear agenda, you delivered your message succinctly and were able to expand on points when required.”

Next time someone gives you feedback like “Great job!” ask them “What was it that I did well?” It might seem strange at first and some will hesitate, however in most cases it will provide you with specific information to use for ongoing success.

Being specific and behaviour focussed is perhaps even more important for developmental feedback. If someone is given feedback like “You had a bad attitude today” or “You talk too much in our team meetings” it may be difficult for them to take anything from this to learn and develop. It could also make them upset, confused or defensive.

To help with giving others feedback, there are some basic tips – they might seem obvious, but do you do these things?

  • Where possible, plan the feedback, so you give it clearly and effectively
  • Be timely and at a good time – give feedback soon after the situation to ensure it is fresh in memory for the receiver; but balance this with an appropriate time – not when someone is upset or running for a meeting
  • Be specific and focus on behaviours and impact, preferably with examples – “When you did X, the effect was Y…”
  • Base feedback on observations, not assumptions – never assume what someone was thinking, feeling or trying to achieve
  • Make it relevant – will giving feedback help this person in their job or their interactions at work? If the only reason you are giving the feedback is because something they do annoys you, don’t give it!
  • Keep to the point and don’t dilute – don’t try to ‘soften the blow’ by over emphasising something they do well when giving developmental feedback. You can use other examples or situations to add perspective (e.g. “Your last three presentations were very clear and effective, however this one had less impact due to...”) but make sure the feedback is still clear

Spending some time thinking about how to provide feedback will definitely help you communicate more effectively and hopefully will allow the receiver to understand and use the information.

(next blog will outline a model for structuring your feedback…)

engagingPOTENTIAL: training, team development, coaching

Specialising in working with managers to develop extraordinary teams!

24 Sep

Team vision

“Teamwork is the ability to work toward a common vision…It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.”  – Unknown

Does your workplace team have a vision? If it does, can you state what it is?

Many teams do have a team ‘vision’ – a sentence that describes where they are headed. Often though, the words are difficult to recall and team members do not always remember what the vision is. They don’t remember because they don’t feel connected to it.

There are many reasons why you may not connect with your team vision – perhaps you weren’t involved in its creation; you find it too wordy; you are unsure what it really means; it seems removed from your daily work. Not relating to the vision does not mean you are not able to do a good job – it may just mean that your team are not focused on a common future goal that stretches capabilities and inspires continuous improvement.

A vision is not essential to team operation, however a good vision can be a powerful tool to create team cohesion and success. A vision can provide a common inspiration that encourages team members to support each other’s efforts; it can give direction and focus during turbulent times; it can stretch achievements as team members strive for a different future state.

Creating a great vision is not easy and does take time. Once it is decided, it will need to be revisited regularly and eventually it will need to be updated. But if done well and if the team are connected to the vision, its ongoing evolution should help motivate and challenge the group.

How to get started?

  • If your wider company has a vision become familiar with it and what it means
  • Brainstorm how your team contributes to where the company is heading – what do you do that will support achieving the company vision?
  • Think about who your stakeholders and customers are – what problems do you solve for them; how do you collaborate with them; how do you want to see this evolve in the future?
  • What words or phrases describe your team now; what would you like these to be in one or two years time?
  • What are your current focus areas; what should they be for future success?
  • What themes are emerging from your discussion – are there consistent aspects related to your future focus?

These are some simple ideas to get started and there are many other ways to explore your desired future state. Chat to colleagues about what they have done to create a team vision, discuss your plans with a mentor or coach, explore options with Human Resources or an experienced facilitator.

Remember, a vision should be future focussed (aspirational) and should be inspiring to the team. There should be genuine connection with where the team is heading and all team members should be able to articulate what they contribute towards the team’s vision.

Once you have your team vision, you will need the team to decide what steps are important to work towards the vision – these will be objectives or critical success factors to focus on to achieve future success.

A common goal is a first step to encouraging teamwork and team success. Creating an inspiring vision can take the team beyond today’s achievements and might just motivate remarkable outcomes.

engagingPOTENTIAL: training, team development, coaching

Specialising in working with managers to develop extraordinary teams!

20 Sep

Team creativity

“The organizations of the future will increasingly depend on the creativity of their members to survive.” –Warren Bennis

In day-to-day work with our set objectives, regulations and limited budgets, it’s often hard to see the value of investing in some creative thinking. However, in a more competitive world with an increased focus on productivity, setting aside time to do some creative group thinking might just be worth the investment.

Who knows, you might discover greater efficiencies, fabulous new work practices or even a new product! At the very least, encouraging team creativity  will enhance collaboration and problem solving in your work group.

Creative or innovative thinking often begins with an attempt to solve problems. In the late 1990s Apple solved the problem of a bulky portable CD player by creating the iPod. Toyota solved process issues by creating a production system that is held as a model of business innovation. Google solved the problem of accessing the myriad of information on the internet by building a unique search engine.

Of course, most of us don’t work at Apple or Google and couldn’t imagine creating an innovative device like the iPod or an internet breakthrough. But creativity  is not always about inventing something that will become a worldwide phenomenon.

An innovative approach to an everyday workplace problem can still have an immense impact – how about finding a new way to market a product and renew its appeal? What about an approach to customer service that improves company loyalty? Or developing a faster way to process orders?

Some ways to create an innovative and problem solving environment with your team:

  • Encourage and coach team members to come up with options for solving their own day-to-day problems – “What do you think our options are here?”; “What else can we do to improve this?”
  • In team meetings, recognise those who have come up with a new way to solve a problem, market a product or help out customers (or other problem solving, creative ideas).
  • Champion the team to build on ideas – sometimes the first idea may not be the best, but it is a starting point. “How can we build on this?” “Where else could this idea take us?”
  • Have regular team meetings to focus on big issues, strategies or projects. Facilitate the day with some basic ground rules e.g. “No limits!”- try not to limit ideas by thinking about company policy, the way things are normally done or even industry regulation. (The point is ideas generation and the necessary ‘filters’ can be applied later).
  • Bring in an external facilitator to run an ideas generation day – be it how to focus on customers, how to improve efficiency, how to market products – an experienced facilitator will help draw out the ideas.
  • Provide a creative environment – welcome appropriate fun and laughter in the workplace; have stress balls, coloured pens, note pads in team meetings (many of us think best while doing something with our hands); bring along music for team meetings; take the team off site – whatever it is, do something unusual to encourage thinking differently.
  • Invite someone from another department or company to project meetings – fresh ideas and insights are often initiated from another perspective.

Whatever you do to create an environment that welcomes thinking ‘outside the square’, you will find that over time the small effort it takes will be repaid with a more focussed, involved and collaborative team.

engagingPOTENTIAL: training, team development, coaching

Specialising in working with managers to develop extraordinary teams!

10 Sep

Feedback culture

“Ask for feedback from people with diverse backgrounds. Each one will tell you one useful thing.”    – Steve Jobs

Have you ever worked in an organisation with a feedback culture? Not sure?

If you had, you would know.

A company with a feedback culture is one that welcomes feedback as a method of learning and consequently as a way of investing in its people. Feedback has no hierarchy – it can be given up, down and sideways in the ‘chain of command’. These organisations provide an environment where reinforcement of things done well take equal precedent with feedback on developmental areas.

It is said that a company’s feedback culture is shaped by three categories of organisational practices (Feedback orientation, feedback culture and the longitudinal performance management process. Manuel London and James Smither):

  • Those that impact the quality of feedback   e.g. training on providing effective feedback
  • Those that emphasise the importance of feedback to the organisation   e.g. how managers lead by example in giving and receiving feedback
  • Those that support using the feedback   e.g. providing coaching to employees

A company with a feedback culture is one that is committed to its people, focussed on retaining talent and to creating a ‘learning organisation.’ Consequently these companies tend to have more productive and engaged employees, more honesty and less conflict, and an ability to adapt in times of change.

If there is no feedback culture, this can impact other aspects of organisational culture. Often employees are resistant to change, resentful of performance management practices, and in extreme cases can suffer from negativity and blame seeking.

To create a culture that welcomes feedback and uses it effectively, companies need to ensure that all employees are trained on giving and receiving feedback well and are coached to develop an understanding of the benefits of feedback. In addition, it is imperative that leaders are demonstrating effective feedback behaviours and promoting core values of trust and honesty.

So, does your organisation have a feedback culture? If not, what does it need to do to create one?

02 Sep

Receiving feedback

“All learning has an emotional base.”   – Plato

Have you ever received feedback that made you angry? Or embarrassed? Sad? Or even happy? (let’s not forget the good stuff!)

Receiving feedback usually triggers an emotion, no matter how ‘thick skinned’ or emotionally stable we might be. If we are emotionally intelligent and consider feedback as a chance to learn, then others may not see the emotion externally, however we still feel it.

An emotion felt about feedback is normal. IT’S OK!

Emotions kick-start the processing of feedback. Of course, not everyone can easily get past the emotion and make rational decisions about what they are hearing. But there are some things you can do to help you not get ‘stuck’ on the emotion.

  • Start with an open mind – feedback is an opportunity to learn. Even if you don’t agree with the comments, it’s a chance to understand one person’s perspective of your actions.
  • Listen actively – allow the other person time to speak and listen carefully and respectfully.
  • Be aware of your emotions – recognise that you are having an internal emotional response and manage it externally. If you are pleased with the feedback, don’t jump up and down or pump the air – a smile is fine, but don’t get too excited! If you are upset by the feedback, try concentrating on your breathing or clench your stomach muscles as a distraction (it works!).
  • Seek clarity – if anything is unclear, calmly ask questions for understanding “To help me understand, could you give me an example of what you are describing?”; “What did I do well?” (yes, clarity about good feedback is also important!); “Just so I am clear, I think this is what you are saying…?”
  • Say thankyou – whether the feedback is positive or constructive, or you agree with it or not, always say thank you – it shows respect for someone who has taken time to provide it and also may help you appear (and even feel) in control of your emotions.
  • Reflect – you may need some space to think about the feedback. It’s OK to say “I need time to process this – can I come back to you if we need to discuss this further?” Reflect on whether you think the feedback is honest, realistic and requiring action.

Remember, feedback is an opportunity to learn. Someone’s perception of you may not be the ‘truth’ of you, however it is still valuable information to consider.

engagingPOTENTIAL: training, team development, coaching

Specialising in working with managers to develop extraordinary teams!

26 Aug

Coaching and training

“A little knowledge that acts is worth infinitely more than much knowledge that is idle”   – Kahlil Gibran

Many managers believe that people development is solved through training. What they often forget is that there are factors that influence how effectively the employee implements new skills after a training program. 

These factors include the individual’s desire for learning, their expectations of the training, the quality of the learning environment and other aspects beyond the classroom, such as stress at work or issues at home.

Here we focus on the role of the manager / coach in the effectiveness of skills transfer from training into the workplace.

There are three things a manager should do when their employee attends a skills training program:

  • Understand the employee’s perspective on the training BEFORE they attend – ‘What is your objective at this course?’, ‘What do you hope to get out of it to help you in your daily work?’     – and also explain any expectations they may have as a manager – ‘I’ve asked you to attend this program because…’, ‘After this course, I hope you will have further skills to…’
  • Follow up with the employee as soon as possible after the training to understand what they learnt from the program, how they will use the skills and any developmental ACTION PLAN they may have.
  • The manager should then COACH to the new skills and objectives – not just once, but several times to ensure support and ongoing implementation of skills. 

No matter how fabulous a training program is, if the skills covered are not used and coached afterwards, the benefits will be negligible. The reason? Trying out a new skill in the workplace can initially feel awkward and so may not always be successful. This can put some people off and they may go back to their old way of doing things. However, if they stick at it they will become more comfortable with the skills and start to see results.

This is where a manager can provide valuable support with coaching to help employees through the initial awkwardness. By encouraging employees to harness their strengths and apply them to new skills, or to help them focus on what aspects are challenging them, a coach can help the coachee to build awareness and take responsibility for applying what they have learnt in the classroom.

Training is the building block for development, while coaching helps the learning live.

A large international company has studied this interplay of coaching and training in detail. They found that not coaching post-training led to an eighty-seven percent loss of any skills change the program initially created. (Six characteristics of world-class sales coaches – Scott K Edinger, Huthwaite)

Do you want to throw away eighty-seven cents in every dollar that you spend on skills training?

If not, then it seems that the answer is to coach your employees after they attend training! A hectic workplace does not always make this easy, but it is important.

To help managers out, training professionals should be able to provide suggestions for follow-up and coaching activities. They are also a source of information to further understand your employee’s strengths to help implement the skills and their focus areas for development. Whilst often a trainer’s perspective is only a snapshot from the training room, it certainly will add to the information you already possess as a manager.

So the next time you have an employee attending a training program, what will you do? And as an employee, what will you expect of your manager to support your learning?

engagingPOTENTIAL: training, team development, coaching

Specialising in working with managers to develop extraordinary teams!

20 Aug

Coaching workplace teams

“You cannot teach a man anything. You can only help him discover it within himself.” Galileo Galilei

Coaching seems to be the buzz word at the moment – someone is coaching someone, somewhere every second… or so it seems.

Coaching can be used in a variety of ways across a variety of forums. In the workplace, people talk of having a coaching culture, but do they really understand what that means? People say they coach their teams, but do they?

Coaching is not telling someone what or how to do something. Developing people is much more effective if they themselves can unlock their potential, more so than teaching or directing them to do it. Coaching is a way of working with your team member to influence behaviour and results essentially by helping them learn. And learning comes from within. John Whitmore (Coaching for Performance 4th Ed.) describes coaching as building awareness and responsibility in others.

So how do you do this? Coaching starts with facilitated dialogue, so key skills for managers are listening and questioning – encourage your employees to think for themselves – the results will be amazing! Rather than saying “I think this problem will be solved this way…” ask them “What options do you have for solving this problem?”.  And then give them time to think, especially if you have always told them what to do in the past – they won’t be used to this straight away, but persevere. Ask a question and then stay quiet!

Coaching is everywhere – sometimes done well, sometimes not. Sometimes it is confused for telling or teaching.

So, do you TRULY coach your team? Or do you simply tell them what to do, solve their problems or pass on your ‘expert’ advice?

Do you ask questions, get them to think and allow them to build awareness and responsibility?

Try this. Next time a team member comes in to your office with a question about what they should do on a project – hold your tongue, count to three and then say – “Come in, let’s chat about that – I’d love to hear what your thoughts are first…” Then ask some questions – “What are you wanting to achieve with this project?”, “What is the main issue that concerns you?”, “Which options for resolving this have you already considered?” and so on…

engagingPOTENTIAL: training, team development, coaching

Specialising in working with managers to develop extraordinary teams!