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Lead Yourself First – The Impressive Impact of Relationship

  By Christina Lattimer • April 22, 2014 - 5:28 pm

relationship In my view, money doesn’t make the world go around, relationships do.

We are in relationship with everyone we meet, because we are always swapping energy.  Even the guy reading the paper in the adjacent seat on the train might leave an impression as you form an opinion about or sense his energy.  Ok, it’s not much of a relationship, but it is important to know we can actually impact everyone we meet at some level.

If we have even a slight impact with a complete stranger think about the impact we have on our nearest and dearest, our work colleagues, teams or customers.  Human relationships whether they are romantic, work-based, friendship or family based are successful or not because of a number of common factors.

Forging successful relationships is essential for a successful life.  Whether at home or at work,  creating successful relationships is being able to identify what needs to be in place, and being able to understand ways your relationships work by heightening your understanding of the relationship.  The following are components and factors which can be applied to our relationships and the reason why we form them.

Purpose

If you are friends with Ted because you like going to the pub every Friday, and he is in there every time you go for a pint, then that’s the relationship you have.  If Ted stops going to the pub on a Friday, then it’s unlikely you will continue with your relationship. If you went and knocked on Ted’s door, he would likely be gobsmacked.   Where relationships can fall down, is when one person in the relationship wants to take it further than the purpose of the relationship.  Understanding and being honest about the purpose of any relationship can prevent many misunderstandings and conflicts.

Reciprocity

A relationship can only be successful if both people want to be in it. If you’ve ever been friends with someone and you’re making all the calls or trying to make arrangements to meet, then you are probably more invested in the relationship than the other person.  If a customer simply isn’t interested in your product, or your employee is looking for another job, then you don’t have a reciprocal relationship.

Energy

Sometimes we have the best relationships with people who have contrasting energy. Someone who is reserved and quiet  may enjoy being in relationship with another who is exuberant and loud.  Alternatively such a relationship might be a complete recipe for disaster.  I remember being on an interview panel with a candidate who was enthusiastic and proactive.  While I admired her energy, the other panel member felt drained by it.  If matching energy is experienced, then people may feel extremely comfortable or very bored.

Values

Shared values usually create relationship success.  If you are struggling in a relationship, examining each other’s values is a good place to start.  If for example you value expensive things and a luxurious lifestyle and someone else values basic and simplistic living, then you will either come to terms with the differences or the relationship will not exist for any length of time.  Likewise a caring, sharing colleague might form a close working relationship with a tough hard-headed business type, but more than likely won’t.

Expectations

Expectations can be centred on your own and/or other’s needs and wants.  If you expect your employees to contribute a decent day’s work for a fair wage and that doesn’t happen, then the chances are you have relationship problems.  Likewise with personal relationships, problems may well occur if you feel let down or expect something different than that which is on offer

Communication

How we communicate can determine the success or not of a relationship.  Communication differences can ruin a relationship if there is a lack of understanding about different communication styles.  For example conflicts can arise between people who communicate kinaesthetically and those who are auditory. I remember a long drawn out conflict between a manager and one of his team because the language he used was logical and factual and didn’t fit with her needs which were words of caring, feeling and empathy.

Attitude

Your beliefs, thoughts and conclusions  can determine your attitude about people in your personal and work life.  If you work for an employer and you believe you don’t count, then your belief is going to colour the relationship with your manager or team. Your attitude will seep out whenever you speak to others about work. Likewise, if someone has let you down badly in your personal life, if you are unable to forgive them, then your relationship will be affected forever by your attitude to them.

Commitment

Relationships require commitment, even if it’s to give someone your full attention for just a day.  If you decide to work for someone and only plan to stay for a few months and they expect you to stay for the long haul, then your commitment to each other is mismatched and will affect your relationship.  Most of us enter into marriage as  a lifelong commitment.  However, when that commitment wanes, the relationship could be in big trouble without a re-examination and re-connection of why you committed in the first place.

Boundaries

Boundaries exist physically, emotionally and mentally.  Part of building good relationships is about identifying and respecting your own and other people’s boundaries.  Boundaries signify how much you are able to or want to allow someone into your life, or how much of yourself you want to give.  Pre-nuptial agreements set clear boundaries.  I want to spend my life with you, but if anything goes wrong,  I’m not prepared to give you my money.  At work, contracts of employment set out the boundaries of the relationship.  Trouble can occur when you’ve signed up for 40 hours a week, and the company with a long hours culture actually expects a lot more.

Timeliness

Relationships happen at the right time.  If the timing is wrong, then it’s unlikely the relationship will satisfy any or some of the factors listed above.  If you meet the man of your dreams and you need to go to college halfway around the world, then the timing may be wrong to get together at that point.  Likewise, if your customer doesn’t want to buy quite at that point, or your employees don’t buy into your vision, it may well be that the time is just not quite right.  Unless of course there is a permanent mis-match of any of the above and there will never be a right time.

 

If you are a leader, you are continually developing and "Sharpening the Saw".  If you lead and manage teams, then you must read about our Inspirational New Leadership Programme.  Sign up now to find out more details when we launch in July 2014.  There is no obligation to undertake the programme, if you sign up today, you will simply be sent more information about the programme.  You can unsubscribe at any time!  Click below to register for further information.

   
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7 Essential Mindset Shifts of New Leadership

  By Christina Lattimer • April 22, 2014 - 4:44 pm

mindsetLeadership of the future will be all about mindset

New Leaders will be at the forefront of creating paradigm shifts for themselves, their teams and followers.  Not only will they  lead by example, but they will show others through focused thinking and vision a brave new world.

There are certain ingredients which leaders and people in the development field must be aware of moving forward.  The ingredients included vision, beliefs, thinking skills and emotional intelligence. Using those ingredients effectively requires a Mindset different than that which has gone before.  is now proving what most people believed was impossible is actually true, based on scientific evidence. Very briefly and simply, this means:

 

 

  • The universe is made up of pure energy
  • We are all interconnected and part of that energy
  • Energy is invisible, but what we what we pay attention, believe and think becomes our reality
  • Every observer will create a different reality depending on their Mindset

There is really only one shift to be made which is the realisation of the infinite possibilities which exist.  But it as rare as St. Paul’s “Road to Damascus” moment for the majority of us to make such a huge shift all at once.  It takes time for most of us to let go of old and outworn beliefs and thoughts and replace them with new life affirming mind-sets.

For leaders of the future, the following seven shifts may be good places to start in the workplace. Shifting our attention from:

Sickness to Well-being

Concentrate and invest in physical, emotional and mental wellness.  We will measure wellness and our activities will be centred around being well.  We will celebrate wellness, and set targets around well-being. Focusing attention and energy upon absence and sickness simply creates more of the same.

Scarcity to Abundance  

Instead of cutting costs or settling for second best or laying off employees for example; we will develop possibilities of generating ways to grow and increase wealth.  Be generous and don’t allow fear or guilt about finances be the decision-maker.   Realise wealth isn’t all about money.  It is about an abundant mindset.

Limited to Unlimited 

There are no right or wrong decisions or beliefs. There is just difference. Moving from limited beliefs and thinking can at first prove overwhelming when we realise there are infinite possibilities or paths to traverse. We are only limited in our achievements by our limited thinking and beliefs.  we must listen to our intuition and dare to believe what we truly desire can be achieved.

Powerlessness to Power

We will empower ourselves, believing in our ability to create, and change our current reality. Accept our current reality without resisting or wishing away what is.   Have faith and patience with the right Mindset we can make positive changes.

Competition to Excellence

Let go of the need to compare and compete with others, whether personally or in business. Concentrate instead on only doing the best we can understand there is a niche for everyone and a contribution for everyone to make. We will focus on doing our best, not coming first.

Profit to Contribution

It matters not about the size of the contribution as long as it is authentic and borne of a desire to make a difference. ~We will shift from how much profit to how much of a contribution we make. It is the energy of contribution honestly made meeting a real need which is paramount. When we concentrate on contribution and make it a brilliant one, the energy will bring abundance.

Management to Relationship

Relationships are going to be the main focus for the future. Relationships built on mutual understanding, equal responsibilities, agreed roles, with built in accountability for fair reward. It is a mutual and agreed relationship of give and take, which returns energies of contribution with those of reward.

 

If you are a leader, you are continually developing and "Sharpening the Saw".  If you lead and manage teams, then you must read about our Inspirational New Leadership Programme.  Sign up now to find out more details when we launch in July 2014.  There is no obligation to undertake the programme, if you sign up today, you will simply be sent more information about the programme.  You can unsubscribe at any time!  Click below to register for further information.

   
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2 Faulty Thinking Patterns Leaders Must Ditch

  By Christina Lattimer • November 14, 2013 - 3:00 pm
Faulty Thinking Most progressive people in business understand only too well that the old paradigm of faulty thinking  has long gone.

Examples like “profit before values”: underhand strategies of “the end justifies the means” or  “we are important so we deserve special privileges”  have been exposed and deleted by the best organisations.   While businesses regroup and to make amends, change doesn’t happen overnight.  Some two years or so on from the major scandals, there is still much to do.

Optimistically change for the better must occur, and evidence of proactive and definitive change is happening, typically illustrated by the very strong corporate statement issued by the likes of   where they set out in no uncertain terms their ethics and standards moving forward.  Other companies are positioning themselves accordingly.

Many of the problems arose, not because people involved in the scandals where inherently bad people, but because they were  victims of “faulty thinking”.  Faulty thinking taken to the extreme.   Throughout history you can see examples of faulty thinking being taken to the extreme.  Think Hitler and modern day dictatorship, terrorism, and modern day slavery.  There are lesser degrees of faulty thinking, but if adopted globally then innocently seeming “right” thinking can be catastrophic.

There are some key beliefs and thinking patterns which underlie many of the “ills” of society and of course can be evidenced on the leadership stage.  These beliefs have permeated our culture as a global society and therefore have become a paradigm which acts like a closed cell door and makes it seem difficult to get out.   Much is of course unconscious faulty thinking.   This might sound bleak, but actually by acknowledging such faulty thinking, then we are able to shine a light on this paradigm and change our beliefs and thoughts to more positive and affirming thinking which will of course create a brand new paradigm and a much brighter future.

The following set out 2 ways  we continue to exercise faulty thinking and therefore limit great changes in the world and in business.

  1.  There is not enough to go round

The economic crisis is not yet over, and there is a cacophony of voices telling us there is recovery, and others who are predicting the end of society as we know it.  Who knows?  The whole debacle has been made by ongoing and systematic faulty thinking about our collective purpose and the possessive of money in particular.

The scarcity principle is one which is one of the most prevalent traits of faulty thinking, and one which people feel most justified in bowing down to.  But it is a faulty system, borne of faulty thinking.  There is no real scarcity in the world; we have made a system where we have bankrupted the world, businesses and individuals.  There is plenty of food to eat and there are enough resources, we have sufficient intelligence to overcome the majority of problems which arise.  We just don’t do it.  Why?  Because we believe there is scarcity, on a global, collective and individual level.  The scarcity is literally all in our mind.

For a business leader, this is a difficult one because the thought and “evidence” of scarcity through downturns in economy, reduced budgets, income etc. is compelling.  The scarcity principle is one which makes people work longer for less with little hope.

The unified alternative is to find the opportunity in any situation whether reduced economy or other situation where scarcity is the fear.  Use the experience to find ways of creating more, leveraging growth and learning to challenge beliefs and assumptions and “the way things have always been done”.

This is not rocket science. Every savvy entrepreneur knows that there are always opportunities in adversity.

  1. Favoritism

There is a standing joke on the UK version of the “X Factor” involving  Louis Walsh, the long serving judge from Dublin,  who is said to favour acts from Ireland whether they have talent or not .  I think most people see it very much as harmless fun, and it always raises a laugh.   This is only a TV show, and while I’m sure some hopeful with talent might feel put out about being turned down because people with less talent have got through by virtue of their place of birth, they hopefully can get their talent recognised elsewhere.

Favouritism in other arenas and especially in the workplace has more serious connotations.   At its worst, favouritism stems from a conscious or even unconscious form of discrimination and can seem harmless, but it has far reaching effects.  At best, favouritism is simply a matter of keeping ourselves in our comfort zones, because of a fear of “difference”.

Many years ago I applied for a job.  Pitching up for the day of assessment and interviews, I was joined by 6 other hopefuls.  Of the seven of us there was one man.  We were collectively greeted by the CEO and his board, all men, and the day of interviews commenced.  I remember thinking they were doing really well because they must have recognised the overly masculine nature of their top team, and they had called 6 women to interview.  Surely they were committed to giving women a chance.  I don’t know indeed they may well have been.  The next day, I got a phone call to say that I had been an “exceptional candidate” and the board had been very impressed, but that they had decided to offer the job to another person.  I was fine, and was quite amused to note when they announced the appointment, it was the only male candidate, who was successful.  Now I’m not saying that they were discriminating against women, nor am I saying the male candidate didn’t have the best qualifications.  But I did wonder if they were pretty comfortable in their “all male” group.

Favours can consist of securing contracts, promoting, awarding bonuses, praising, promoting, spending time, allocating quality work etc. to others with little regard to contribution or effort but because they are in the “favoured few” circle.  It can mean employing family members even if they aren’t the best qualified.

The unified alternative is to be open to many different types of contribution and value them all.  To develop a framework of fairness, appreciation and reward open to all.   Be aware of, and guard against biases.  The underlying premise to this is of course that we are all equally of value in whatever situation.

There are many ways we  think in a faulty way, but if we solved those two we would have opened up a vista of opportunity, the like of which has never been seen before.

If you are a leader, you are continually developing and "Sharpening the Saw".  If you lead and manage teams, then you must read about our Inspirational New Leadership Programme.  Sign up now to find out more details when we launch in July 2014.  There is no obligation to undertake the programme, if you sign up today, you will simply be sent more information about the programme.  You can unsubscribe at any time!  Click below to register for further information.

   
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5 Characteristics of an Open-Minded Leader

  By Christina Lattimer • October 3, 2013 - 1:57 pm

open-minded leader An open-minded leader can appear anywhere.

I remember when I was still in my teens listening to a most fascinating work colleague, who professed to understand how hypnotists managed to tap into someone’s subconscious and get it to take control. In the next breath he would describe his insights gained in different cultures which he had acquired in his Navy days. His range of conversation was diverse, lively and knowledgeable. I remember feeling quite boring and uninteresting comparing myself with him, (which was a pre-occupation of mine as a teen). His role wasn’t officially as a leader, but he was well respected and one of those people who you know is influential in the team, he would have certainly qualified as an open-minded leader.

He had that charismatic quality, I always admire, which in those days I called open-mindedness. Open-mindedness for me was cool in those days, and still is. I think the quality of an open-minded leader is an underrated and misunderstood characteristic. What this quality means for me is:

A thirst for learning

Of course there are many types of learning: Taking in information through reading, observing, or my favourite which is experiential learning. I remember reading somewhere that the most honest sentence we can utter is “I don’t know”. I have come to realise that true wisdom stems from exactly that, an open-minded leader has that wisdom.  It is when we are at our most convinced that we have something new to learn. Also an open-minded leader understands that the learning journey never stops.  All we can be certain of is what we have learned so far. There is a practical aspect to this too. Our minds are a little like our bodies in that what we put in, is what we get out usually. If we sit and watch soaps or low-grade TV for hours on ends, guess what our conversation and focus is about?

Curiosity

Just when did our natural curiosity about the world disappear? My grandson Charlie is just starting to ask “Why?” Like most children he is curious and wants to understand what surrounds him. But for the majority of us, our natural curiosity stops at a certain point. Why is that? Is it because our minds are made up for us by concrete explanations from our parents or teachers? I remember at 16 having some extremely rigid views about our social system. I mentioned my limited views to a friend one day and she explained to me how narrow my thinking was and bluntly showed me the error of my ways. I realised in that moment I had taken on board the thought system of my parents, who had come from a completely different experience and generation from me. How often do we do that? Open-mindedness means that instead of believing everything you are told, you find out yourself. Even when you draw conclusions, you are open to finding out more. Exploring and actively being open and curious is the key here.

An ability to see things easily from different perspectives

In the world of the open-minded leader there is only “what works” and “what doesn’t work”, rather than what is right or wrong. We live in a world of both entrenched and enlightened values at times. Part of being open-minded is being able to see another’s point of view and evaluating not whether it is right or wrong, but whether it works or not. There is also the phenomenon of paradox working here, so being able to realise two opposing truths can be real. Take Orwell’s statement for example. “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others” This statement can be viewed from a myriad of perspectives which if judgment is suspended can help the reader to see the situation from many different points of view. Political leaders are very good at this!

An acceptance and respect for others beliefs and choices

This can be a tough one. I remember talking to a professional who was coaching a young entrepreneur who wanted to get into the modelling world. An A grade student, with a great start-up business, and supportive parents;  a glittering future was about to be thrown away by this young business woman who’s main desire in life was to enter the fickle and superficial world of modelling; or so my friend described.  But the truth is we never know what is good for someone else, or what path is right for someone.  I married very young and inevitably it ended in divorce.  But was it inevitable?   When my daughter decided to buy a house at age 19 with her first and only boyfriend, I was aghast.   Luckily I was wise enough by then to understand that just because things went wrong for me, didn’t mean it would for her.  All I said to her was, “Go and try it, but if it doesn’t work, then you can come home” She never has. We celebrated her wedding at the weekend after 9 years of being together.   It is the same in the workplace.  An open-minded leader  will honour other people and the choices they make.

An awareness that their own and others beliefs and filters can be limiting

Our experience in this world is made up through a filter of our beliefs, ideas, thought patterns and emotions.  Part of respecting the perspective of others shows a good understanding of this. There is a further element to this for open-minded people in that they realise;  not only does everyone come from a different perspective, but it is likely that any perspective is limited. If you’ve ever had to give up a limited belief, without having another belief in place it can feel quite frightening.  To be able to form new beliefs, you have to be able to use your imagination, and sometimes going from a limiting belief to a more expanded belief takes a leap of faith. At work this can be a problem whenever change happens, for example when a business is trying to reinvent or rebrand itself.  An open-minded leader will understand that they have to instil that faith in their employees if the changes are going to be timely and effective.

Being an open-minded leader doesn’t mean being indecisive, which can sometimes be assumed when someone is accepting and curious of the world around them. In fact, it generally means an open-minded leader can be more decisive because they understand any decision is simply based on what they know in that moment, and therefore an open-minded leader cannot make a wrong decision. Just one that works, or doesn’t.

If you are a leader, you are continually developing and "Sharpening the Saw".  If you lead and manage teams, then you must read about our Inspirational New Leadership Programme.  Sign up now to find out more details when we launch in July 2014.  There is no obligation to undertake the programme, if you sign up today, you will simply be sent more information about the programme.  You can unsubscribe at any time!  Click below to register for further information.

   
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How Is Conflict Hurting Your Business?

  By Christina Lattimer • August 31, 2013 - 9:23 pm
Conflict often requires professional HR Expertise

Have you ever dreaded going to work because you didn’t want to deal with all the conflict? Maybe you didn’t want to face a boss who nitpicks and over-analyzes everything or work with a co-worker who is constantly texting while you’re trying to explain something important. Well, you’re certainly not alone.

Research shows that chronic unresolved conflict is a decisive factor in at least 50% of employee departures. Further, roughly 65% of employee performance problems are caused by strained relationships between employees. What’s more, managers spend 25-40%
of their time dealing with workplace conflicts. That’s up to 2 full work days every week that they’re not getting any real work done! As workplace conflict expert Daniel Dana, Ph.D. states, “Unresolved conflict represents the largest reducible cost in many businesses…yet it remains largely unrecognized.”

A Hidden Cause of Workplace Conflict

But what is the cause of all this conflict? Of course, individual personality differences play a role. However, one of the biggest hidden causes of workplace conflict is generational differences.

After all, a company founder who was born in the 1920s and grew up during the impoverished Great Depression has a very different work nature than a new hire who was born in the 1990s and grew up in the generally abundant and constantly connected Information Age. Basically, since they grew up in such different times, they come from completely different worlds and have very different perspectives and values. It’s not surprising that the latter might be reluctant to play by, or even understand, the rules of the former. With so many generational differences across an organization, it’s no wonder there’s so much conflict!  So, where do we start in reducing this generational conflict? Unfortunately, when we look closely at the traditional approaches to generations (like Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y, etc.), we find some significant problems.

The Traditional Generational Approaches

The traditional approaches to generations are flawed in a number of ways. First, they take randomly-chosen periods of time to try to create generational profiles. But, arbitrary time frames such as a boom in the birth rate after World War II, or historical social cycles, do not accurately reflect powerful shared social experiences or exponential technological change.

 

 

If you are a leader, you are continually developing and "Sharpening the Saw".  If you lead and manage teams, then you must read about our Inspirational New Leadership Programme.  Sign up now to find out more details when we launch in July 2014.  There is no obligation to undertake the programme, if you sign up today, you will simply be sent more information about the programme.  You can unsubscribe at any time!  Click below to register for further information.

   
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How to Make Managing Poor Performance Easy

  By Christina Lattimer • June 6, 2013 - 1:46 pm
Managing poor performance can be one of the most stressful parts of Blog pic managing a team.

The problem is of course; good managers know that the vast majority of employees want to come to work to do a good job. When an employee is not performing, more often than not it is either because:a)      They are in the wrong job)      They have problems outside of work)       They simply need more knowledge or information or understanding.

It takes a skilled and experienced manager to be expert and slick when it comes to raising poor performance. Often teams become less than enchanted with their manager when the manager fails to address poor performance, even when the impact isn’t extreme. One of the most frustrating experiences for a team is when they feel they are carrying a member who is not pulling their weight, frustration can turn to stress when the manager simply does nothing about it

Poor performance can appear at any stage in the employment life-cycle. Managers need to be extra vigilant in any trial period. I have seen managers give new employees the benefit of the doubt and live to rue the day they confirmed a permanent appointment, when they had experienced niggling doubts during that time and failed to listen to their intuition.

What follows are some simple ways to help both prevent problems and when they do occur, what to do about them.

Don’t

  • Miss the telling signs in the trial period. Follow up on any issues which arise during that time.
  • Wait until the next performance review. Deal with any emerging problems as soon as they become apparent.
  • Develop an attitude or fixed view of the employee, there may be many reasons for under-performance
  • Ignore what other people are saying about someone’s under-performance; subtly check it out, if you don’t at first agree
  • Wait until a major incident or disaster occurs
  • Wait until everyone else in the workplace is totally fed up because of the under-performance.
  • Confuse a performance issue with a conduct problem. Misconduct of course impacts on performance, but they are two totally different issues.
  • Wait until the under-performer goes off on sick leave.

Do

  • Have a fair and equitable way of measuring performance for all employees
  • Use your internal policies and procedures for managing under-performance. Your policies should be designed to assist you to get it right.  If your policies hinder the process, they need to be rewritten.
  • Identify the precise areas of under-performance. Exactly what element of performance is the employee not achieving? Performance can be lack of productivity, efficiency, effectiveness, or an under developed skill set for example.
  • Gather clear examples and facts which demonstrate the level of performance. Do not rely on hearsay, because your boss told you to do it, or niggling doubts.
  • Keep an open mind about the reasons for under-performance. You do not know what is going on in the employee’s life. Don’t assume they are under-performing and they just can’t hack it.
  • Talk to the under-performer as soon as possible, and listen to what they have to say. Let them know you are concerned, not accusing.
  • Ask them about external factors, their own views about their performance, and what they think the expectations of them are. Ask them about training and skill sets.
  • Develop a clear and SMART action plan. The outcomes of the action plan must actually prove to you that the employee is capable and willing to bridge the performance gap, and be able to sustain it without constant supervision.
  • Be clear about the time-scale in which you require the performance to improve and for how long before you relax monitoring.
  • Meet regularly and give honest accurate feedback about their progress. Listen to them and amend the action plan if there are credible reasons for lack of progress, but stick to your agreed time-scale except if there are exceptional circumstances.
  • Give them every support in terms of training, mentoring, materials and guidance they might need.
  • Be kind. The majority of people want to do well at work and it can be a nightmare experience for them if for some reason their performance isn’t up to scratch. Genuinely wish them well and hope that they succeed.
  • Be confident. You know how you want your team to work. Don’t settle for anything less, and expect great not mediocre results for your team.

If you manage poor performance well and manage to raise performance, then this not only instils a sense of achievement for the employee, but also gives a great message out to other staff that you are fair and tuned in to what is happening. Your team might not know when poor performance is being tackled. But they certainly do know if it is not being addressed at all.

See also  

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If you are a leader, you are continually developing and "Sharpening the Saw".  If you lead and manage teams, then you must read about our Inspirational New Leadership Programme.  Sign up now to find out more details when we launch in July 2014.  There is no obligation to undertake the programme, if you sign up today, you will simply be sent more information about the programme.  You can unsubscribe at any time!  Click below to register for further information.

   
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The 5 Step Blueprint Of Successful Organisational Change

  By Christina Lattimer • May 2, 2013 - 10:59 am

the 5 step blueprint of organisational change A Blueprint for Change

In my capacity as a Leadership and HR Consultant, I am mostly called in when a problem has been encountered or a change is needed.    Consultancy is of course about understanding the problem, so a solution can be found.  Because I understand that organisations have a personality just like people, the problem is always unique to that particular organisation.   And so of course it follows, the solution is unique.

Over the years, I have developed a paradoxically, simple approach, to what can be perceived as complex organisational change.   Using my expertise in Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) and Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) coupled with systems thinking I help leaders get to the crux of the problem, and help them find organisational solutions quickly.

The 5 step process allows leaders to look at the change from a number of different perspectives; zoom in and zoom out; satisfy both intuitive/visionary and auditory/sensor preferences for taking in, assimilating and communicating information. It also encourages a holistic decision-making process which embraces heart and mind, or logic and feeling preferences.

The process in itself is a simple one, which helps maintain focus, although the dynamics within the process helps clarify complexities.  The 5 step process can be used in any organisation to solve problems or to instigate change.

The 5 Step Blueprint

1.   Where are you going?

 There are usually three basic directions, and it’s important to find out exactly where the organisation wants to go and how it wants to travel.  It is vital to determine at the very outset the clear drivers for change.

  • A moving towards or progression
  • A change of direction – a moving away from
  • An alignment to perform better

You may find that there is a combination of ways to move forward, but asking the question in this frame helps uncover what is motivating the change and develops the basis for the next step:

2.   At What level does the change need to be made?

There are 6 basic levels these are linked to 6 logical levels of change used in NLP:

  • The purpose or the “Why” of the organisation
  • The Identity or the organisational brand
  • The level of values, beliefs or concepts of the organisation
  • Knowledge, skills and competencies
  • Behaviours and culture
  • Environment

While this can take some time to establish it is essential appropriate time is taken to identify the starting level.   If your starting point is level one, then it is likely all remaining levels will be affected.  If you start at level 4, depending on what that change involves, will determine whether any other levels are affected.  The next step is:

3.   How does the change affect each part of the organisation?

 In addition to the logical levels above, change impacts each part of the whole.  A successful change process will anticipate those impacts, consult on the detail, and make necessary adjustments ensuring the change is integrated across each identified impact.  The level at which the change occurs will determine the scope and depth of the impact.  Some impacts might be:

  • Relationships
  • Interdependencies such as linked projects or schemes of work
  • Policies
  • Processes
  • External partnerships and stakeholders
  • Resources
  • Customers

 4.   How will you know that the change is successful?

 What exactly does success look like?  Ways to frame this question can be:

  • Will the organisation be more profitable/deliver better products and or services?
  • How often, and with what method will this improvement be measured?
  • How will the customers/stakeholders/partners respond to change?
  • How will employees respond, what will they be doing differently?
  • What will the organisation look and feel like?
  • How will existing targets and results change?

5.   How will the changes happen?

If the change is a one-off intervention, a programme or project approach may be beneficial.   If it is more significant, then you may want to build the change into the strategic plan and build in outcomes and ownership accordingly.   For a systematic approach, you need to consider the following elements to ensure success:

  • Who will own the change?
  • What is the governance around the change? (Where do accountabilities lie?)
  • How will the change be communicated?
  • Who will be consulted and when?
  • When will success be realised?

As you can see, change is only as complicated as you want it to be.  Keeping it simple may not satisfy the more theoretical and analytical minds around, but cutting out complexity is the surest way to get results more quickly and in a way in which everyone understands.

If you are a leader, you are continually developing and "Sharpening the Saw".  If you lead and manage teams, then you must read about our Inspirational New Leadership Programme.  Sign up now to find out more details when we launch in July 2014.  There is no obligation to undertake the programme, if you sign up today, you will simply be sent more information about the programme.  You can unsubscribe at any time!  Click below to register for further information.

   
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Dealing with the Negativity Epidemic

  By Christina Lattimer • February 14, 2013 - 10:14 pm
You can do something positive about negativity

As a result of an internal transfer, a client recently took over a new team. But he quickly realised that some of its members had a negative and unhelpful attitude.

This negativity manifested itself in a small clique complaining about customer expectations, some of their working conditions and the amount of work that they had to do (for which they believed that they got little thanks).

Although my client knew that he couldn’t let the situation continue, he felt that he didn’t have much of a lever with which to tackle it because, not only was the work being done, but fellow colleagues seemed to have a fairly neutral stance towards the others’ negativity. It seemed to have become the cultural norm.

Negativity is a badly acquired habit

Unfortunately, negativity can become an insidious habit within organisations. If such behaviour falls short of misconduct or appears not to have a detrimental effect on outcomes, however, it can seem easier to simply let it go.

Many teams that show a mixture of positivity and negativity muddle along without too much drama. Unfortunately though, even though performance may not appear to be hit, habitual negativity will inevitably prevent them from reaching standards of excellence or exceeding goals and targets.

For this reason, if you want your team to be outstanding, you need to tackle the negativity issue and, paradoxically, introduce a change of focus. Here are some tips for how to it:

  • Pay attention to negativity, but only with a view to moving the attention towards positivity
  • Don’t take the complaints personally
  • Be kind and don’t react to negativity with negativity – it simply perpetuates the habit
  • Remember that complaining is simply a form of communication, but you can teach people to communicate in more empowering ways
  • Talk to complainers on a regular basis and challenge their negative views. Do this on a one-to-one basis, if possible, as it is far more effective that way
  • Describe the impact that negativity has on the rest of the team
  • Help complainers reframe how they communicate their dissatisfaction
  • Where possible, help complainers to get what they want, but also show them possible means of communicating that will get better results
  • Be clear about the consequences of unacceptable negativity, which amounts to either attacking other people or having a detrimental impact on performance.

If you simply focus on the negativity, quite often the focus as with most things creates more of it.  You have to be able to swivel the focus from negativity to any positives, and there always are some.  Here are some ideas about how you can make sure the attention returns to the positive.

There are tactics you can use to replace negativity with positivity:

  • Reward positive behaviour and communication
  • Tell positive stories
  • Celebrate success regularly
  • Start meetings with positives. Be prepared to bring out the negatives, but ensure that you move back to the positives, ending with an upbeat summary
  • Set challenging targets and objectives that bring out the best in the team
  • Help the team to connect emotionally to its purpose and meaning and ensure that you get positive buy-in
  • Treat others on an adult-to-adult basis – and remember that negative complaining is a sign of immaturity.

negativity
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If you are a leader, you are continually developing and "Sharpening the Saw".  If you lead and manage teams, then you must read about our Inspirational New Leadership Programme.  Sign up now to find out more details when we launch in July 2014.  There is no obligation to undertake the programme, if you sign up today, you will simply be sent more information about the programme.  You can unsubscribe at any time!  Click below to register for further information.

   
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What If Everything Was OK?

  By Christina Lattimer • February 8, 2013 - 6:05 pm

blog pic 2 What if things were really ok?

Two nights ago, I went swimming.  It was an activity I had been looking forward to all day.  I usually go quite late because it tends to be more peaceful and as I swim I can ruminate and contemplate.

Tired and tense for the first 10 lengths or so, instead or relaxing, I found my mind worrying about a number of pieces of work I had still to complete. The anticipated peaceful relaxing swim was eluding me

As I carried on, I remembered a technique I use quite frequently with clients.  It is the “What if” frame.  It’s a well-known Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) technique used to help people tap into their imagination and explore situations they otherwise might consider being impossible.   It is usually used to break down limiting beliefs.

For example, a friend of mine loves his sales job, but confessed once he sometimes felt frustrated because never seemed to earn more than £50k annually.  He had never exceeded this figure and was convinced it wouldn’t get any better.  When I asked why he thought that was, he explained he didn’t think the number of customers were available to exceed that limit.

I recognised his frustration because he had simply hit a limiting belief.  I asked “What If you wereable to find ways to exceed earnings of 50k?”  What would you have done differently, and what else could you do?  He furrowed his brow and started thinking.  What this technique does, is lift a person over the “I can’t” barrier, and helps open up possibilities, to incorporate ideas and suggestions, to achieve a different outcome.

Asking “what if” can be a powerful way to get your creative juices flowing.  So when my daughter’s friend was planning her wedding, she floundered about the kind of venue she wanted and the colour of the bridesmaid’s dresses etc.   So I asked her “what if, you had the wedding of your dreams, what would the surroundings look like?”  This and questions like it helped her to begin to describe her highest desires.  From there, she was able to begin to imagine and thus describe what would work for her.

When swimming, two nights ago, I didn’t need to use my imagination, or break down my limiting beliefs.  On the contrary, my imagination was working overtime, and it was my lack of limiting beliefs, (I know only too well the possibilities open to me!), that were actually overwhelming me and making me feel stressed.  So when the “ What if ” came to my mind it was in a different context again.

As I swam, I recalled the final way I use “What if” exercises with clients, which helps them to get in touch with feelings.  Used in this way asking “what if ” is used to switch feelings.  If you are feeling low because you are scared something isn’t going to happen, or things haven’t worked out in the first place, the state you are creating can become like a self-fulfilling prophecy.

For example, you’ve applied for a job, but you didn’t get through the last job interview, and your confidence took a dent.  Your anxiety about failing and the pressure you feel to be successful this time round simply intensifies.   You worry about it for days beforehand, and by the time you get in front of the interview panel, you are so nervous, they can’t help but wonder if actually you are up to the job because you have been wringing your hands, and stammered your way all through the interview, simply because your anxiety took over.

If, before the interview, you had asked yourself the question, “What if I were successful at getting this job?”  You imagine what it would feel like and get in touch with the joy, excitement, gratitude and enthusiasm you would experience.  If you took that experience/state into the interview room, believe me, your interviewers would also have a completely different experience of interviewing you.

Ten minutes into my swimming session, I simply asked myself.  “What if everything was OK?”  I immediately stopped worrying, the knots in my back started to relax, and suddenly my state felt peaceful.  As I swam on, I realised the worst thing I can do is not take my own advice.  What was almost certainly going to turn out a most stressful hour of battling against feeling overwhelmed and anxious, completely switched.  I realised if everything was OK, I could enjoy this hour, and simply unwind and relax.   So I transformed the next fifty minutes.

Why not transform your next hour and imagine “What if, everything was OK?”

If you are a leader, you are continually developing and "Sharpening the Saw".  If you lead and manage teams, then you must read about our Inspirational New Leadership Programme.  Sign up now to find out more details when we launch in July 2014.  There is no obligation to undertake the programme, if you sign up today, you will simply be sent more information about the programme.  You can unsubscribe at any time!  Click below to register for further information.

   
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7 Principles To Get An Immediate Return On Your Learning Investment

  By Christina Lattimer • February 1, 2013 - 7:28 am

 

There are many evaluation models and cost/benefit frameworks which attempt to determine the “worth” of learning and development in the workplace.  Depending on the type of learning required, some models and frameworks are easier to apply than others.  Sometimes even when applied, the expected outcomes and improvements have either not materialised or they have taken far longer than expected.

Even when the learning programme is excellent, it doesn’t always deliver results

A number of years ago, I worked with an organisation who had invested a great deal of employee time and financial resource into a learning and development programme, with frustratingly little result.  A professional business consultancy had evaluated before and after, calculated a ROI which was a persuasive driver to buy in the proposed programme, but 18 months later, the expected benefits had simply not accrued.

The MD was totally frustrated; as the learning programme was polished, expert and inspirational.  Employees were enthused, and bought into the concepts and the benefits of working in a different way.  The formalised feedback on the training event was excellent.  The business consultancy had done an amazing job.  So what had gone wrong?

Improving knowledge, skills and behaviours doesn’t always mean better results

In another example,  lack of effective leadership skills and behaviours had been identified as a big problem for this national organisation.  It was decided to re-design the leadership skills framework and to develop a programme for all senior leaders.   A set of behavioural standards were developed, and a methodology to measure changes was put in place.  A coaching and mentoring framework was agreed along with monthly action learning meetings.

There was a new spring in the step of leaders across the organisation.  They gave positive and enthusiastic feedback for the coaching and development programme.

When the 2nd annual employee feedback survey showed less than a 1% improvement in perceptions of employees, alongside results with marginal improvements, they were dumbfounded.

Great learning programmes don’t always result in improvements, but they should

Those examples are simply two of hundreds I have seen, when learning and development has been brought into an organisation; the learning has been evaluated and the content and application has been faultless. The organisation is absolutely clear about the improvements they want to see.  But yet, still, the expected results did not materialise.

Why is this?  As you know there are many factors which impel or motivate people to change the way they do things, and learning new skills, behaviours, knowledge or even raising awareness is just one part of the equation.

When your business is buying in development interventions, you want to be able to see a real return on investment, otherwise why would you use precious financial resources on it?   No one can completely guarantee a return on investment, but the chances of a return can be greatly improved, and more importantly you can pinpoint exactly why the return hasn’t been realised by introducing the following principles.

When I was asked to do some work for the organisation in the first example, the MD was frustrated that the learning he had bought in had not realised the outcomes he required, even though the learning providers had delivered the learning they had promised.

 

Seven simple principles

My first step was to establish the following 7 principles if I were going to take on the task of getting results:

  1. A learning and development provider will facilitate a real return on investment in partnership with the commissioning organisation.
  2. Learning must enable a measurable improvement or change by the learner.
  3. The improvement or change must contribute to the overall outcomes for the organisation.
  4. Each learner must develop a “call to action, or objective” where they are accountable for achieving the measurable improvement or change. 
  5. The organisation must enforce accountability, usually through their performance management system.
  6. The achievement collectively of “calls to action, or objectives” will result in a measured outcome for the organisation.
  7. “If it is not possible to set individuals a call to action or objective which aligns with overall business objectives, following learning then the commissioning organisation should consider whether development is actually needed.

 

I agreed to deliver a short refresher programme, with a pragmatic design.   I explained unless the training included an accountable call to action for each employee, it would likely be unsuccessful once more, and so secured his agreement to establish accountability for achievement within the organisation.

We agreed at the end of the event, each employee would identify a work based objective to improve, abandon or shorten a process and to quantify the savings.

  • Improve customer service or increase customer satisfaction, with a measurable difference
  • Reduce the number and type of complaints
  • Create a measurable increase in quality

In  a 6 month period, 95% of employees met objectives,  outcomes were recorded and collectively it was calculated that almost  £1 million had been saved up to that point as a direct result of achievement of the outcomes or objectives.

Not only were amazing results achieved, employees felt an increased sense of ownership of the success of the initiative.  They had tangible evidence of their contribution and saw a real difference.

Incidentally, these principles will also work for individuals if you are thinking of buying in your own self-development programme.  For the majority of learning, unless it translates into accountable action, then it might be a “nice to have” but not necessarily an activity which will create significant change

If you are a leader, you are continually developing and "Sharpening the Saw".  If you lead and manage teams, then you must read about our Inspirational New Leadership Programme.  Sign up now to find out more details when we launch in July 2014.  There is no obligation to undertake the programme, if you sign up today, you will simply be sent more information about the programme.  You can unsubscribe at any time!  Click below to register for further information.