Facilitation Skills If you have chaired a meeting in which the objective was to impart information to the participants then you needed presentation skills. If you have chaired a meeting in which the objective was to engage with the participants, encourage their input, discuss options and agree a consensus then you needed facilitation skills. It is possible that there was a time when the manager or executive's role was simply to tell employees what to do. However, modern leadership, employee engagement and the necessity to use your resources to the fullest often require you to work with your people and create the way forward together. This tends to be much more difficult than just issuing instructions but – let's think positive – it can be much more productive, satisfying and even fun. So what is facilitation? Facilitation is: helping things along, ensuring clarity (of aims, of procedure, of results), asking the right question at the right time, having the group’s interests at heart, challenging the status quo, keeping things on track, hanging back when you’re not needed and stepping in when you are. As a 'facilitator' you are there to (literally) make things easier. Here is a framework for effective facilitation: 1. BEFORE: What is the objective or aim of the meeting/session? If there is more than one issue, decide how you will structure the time. Consider the possible different views and needs of the participants. Prepare a few key questions to ask them. Do the participants need to do any preparation? What about the environment: room, seating, tea/coffee, visual aids, etc? 2. DURING: Clarify the aim or objectives. Explain your role. Establish a few ground rules to ensure people feel able to contribute. Use this four-stage model for discussion: identify an issue; pass the issue to the group for debate; summarise the contributions; gain agreement on the way forward (you may need to go back and forth a little in order to fully explore a complex issue!) Encourage everybody to take part. Don't take sides; but do manage any conflict constructively. Keep an eye on the clock and move things on if people become stuck or start going around in circles. If there are any action points, make sure that they are allocated to specific people and have deadlines attached. 3. AFTER: Review the process; did you achieve the objectives? Ensure that someone (not necessarily you) is collating and distributing a summary of the outcomes and any agreed action points. Was there anything you could have done differently or better? Sometimes a sign of the most successful facilitation is that your role has gone unnoticed. As Lao Tzu wrote, “The highest type of leader is one of whose existence the people are barely aware.” In such a case the group of participants may feel that they have achieved the results themselves. Which they have; but you know that you have made it easier for them to do so. What Gives You Joy? "Joy” is an interesting word. Take a moment and think: what other words do you associate with “joy”? Perhaps you came up with words such as, delight, pleasure or happiness? Perhaps you agree with the author, Melba Colgrove that “Joy is the feeling of grinning inside.”? “Joy” has become a rather old-fashioned word. It is often used in a religious context, but less so when referring to our everyday secular lives. But if you are approaching life with a 'think positive' frame of mind then you should surely be aiming to do the things and be with the people that bring you joy? The first step is to examine your current situation: which parts of your life can you associate with those words we identified earlier? Maybe it's your family, your work or even just finding half an hour to sit by yourself and read. So the question: “What gives you joy?” is just another way of framing questions that address whether you are leading the life that you wish to lead. But it is a very direct and focussed version of that old 'life review' question. It is precisely because “joy” is such a non-standard word these days that you are forced to look more closely at yourself. Whatever the answers that you arrive at, the specific sources of your joy will be personal to you. They may change over time: the things that made you happy when you were 18 will not necessarily be the same when you are 40; or 65. But sometimes we don't notice that our tastes and needs have changed and we continue to do the same old stuff and expect the same result. That's why it is helpful to every now and then check where our happiness – our joy – is coming from. Alternatively, look at the other side of the coin. If the opposite of joy is misery, sorrow or even despair, ask yourself if there are any areas of your life with which you associate those words. If there are, think positive! What could you do to stop doing or move away from these areas? At the very least, how could you lessen the impact they are having on you? To return to the people and things that do give you joy: are you getting enough of them? Are they occasional highlights or are they regular occurrences? Just for a moment, let's be greedy: as long as you're hurting no-one, why shouldn't you be happy, be joyful all of the time? Why not give yourself the right to be happy constantly? If you do, then you might start wondering what positive steps you can take towards more joy in your life. A final quote: the composer, Richard Wagner said, “Joy is not in things; it is in us.” So think positive and look for the joy in your life. Self-Awareness How well do we really know ourselves? What do other people see when they look at us? Who are we, really? These questions all focus on the issue of our self-awareness. But why should we want to be more self-aware? After all, we might find some unpleasant truths if we examine ourselves too closely. Well, think positive. The more we know ourselves, the more we understand ourselves and the more our behaviour is a result of our choices rather than our unconscious drives and experiences. When someone says that they are “disillusioned”, they usually mean it in a negative way. Yet for self-awareness, the less illusions we have about ourselves, the better. Illusions may be comforting to believe in but they are not real. If we want to know ourselves then we should see “disillusionment” as a positive thing. One model which can help our self-awareness is called the Johari Window, devised by psychologists Joe Luft and Harry Ingham in 1955, following research into group dynamics at the University of California, Los Angeles. The model depends on two factors: what you know about yourself and what others know about you. It is referred to as the “Window” because the combination of these two factors give rise to four categories of information about the self, which are represented in a window-like grid with four 'panes'. The OPEN pane contains things about us of which we are aware and that others can see also. The BLIND pane contains things which others know but that we do not. The HIDDEN pane contains things that we know but do not show to others. The MYSTERY pane contains things about us of which neither we nor others are aware (we can assume that such things do exist because every now and then in life we find out something new about ourselves – perhaps we experience a new situation, such as a life-threatening emergency – about which nobody knew; including ourselves.) (The names of the panes have varied over the years; the names used here are taken from a paper produced by Joe Luft in 1982.) In order to fully know yourself (and therefore to be better able to know what you want from life) it is important to explore the contents of all four panes. So, if you seek feedback from others, you potentially reduce the size of the BLIND pane and increase the OPEN. You may also choose to share some information from the HIDDEN pane; both to increase the common ground between you and the other person and also because trusting other people with information about you will encourage them to share information with you in turn. Finally, to see into the MYSTERY pane you can: put yourself in new situations; develop new skills and talents; and generally explore and follow your dreams. Think positive and explore your window because 'you' are always worth getting to know better. Back To Top Team Dynamics People are not the same – obvious perhaps, but true – and in any workplace team there will be a wide variety of types, preferences, attitudes, skills, knowledge, etc. All these differences will interact together and produce different team behaviours. Ultimately, the effectiveness and efficiency of your team will depend on whether these differences work together or against each other. So, understanding the people in your team is crucial. As a manager or executive you need to know each individual in order to bring out their best possible contribution to the team effort. What role should they play within the team? What role would they like to play? What role would be best for them (and the team?) As ever, these questions can seem daunting when faced with a group of individuals whom you must turn into a functioning unit. Worry not and think positive. There are many theories and models available to help you. One of the more established is that of Belbin's Team Roles. A team role is defined as: “A tendency to behave, contribute and interrelate with others in a particular way.” Nine roles were identified by Dr. Meredith Belbin during a period of research at Henley Management College, England.; as follows: Action-oriented roles: IMPLEMENTER – organised; disciplined; puts ideas into practice; may be inflexible. SHAPER – energetic, pushes forward; thrives on pressure; may lose patience with others. COMPLETER/FINISHER – sees things through; conscientious; deadline-focussed; may be inclined to worry. People-oriented roles: CO-ORDINATOR – leader; confident; provides focus; may be domineering. TEAM WORKER – caring; diplomatic; works to resolve conflict between members; may be indecisive. RESOURCE INVESTIGATOR – networker; enthusiastic; explores new possibilities; may lose interest in 'old' ideas. 'Cerebral' roles: PLANT – creative; unorthodox; produces original ideas; may ignore details. MONITOR/EVALUATOR – careful and accurate; objective; sees the 'big picture'; may appear over-critical. SPECIALIST – expert; dedicated; knowledgeable and skilful in a specific area; may dwell on technicalities. Effective teams have a balance of roles; each role making an important and distinct contribution. However, that is not to say that every team must have at least nine people! One individual can fulfil the function of more than one of Belbin's roles and that same individual may perform different roles in different teams and over the course of their career. Team roles are not fixed in stone. The important thing is to know what each member of the team has to offer and to play to their strengths and to manage their weaknesses. Think (positively, of course!) about your team in the workplace. Is the team balanced? Are you clear as to who is fulfilling which roles? Are any of the roles missing; if so, who can develop the skills to take on that role? Presentation skills It's a well-worn cliché that the brain never stops working, until the moment you stand up to make a presentation. Yes, they can be nerve-wracking things to do but like anything else you can learn to make good, even great, presentations. Think positive! First of all, why are you making this presentation? Yes, it might be because the boss has told you to do it, but what is the actual objective? What do you want the audience to know or do after your presentation. The answer to this question will help you identify all the facts, theories, figures, stories, etc. that might be helpful to that objective. Make a list. Do some research. Ask other people; in fact, ask your audience what they would like to know. In this way, you can gather more than enough material. Next, consider your audience. What will work for them? What will engage them, convince them? Relevant factors may be their jobs, age, background, level of education, ambitions, opinions, interests and so on. This will help you decide what material to keep and what to cut out and also what sort of presentation they might appreciate. For example, do they need something short and blunt (because they are busy and/or have short attention spans) or do they need lots of supporting facts and figures (because they will have to present this information to others afterwards)? How will you structure your material? You will need a beginning, a middle and an end. Remember, it’s all about reinforcing your message: tell them what you’re going to tell them; tell them; tell them what you told them. Within the middle section, which contains all the key points, you should break the information down into sections and then put those sections into a logical order. As for the introduction, well you only have one chance to make that first impression so it’s worth spending some time on this. A useful principle to bear in mind is A , B, C or in other words: grab their Attention tell them the Benefits of listening and show them your Credentials (i.e. what qualifies you to speak on this particular topic.) What about visual aids: flipcharts, handouts, PowerPoint, videos, etc? Well, it’s true that a picture is worth a thousand words and it’s also true that however beautiful your voice, people will sooner or later become tired of listening to it. So give them something to look at; but make sure it’s relevant. OK, you have your presentation written and ready, now what? Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse! Practise it in front of the mirror (speaking out loud) and in front of family or friends. This will help you sound more natural on the day, and will help you test your material and the timing. Finally, two thoughts to help you think positive: nobody wants to sit through a bad presentation so your audience actually want you to succeed; and nerves are natural and good; in order to have the butterflies, you have to have the stomach. Health & Habits When the World Health Organisation was established in 1948, its constitution defined health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” When you think about your health, do you think in such broad terms? This definition would lead us to see good health as including: exercising, eating well, abstaining from (or at least being moderate in) vices, receiving stimulation for the brain and intellect, having healthy relationships with a network of family and friends, enjoying the work that we do to earn a living… basically the phrase ‘good health’ can cover every aspect of our lives. After the almost traditional indulgences at the end of December, New Year has become a time to reflect on our life . Is it as we would wish? What changes would we like to make in the next 12 months? New Year’s resolutions often centre on either addressing inadequate physical fitness (losing weight, getting off the sofa, eating less) or giving up bad habits (smoking, drinking, too much tv) or both. Although if we want to succeed, we must remember to think positive and not think of our resolutions as only being about giving something up or being punitive in some way. We should see them as leading us to a more enjoyable (and healthier) lifestyle. Otherwise why should we bother? So, here are a few things to think about when making your resolutions: Exercise: our bodies need it, whether it is running, going to the gym, yoga, or just walking instead of taking the car. If you’re not doing any, then do some. If you are, then ask yourself honestly: is it enough and is it the right sort of exercise for the life you want? Diet: five-a-day, vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, fibre, antioxidants… the amount of dietary advice can be overwhelming and between the internet, magazines and tv diet programmes there is a lot of contradictory information available. Why not visit your GP for some advice? Work: do you enjoy how you earn your living? If not, how could you enjoy it more? Work-life balance: How is yours? Do you work more hours than you are paid for? If so, then be sure that you are doing so for a valid reason and not that it is just a bad habit you’ve slipped into. Finance: how was your fiscal management in 2009? Did you save or did you overspend? Would 2010 be a good year to work on your attitude to money? Family: do you spend the right amount of time with them? Friends: is there anyone with whom you regret having lost touch? Hobbies: what do you do purely because you enjoy it? If nothing, then consider what you would like to take up and then how you might free up the time to do it. Most of all, remember to set positive, realistic, achievable goals, whatever they are. The best New Year’s resolutions are the ones at which you can succeed, because success (of any description) is the best January present you can give yourself. Back To Top Dealing with difficult colleagues Do you sometimes find the workplace difficult? The chances are that the source of the difficulty is a colleague. That's not to say that there's anything wrong with your colleagues (let's think positive, after all) but in any situation with a number of very different people (and we are all different) all trying to achieve a single goal there is bound to be some friction sooner or later. So what form might this 'difficulty' take? Maybe it's a disagreement over strategy, or someone is blaming you for a mistake, or somebody promised you more than they can deliver or maybe it's just someone who is always late for a regular meeting. It could be something very trivial but we often see it as 'difficult' behaviour because of how it makes us feel: undermined, annoyed, put-upon, frustrated or let down. In the modern, pressured workplace such feelings can take on great significance and start to erode our job satisfaction. However, let's look at this more positively. After all, such 'difficulties' are inevitable, it is how we deal with them that counts... Here are a few questions to ask yourself (in no particular order) the next time you are faced with a difficult colleague: Does it matter? Is this issue really worth your time and energy? If it isn't then don't get bogged down, just move on to your next priority. If it is, then it's worth the effort to resolve it properly. Why might it be happening? Everything has a cause. You may never know what that cause is, but if you assume that there is a good reason for the behaviour then you stand a better chance of keeping your cool when you're feeling frustrated, annoyed, put-upon, etc. Have you explained your position? Can you calmly and objectively tell them what they are doing and the impact it is having on you? They may not have realised the consequences of their actions. Have you asked about theirs? They may not want to tell you but at least you are giving them the opportunity. Have you clearly defined the problem? Is it really their lateness or does your annoyance stem from other issues? Is there any common ground? If you talk it through you may find you both want the same thing (more sales, reduced costs, etc.) Anything in common is a good starting point to resolving the conflict. Can you both have what you want? If you assume that you can and then try to find a way to make it happen you're more likely to be successful (in other words, think positive!) If not, where is the acceptable compromise? What could you both give up and still feel fairly treated? The problem is that we can fall into very repetitive patterns of behaviour with our colleagues and sometimes it is hard to see where it started. However, without taking a positive step to change the pattern it is unlikely to end. By asking yourself a few questions and then talking honestly (and calmly!) with your colleague, you could break that pattern. Everyday Assertiveness Have you ever felt dissatisfied after talking to someone? Ever felt, “That could have gone better.”? Do you ever walk away realising that you didn't get what you want? That you just weren't very assertive? There is a French idiom, “l'esprit de l'escalier”, the wit of the stairway, which signifies all the things that you wish you'd said but only think of afterwards when it is too late (that is, when you're at the bottom of the stairs, having departed.) Well, rather than indulge in regrets, let's think positive and find a better way. So what do we mean by 'assertiveness'? Well, our behaviour towards each other can be divided into three broad categories: aggressive, passive and assertive. Aggressive and passive behaviours come from a fairly instinctive, primitive part of ourselves. They are the classic fight or flight responses to any perceived threat. Aggressive behaviour might be shouting, invasive body language, talking over the other person, demanding that you are right, ignoring what the other person needs. It can get you what you want but often at the expense of the relationship; it's a short-term victory. Passive behaviour is backing down, avoiding conflict, keeping quiet and encouraging the other person to ignore your needs. It rarely gets you what you want and it certainly doesn't boost your self-esteem. Assertiveness, on the other hand, is about standing up for your rights and needs but not at the expense of others. It's about looking for a 'win-win' outcome. Assertiveness encourages questions, genuine communication, greater understanding and better relations between you and others. However, people often describe themselves as “assertive” because they have stood up for themselves and got their own way. If they did so at the expense of another then it probably felt more like aggressive behaviour to the person on the receiving end. True assertiveness involves: stating clearly how you feel about the situation and also what you would like to happen speaking calmly without raising your voice or resorting to bad language inviting the other person to explain their position relying on facts not assumptions actively trying to find a solution that could satisfy you both knowing that you have the right to say, “No” honesty. Of course, assertiveness cannot always lead to a satisfactory conclusion. If the other person refuses to join you in finding that win-win outcome then it is difficult. What assertiveness does do is give you the best chance of finding a mutually satisfying solution and, even if you don't get there on that occasion, at least you know you gave it your best shot and that you approached the situation with some honesty and integrity. Ultimately it is important to remember that assertiveness is a skilled way of communicating and, as a skill, it can be learned and practised and improved. How easy you find this skill will depend on your beliefs, values, upbringing, past behaviour and your self-esteem; but we can all do it. Even if you don't feel you are very assertive now, you can be. Think positive! Back To Top Leading through Change These days the theme of organisational life is change. Your teams are constantly subject to alterations and shifting priorities in working methods, market forces, staffing structures, etc. Of course, you too are subject to all of this. However, as the manager or executive, your role is to think positive and find a way through change; for both you and your people. If, as is often said these days, your people are you biggest asset then it makes sense to have their interests at the heart of any major change programme. So, how will they react to the latest initiative? Will they be 'thinking positive'? Well, as we saw in last week's article, “Working through Change”, the answer is: possibly not. People's individual reactions to workplace changes tend to go through a number of stages: Denial, Resistance, Exploration and Integration. The first two in particular can result in negative behaviour and your job is to help your people through these stages as smoothly as possible. The ADKAR model can help you help your teams; it can also provide an objective approach to change management that can keep you positive when dealing with their emotional responses. The ADKAR model was developed by Prosci, an American business research consultancy, following studies of over 700 organisations around the world. The model offers five key stages for managing organisational changes: Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability and Reinforcement. When looking ahead and planning your change strategy, the model can be used as follows: Awareness of why the change is needed. List all the reasons for the change; Why is the 'old way' no longer appropriate? Why is the 'new way' better? And so on. Now, how many of your people are aware of these reasons? Only when you can answer, “more than 50%” should you move on to... Desire to support and engage with the change. List all the factors that will motivate your people to change; both the positive factors that pull them towards the 'new way' and the negative factors that push them away from the 'old way'. Rate your people's level of motivation; again, at least 50% is needed before moving on to... Knowledge of how to change. List the skills and knowledge needed to successfully change (including the knowledge of what the change involves) and rate your people's knowledge and training in these areas. 50+%? Then go to... Ability to perform the change. Consider the skills and knowledge you have listed. Now rate your people's ability to apply and use these skills and knowledge. Once you have more than 50%... Reinforcement to maintain the change. What measures are in place to ensure the change is permanent? What incentives are in place? Rate their effectiveness in supporting the change. 50% or more? So, that's the ADKAR model. Why not think positive and apply it to a significant change you are managing in your organisation? Personal Change (Part Two): Setting Goals Last week, we looked at conducting a life audit to identify those aspects of your life that you want to improve or change. The question now is: having named these areas for improvement, how do we move forward? It’s time for some clarity. It’s time to think about setting some positive goals for yourself. Having a goal means having a definite destination in mind. After all, if you don’t have a clear idea of where you’re going, how will you know when you have arrived? Goals focus your attention on what you want. If you have clear goals, you waste less time and energy on the things that aren’t important to you. Having goals means that you will work harder to achieve them. Few of us want to expend great effort for no obvious results but if those results are clear in your mind you are more likely to put in the time and effort to achieve them. We also become more persistent when there is a goal in mind – it is easier to work through or around setbacks when we know that we are working towards something that we really, really want. So, what makes a good goal? Well, first of all: think positive! How you phrase your goals makes a difference to your commitment. For example, how about the statements, “I must eat less fried food.” or “I must stop overspending.”? They don’t sound like much fun, do they? Presumably eating greasy food or spending lots of money makes us feel good in some way (even if it is bad for us) otherwise we wouldn’t do it. If your goal sounds like a punishment, you will find it difficult to see through to completion. On the other hand, “I will eat more healthily.” or “I will manage my money more efficiently.” show a more positive frame of mind, focusing on the improvements by visualising the future (“I will…”) and using positive words (“healthily” and “efficiently”.) The language of your goal is important to its success. However, “I will eat more healthily.” or “I will manage my money more efficiently.” still sound a little woolly. We need more detail. A common and useful acronym when goal-setting is SMART. Your goals should be: Specific – clarity is crucial. Measurable – how else will you know if you’ve achieved it? Attainable – otherwise you are setting yourself up to fail – why would you do that? Relevant – is it connected to what you want out of life? Timed – most of us need a deadline to focus on. So perhaps “By the end of the year, I will be eating salad every day for lunch.” or “By January, I will have paid off my Visa card in full.” might be more useful goals? Two final tips: 1) Write down your goals – by doing so you are effectively creating a contract with yourself. You can still change, if necessary but only after some self-‘negotiation’. 2) Break it down – long-term goals, such as “By 2015, I will be living in France.” may need a number of short- and medium-term goals to act as steps towards that big dream. So, think positive and set yourself a SMART goal before you receive next week’s newsletter. Back To Top Personal Change (Part Three): What's holding you back? Having conducted a life audit to identify areas for change and set some goals so to give a clear destination for which to aim, it is now time to think (positively, of course!) about turning those goals into action. The harsh reality is that in any attempt to change and improve your life you will probably encounter some barriers. Perhaps we can take heart from this quote from the American moralist, Frank A. Clark: “If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere.” Certainly, any worthwhile endeavour is fraught with difficulties and there are a number of different factors which may slow you down in your quest to eat better, be better with your money, get that promotion or whatever it is that you are aiming for. Half of the battle is your own commitment. Ask yourself, “Is it worth it?” If the answer is, “No” then it is worth revisiting your goals – you may have set the wrong ones. However, let's be positive and assume that the answer is, “Yes!” and look at what might be getting in your way. Environment Tidy up! Scattered surroundings are seldom a sign of determination. Clear away the clutter in your office and home. If you have possessions which symbolise the 'old you' – maybe photographs, certain items of clothing or even a bad school report – then remove them. You do not need reminders of the past which you are leaving behind. You need indicators of the future you are moving towards: a picture of a beach; a new t-shirt; a letter of thanks. Whatever it is, put it where you can see it. Attitude Remember to think positive! Bad memories, low self-esteem, fears, regrets – these will not help you achieve your goals. You cannot change the past; but you can learn from it and leave it behind. Focus forward and remember that your goals are SMART and that the 'A' in SMART stands for 'Attainable'. You can do it! Lack of Resources It may be a particular skill, a certain area of knowledge, or simply a sum of money. It is likely that you will not start the journey with everything you need for success. Part of succeeding is gathering your tools along the way. Join a class; read a book; practice; take a part-time job. Work out what you need and get it. People They can be your greatest help and also your biggest hindrance. Perhaps out of jealousy or competitiveness or even just a fear that your success will highlight their failure, some people will try to stop you achieving your goals. If you can't move away from them completely (perhaps they are family, or work colleagues) then try to minimise their influence. Most people will be on your side; don't allow the ones who aren't to stop you succeeding. So, think positive and push over, under or even through those obstacles on the way to achieving your goals. Back To Top Personal Change (Part Four): Helping you on your way Last week, we looked at the obstacles that might lie between you and your goals. Now, it's time to 'think positive' and examine the factors that are there to help you. Where can you find support for the changes you want to make in your life? Who can help you? Well, there are two answers to that last question: 1) Other people; and 2) You. Other people tend to fall into three broad categories: those who are on your side – they will help you actively and willingly; those who are against you – maybe they're competing with you, maybe they just don't like you, maybe they prefer the 'old you' for some reason, but they may try to stop you achieving your goals; everyone else – they may not take too much interest for their own sake but if you ask them to help then they will usually do so. Think about the people you know and come into contact with. Into which categories do they fall?Make the most of the first category. Talk to them about your goals and plans, share your dreams. These people will then be thinking of ways in which they can help you. Suddenly you have a team, all working towards your better life! Now look at the third category. You need to engage with these people and ask for their help where and when you need it. Some of them may be experts in what you need to know. Some of them may have already achieved similar goals and have valuable experiences from which you can learn. Some of them may know someone who can help you. You need to network and increase your contacts. The more people you know, the more potential help you have. As for the middle group, it will take a lot of your time and energy to change their minds and turn them into a help rather than a hindrance. Unless their support is essential, it is often better to just avoid them and focus your attention elsewhere. Now, how about you? You are potentially your biggest helper. Visualise your success – imagine the positive outcomes of achieving your goals then keep that picture in mind. Think of it often. The stronger and clearer that picture is, the more motivated and committed you are and the more likely your success. Persistence is key. J.K. Rowling (who, you must admit, is successful whether you like Harry Potter or not) was rejected by 12 publishers before she found her lucky thirteenth. Giving up is the surest route to failure. Think positive – persist! Ask yourself: “What positive step can I take today towards my goals?” If you take one small step each day, that is 365 steps in a single year. Imagine where 365 steps could take you! Just one action per week would be 52 per year, which could be enough. Think about it. What could you do today? Working through Change If you work within an organisation, you are subject to change. Of course, this is true just by being alive but the workplace is where change most often feels like something that is beyond our control. Whether it is the computer system, the entire staffing structure or even just the location of the water-cooler, the old cliché that change is constant has never felt more true. So is it really beyond our control? Well, yes and no. We sometimes may not be involved in the strategic decisions that affect our working lives but we can choose our reaction to them. Do we complain? Stick our heads in the sand? Pretend it is not happening? Or do we engage? Ask questions? Get involved? Maintaining a positive attitude to workplace changes can be difficult but it is guaranteed to give you more job satisfaction than the alternative. One thing is true: all change involves loss. Even if what we are losing is an out-of-date, inefficient, and ‘less fun’ way of working, it is still a loss. Even if we are glad to lose it, it is still a loss. So, what happens to us when we are faced with loss? A common model used for workplace change is an adaptation of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’s theory about loss and grieving, which states that we go through a number of distinct stages, such as: 1) Denial – “I don’t believe it.”; “It will never happen here.” 2) Resistance – “I won’t do it – you can’t make me.”; “The old way was better.” 3) Exploration – “How will it work with X?”; “What if we tried Y?” 4) Integration – “This is how we do things now.” It may be that you don’t experience all the stages equally or even in this order – people differ – but it’s probably fair to say that this will seem familiar to you. So, a few tips for when you are faced with workplace change: Overcome your nostalgia: we see the past through rose-tinted spectacles; the ‘good old days’ were not necessarily better and whether you like it or not, the future is here to stay, until it changes again. Engage with the change: the above model says that it is natural to want to ignore change. That is true, but think positive and keep yourself in the loop. Otherwise, you be left out as your more forward-thinking colleagues go on to build their reputations and careers, influence the changes as they happen and even enjoy themselves in the process. Accept that mistakes happen: poor communication, missed opportunities, failure to consult – no project (or project manager) is perfect and oversights will occur. If you can be constructive about these problems, this is your chance to… Get involved: ask questions, make suggestions, look for a role that you can fill. Help make the change a success and you can look back on the process with pride rather than resentment. Change has always been with us in the corporate environment; the difference is that the pace of change has increased and will probably continue to do so. Remember: think positive! Change is not your punishment; it is your opportunity. Back To Top Motivating Others Motivation often comes down to individuals and circumstances and what works today may not work tomorrow, which is why it can feel difficult and time-consuming. But work done willingly is always better than work done unwillingly and your people's commitment to their work is worth its weight in gold (even at today's prices!) so let's 'think positive' and take a look at motivation. There is a huge amount of research and theory on what motivates people in the workplace (e.g. McGregor's X and Y or Reiss's 16 basic desires), how personality types can influence an individual's motivation (e.g. the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) and there are models to help us examine how self-awareness influences motivation (e.g. the Johari Window), but a starting point would be Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Abraham Maslow's psychological research led him to identify a pyramid or hierarchy of personal needs common to all of us: self-actualisation – achievement of full personal potential self-esteem – independence, recognition, respect social – sense of belonging, friendship, love safety & security – protection, shelter physiological – food & drink, warmth Each of these needs depends upon those beneath it receiving some satisfaction. In other words, you can provide all the coaching and personal development training you like (to meet Need#1), but if the individual feels that they receive no credit for their good work then your coaching will not motivate them (because Need#2 is not being met.) Furthermore, to illustrate how people's personal lives and working lives cannot easily be separated: you can give someone a public thank you for all their hard work at the team conference (to meet Need#2 and maybe even #3) but that will mean very little to them if they are having trouble paying the mortgage (Need#4 is under threat.) So, what people need in order to feel motivated will vary from individual to individual and from one day to the next. What can you do? First: 'think positive' (of course!) Second: communicate. Talk with your people. You need to know how they feel; what is going on for them in the workplace. That doesn't mean you should pry or be too invasive with your questions, but you can and should show an interest. Give them the opportunity to tell you what they need. And when they do, you acknowledge that need, show you understand that need and, where possible, meet that need. Granted there may be some factors or incentives that are not within your control. Do acknowledge their existence, but devote your energies to that which you can provide. Finally, how often should you do this? "People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing that's why we recommend it daily." -- Zig Ziglar (motivational speaker) Ask yourself: “How motivational a manager am I?” Conflict Management Workplace conflict is common. With the increasing complexity of projects, products, marketing, strategy, policy, leadership, etc. it is inevitable that people will have differences of attitude, view, belief, opinion, value or need. This is often seen as a bad thing but wait... good decisions are those that take into account a number of perspectives. Without conflict we lose richness and our decisions lack depth. The more views taken into account in the decision-making, the less chance that the course of action will fail later on. Your art as a leader, lies in thinking positively about conflict and seeing it for the valuable phenomenon it is. So how do you navigate the conflict and resolve it as quickly and efficiently as possible without losing the benefits? Here is a model which may help. Kenneth Thomas and Ralph Kilmann's research during the 1970s identified five basic modes of approaching conflict based on the levels of importance you attach to your own needs and to the needs of the other person: Competing – your needs are paramount – you stand up for what you think is right or, perhaps, simply try to win. It may be that you see achieving your objective as more important than preserving the relationship. Good for quick decisions but it may come across as harsh. Accommodating – the opposite of Competing – perhaps you don't care about the issue or maybe harmony is more important. Unlikely to lead to the best decision, but you may be able to demand a favour in return later. Avoiding – attaching no importance to either your needs or theirs – sidestepping the conflict; it may buy you time, but it does not resolve the differences. Only really appropriate where the issue is trivial and everybody's attention should be on more important matters. Collaborating – the opposite of Avoiding – a genuine attempt to satisfy everybody's needs. Sometimes time-intensive, but if parties are committed, it can lead to new and original solutions. The only true 'win-win' approach. Good for situations in which a good quality decision is essential; where quality is more important than speed. Compromising – all needs are important but it is acknowledged that not all needs can be met – agreement is reached but nobody gets everything that they want; it is democratic but not always satisfying. Useful where a deadline may be looming or where any solution is better than none. Ultimately, the 'correct' approach depends on the situation, how much time you have and the relative roles of the people involved (politics is always a powerful factor.) Next time you are faced with managing a conflict with or among your people, why not take a moment to think about which of the five approaches is the most positive to take? Back To Top Your image – what does it say? Your image can be positive or negative. There is 'self-image' (how you see yourself) and 'public image' (how others see you.) They are often quite different but they both depend on similar factors. So if you want to 'think positive' about changing or improving your image, the same positive steps will impact on both. But is it really important what other people think of you? It may seem self-evident that you would want a good self-image, but does your public image matter so much? Well, firstly most of us like to be liked. Maybe that shouldn't be so powerful (and it certainly should not be your only source of self-esteem) but in reality if someone we like also likes us, then that feels good (and so boosts our self-image.) Secondly, pragmatically speaking, you might need something: co-operation from a colleague, a favour from a friend, or a sale from a customer. How freely they give it will be influenced by their opinion of you. That's the way the world is. Clothes As the old saying goes, “The clothes maketh the man.” (and woman!) First impressions are formed from your appearance. Every social situation – the office, the pub, the funeral, the country walk - has its uniform: a set of clothes that is 'appropriate'. There are times when you want to wear that uniform and others when you don't. Do you want to fit in? Or do you want to stand out? You decide. Health & Grooming Like it or not, we are programmed by modern society to respond to people who are clean, fit and well-groomed; just look through a fashion magazine. If you eat healthily, look after your skin and hair and take some regular exercise then by today's standards, your appearance will be improved. Words Just as there is a uniform, there is also an accepted manner of speech depending on the situation. Whether business jargon in the office or football chants on the terraces, adopting the speech of those around you can create a positive image. Equally, it is not only the words you use but also how you use them. Do you interrupt people or wait until they've finished? Do you dismiss opposing views or politely disagree? Your language and way of speaking are a powerful part of your image. Actions It is not only your words that communicate to others. Your posture, your gestures, your movements all speak loudly. Likewise, your behaviour is also part of your image. For example, if you hold a door open for the person behind you they instantly see you as a kind and considerate person; if you let it slam in their face, they don't. Simple, small actions tell others about you. However, it is important to stress that this is not about having to change your personality. Your identity is complex and multi-faceted. Using your image to your advantage is about knowing yourself well and then deciding positively on what part of you to present in any given situation. So, think about the image you project in different situations. Is it what you want? Audit your Life “It is in the moment of decision-making that your destiny is formed.” – Tony Robbins That’s quite a statement. There is no escaping that it is the decisions you make that shape your life. Our personal development does not stop once we reach adulthood; it merely enters a new phase. The world changes around you and your position in the world changes as you proceed through life. The key is to bring a positive attitude to life and take control of the changes to become who you want to be. We all have aspects of our lives that we wish were better or different in some way. But how do we get what we want? Cross our fingers? Trust to luck? Wait for someone else to do it for us? Well, I’m afraid that not only can no-one change your life quite like you can, in fact you are the only one who can do it. So you want to move forward? Think positive and make it happen. But how? Successful change in life is all about goals; setting them, working towards them, achieving them, reviewing them. It is only through clear goals and then definite actions towards those goals that we achieve improvement and change. But before you go rushing in and making the destiny-forming decisions that Tony Robbins was talking about, you might want to step back for a moment, and consider... If you want to make the best possible decision, set the best possible goals, then you need the best possible information. This is where completing a ‘life audit’ exercise such as the assessment questionnaire in the Clean Sweep Programme can help you. A life audit is an exercise in which you objectively and positively assess the key areas of your life: physical environment, well-being, money and relationships. This process encourages and enables you to look at conflicts in your life; your friends, family and colleagues; any self-destructive behaviours; your current situation and future direction. By completing an audit of this type you will find it easier to identify areas in your life in which you would like to make changes. In other words, you will clearly see the goals you should be setting. Let’s take a moment to stress the importance of honesty. A good life audit such as Clean Sweep will demand answers to some difficult or uncomfortable questions. There is no point in telling any less than the truth. The only person you would be fooling is yourself and the danger would be that you use the wrong or incomplete results to make important decisions about your life. Sometimes it helps to have a structured set of questions to help you take stock. To help you see clearly where you want to be. When it comes to self-awareness, there is no such thing as too much information. So take control today – think positive and give your life a rigorous audit. Balancing your Targets Key Performance Indicators or KPIs; love them or hate them, they are the reality of modern organisational life. There is even a free-to-join, online KPI library (www.kpilibrary.com) searchable by keyword to help you design or improve your own KPIs. Often dismissed as ‘bean-counting’, KPIs fulfil an important function: they help an organisation define what constitutes success and then measure to what extent it has achieved that success. However, it is often easy to view KPIs negatively. For example, there may be too many targets or targets that focus on the wrong issues. It can also be difficult to monitor progress; for example, staff empowerment is difficult to quantify. Furthermore, once a KPI is set, the organisation can be reluctant to change it because then performance cannot be compared to that of previous years. Likewise, if you want to benchmark your performance against your competitors then you need to have the same KPIs. But enough of the problems. How do we start to think positively about KPIs? How do you find your way through the tangled priorities? The way in which your organisation measures and discusses its KPIs may give some clues as to their relative importance. Which KPIs are regularly mentioned in e-mails, presentations and conferences? If the top management team appears to focus on certain KPIs then in practical terms, so should you. Sometimes, the KPI with the worst performance against target will become, temporarily, the most important to achieve. As a manager or executive you can anticipate such trends by monitoring all of your targets that contribute towards KPIs and manage a balanced performance by your team(s). “Balanced” is a key word. In 1996, Kaplan and Norton launched their Balanced Scorecard, a method of categorising your KPIs and ensuring that all aspects of the business receive appropriate attention. If you type “balanced scorecard” into amazon.com today, there are 6,601 books available on the subject! The Balanced Scorecard places KPIs and targets under four headings: financial performance, customer knowledge, internal processes and learning & growth. When was the last time you considered these four factors for your team? The day-to-day pressures of business mean that most managers focus on just one or two. Customers are easily focused upon – sales, marketing, this is the income generating work that is of clear importance. Learning is by now a familiar priority, not least because of national standards such as Investors in People, although how often does training take a backseat when targets are suffering? Financial Performance is easier to measure, but it is tempting to leave the financial stability and growth of the organisation to others (unless you are the Finance Director!) How does your team contribute? How well is your budget spent and managed? As for Internal Processes, this is an issue that can be ignored by people saying, “We’ve always done it this way.” and “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” But there is always a better way to perform and a manager with focus can point the way to finding it. KPIs and targets are such familiar terms that they often form part of the ‘corporate wallpaper’, vanishing into the background as more pressing daily priorities take your attention. Why not think positive and give yourself a KPI ‘assessment’? How aligned to the organisation’s goals are you? You may be surprised at what you find. Back To Top Think Positive in your Life What do you really want from your life? Have you got it? Have you unlocked your full potential or are you still looking for the key? There may be several locks on your potential: ability, opportunity, motivation, but the first key you need is always attitude. Without a positive frame of mind, you may not even find the door. Thinking positively is crucial to your success. It has often been said that perception is nine-tenths of what you see. If what you see is your own lack of ability, lack of opportunity and resultant lack of motivation to do the things you want to do, then maybe it's time to change your perception. Remember a time when you were thinking negatively, perhaps it was “I'm not good at managing my money.” or “I won't get that promotion.” or even “I don't deserve to be happy.”? Did it turn out to be true? Probably. Imagine if you really believed that you were good with money. Imagine if you really believed you were ready and able to be promoted. Imagine if you really believed you deserved to be happy. If you believe it then you have taken the first, and most difficult, step to making it true. Now remember a time when you felt confident, when you knew that you could do what you were asking of yourself, when you were thinking positively. Not only did you most likely succeed, you probably had fun doing it as well. Sometimes, a change to positive thinking seems too big. If so, don't give up, instead imagine you are changing gears in a car. You wouldn't shift from reverse to forward in one change, would you? No, first you would put the gears into neutral. So, if you find your thinking is negative, just ask yourself, “What assumptions am I making about this situation?” What hard facts do you really have that are telling you that it can't be done? Probably very few. Usually we make assumptions, particularly in our dealings with other people. Be honest: you don't really know the other person's views, thoughts and intentions; you don't really know that they won't agree with you / support you / believe you / help you. Those are assumptions based on either their previous behaviour, something you've heard from someone else or even just your own fear of success. So shift the gears into neutral and acknowledge that you don't really know that you won't succeed. Based on what you actually know, success is entirely possible. Now that you know that you can succeed, you're on the way to believing that you will succeed. Having shifted the gears to neutral, you can now shift to 'think positive' and move forward, looking for ways to bring about your success. Whatever it may look like. Thinking positively centres on the fact that your frame of mind is your most powerful tool in life. Think Positive in your Work Do you remember a time when you were more enthusiastic in your work? Even passionate? When you felt you could make a difference? When every day was another opportunity? If that has faded over time, perhaps it's time to think positive. Would you like to feel that way again? What can think positive give you? By thinking positively you can have: improved performance, more productivity, better teamwork and less stress. Thinking positively helps you: stay focused on solutions and get the job done; give yourself the chance to succeed; be clear about your team's strengths and make the most of them; be a role model (and even an inspiration) to those around you; know what you want and what you need and also know that you are entitled to ask for both. The first step is attitude. The step is to 'think positive'. As a busy manager or executive your are beset by conflicting issues: KPIs, targets, team performance, corporate politics, staff development, customer demands, etc., etc. When was the last time you thought to yourself, “We can't do this; it's too much.”? Were you right? Probably. What if your starting point had been, “We can do this, I just don't know how yet.”? The first attitude shuts down the problem and expects failure. The second attitude invites success. The second attitude is thinking positively. The way forward might be straightforward, it might be convoluted and complex. But if you begin by believing there is no way forward then you certainly won't find it. We find what we expect to find. If you tell yourself, “We can't.” then you won't. Thinking positively is believing otherwise – knowing that the solution is there, waiting for you and your team to create it. By way of analogy, in martial arts there is not only the action (the blow, the block, the push, the throw) there is also the intent behind the action. Without the correct intent, the action is empty and likely to fail. In your work, what is your intent? Are you focussed on where you want your career to be? Do you project your team towards a successful future? Or are your actions empty and by rote? Thinking positively is not self-delusion. It is not ignoring the facts. It is not a magic spell or good luck charm. Thinking positively does not guarantee success – success depends on you. However, with a 'think positive' frame of mind, you are more open to opportunities, more aware of the benefits in every situation and interaction, you are looking for success. Think positive gives you the motivation to make your success happen and so you are more likely to succeed. It is as simple and difficult as that. What kind of manager or executive do you want to be? How do you want others to see you? Nobody wants to be seen as defeated or depressed. The people around you want hope and motivation. By thinking positively you can give them that hope and motivation and move forward together. Code of Ethics  THINK POSITIVE - Antonio Marsocci 114B Endymion Road London SW2 2BP tel. : +44 (0)208 678 7378