Our Mindset governs what we do and relies on our 'Belief System' to give focus to knowing if we can or can not achieve something. This model shows that our behaviour is driven by our beliefs. We cannot act unless we have a thought on which to initiate the action. There is always a reason why we do what we do; actions do not just spring up completely without cause. The results are based on actions we take and the thoughts and beliefs we hold close.
The Comfort Stretch and Panic Zone Model is simple, easy to use and recognises how can understand oneself or others and why reactions in different situations are so varied. It takes into account how we are continually changing – how we are dynamic systems - so what is ‘in’ a zone today might be in a different one tomorrow or in a month’s time. If I work through a period of substantial change in my Stretch Zone, I can extend my Comfort Zone. Although if that change is unwelcome or imposed on me by ‘circumstances’ I am likely to resist [...]
I recently facilitated a Leadership and Management Development workshop for a group of senior managers where the topic of the day was ‘Manager as a Coach’. It was an interesting day that highlighted the intrinsic relationship between coaching and team development and the result when a manager as a coach is absent. “I haven’t got time for that as well as manage the team’ This is a common barrier. Time-strapped managers often will get on with their own work whilst also taking on work from colleagues just to get the job done, rather than sitting down and coaching their teams. [...]
One of my favourite topics to discuss on any training course, whether that be on management development, leadership development, team development or sales development training courses is Perspective. It is a favourite topic because, firstly when people understand how it works it can have so much movement as part of people’s development. My other reason, it is one of those things that everyone does exceptionally well, operating from their own perspective. To connect to the people around us effectively we need to first understand how we perceive the world and then how others perceive it. Our Perceptions We all [...]
I was recently running a Presentation Skills workshop, which is one of my favourite courses to run. Seeing the change that people can make when they receive just a little feedback is very rewarding. During this workshop we were looking particularly at how people co-present in pairs or in groups. I introduced the workshop delegates to my theory “the Boy Band Technique”. Cast your mind back to the late 90’s, for those of us that have that memory, for those a little younger I should still be able to explain this one. In the late 90’s there was a [...]
It is true that no one knows how to complete a task in your department like you do. You have worked hard all of your career to become a manager and built your team up around you to be successful. You, the manager, understand all of the component parts that come together to get things done. You live and breathe the work you do, which is why you can get things done faster than most. When looking at the development of a team, understanding how team members go from the enthusiastic beginner right up to the most self-reliant achiever, [...]
When managing issues around employee engagement, productivity or performance in any business; creating a sense of trust is one of the key factors to consider. Trust is the foundation of all relationships and interactions; it is just as important in professional relationships as it is in personal ones. When you find poor productivity and performance within a team environment, you can be sure a level of mistrust lies at the heart of the issue. A business that creates a strong sense of trust in the workplace, and actively encourages Leaders, Managers and Team Members to build trusting relationships is [...]
“What would be your Superhero power?” This is the question posed to me on a recent management development programme. At lunch time we had got to talking about the most recent Avengers movie, which had all the Superheroes, all the powers. We all stepped in to the superhero world together and discussed the merits of which one we would be and the powers we would have. Wonder-woman and Superman did quite well in the discussion, followed by Captain Marvel (but I think this could be spoilers for a new film). What does the debate over Superhero’s have to do with Management, [...]
Organisations the world over are only as good as the team of people working within that business. The success of the business is driven by the performance everyone. Ultimately the managers that drive that performance are responsible. However, many of the conversations I have with managers on development programmes are about how they can put in to context “What good looks like?”. They seem to fall in to a trap of not delegating soon enough and hindering the development of within teams. Recently when working with a great group of aspiring managers taking part in a “Stepping in to Managment” [...]
This blog is the last in a series of blogs exploring Emotional Intelligence. Looking at ways to be able to develop and enhance our own perceived levels of Emotional Intelligence. I say it is the last but it is such a great subject that there will be more. What is Emotional Intelligence? To gain a greater understanding you can read a previous blog What is Emotional Intelligence and How Can I develop it, for more detail. However, Emotional intelligence is all about how well you understand your own emotions and the emotions of others, and the ability to identify [...]
