A Quality Product

I was visiting a local organic farm this morning and was struck again at how unquestionably great food tastes when it is fresh, and untainted by preservatives and chemicals (not to mention the mental "comfort" that comes from knowing its local & socially responsible).

It comes back to the idea of doing something really really well. How often we try to do so many different things at once and are never really completely happy with the results we deliver. Have a think over the last week; how many things did you deliver that you were entirely happy with?

What one thing will you do next week without compromising on quality? Who will you surprise by reminding them what great looks like?

Please see my website at www.managingforthefirsttime.com for more techniques, tips and advice on this topic and others.

GTD and Beyond - Making Ideas Happen

I have often blogged about GTD and ways to keep focussed on the right activities.  I have also spoken numerous times with colleagues about the opportunities which it presents to be more productive and feel more in control.

However, it is still only a system which requires actioning to generate actual achievement.  Other authors such as Seth Godin seem to approach from the other end and start with the execution first (See, 'Ship It').

What is often missing is the middle piece, the practical advice on what happens day to day in between the system and the shipping.

I've been reading a book by Scott Belsky called Making Ideas Happen.  It suggests a focus on creative types that struggle to deliver beyond the idea, but really,  the concepts within are completely transferrable to everyone.

What I like is that it covers the process as a whole with real world advice which complements systems and approaches which I current use.  It's split into 3 distinct areas:

1. Organisation and Execution - The GTD bit
2. The Forces of Community - How to engage others to make your things happen
3. Leadership Capability - The steps you need to take to actually see it through

I really couldn't put this one down.  Would recommend this to anyone struggling with seeing it all through to the moment of achievement and success.

Please see my website at www.managingforthefirsttime.com for more techniques, tips and advice on this topic and others.

Is Your Message Understood?

Last year I wrote a post about the appropriateness of feedback.  It talked about the purpose of giving feedback. Once you get this right however, how to you ensure it is effective and therefore understood.

How many times have you given feedback which has seemed to go well only to find shock and surprise the next time it comes up in discussion. It is also worth remembering that, in my experience, the seriousness of the feedback is directly proportional to the potential misunderstanding.  So you need to get it right.

Also, remember that giving feedback is hard, so others are unlikely to giving this exact same honest and constructive feedback. This will be confusing to the employee and they will be trying to reconcile the difference of views in their head. You must be clear in your message to ensure that they don't just choose to believe the contrary (easier) feedback rather than yours.

So how do you do this?

1. Clarify and Confirm
In the world of change management (in this case individual change) you need to expect to confirm the feedback 5 to 7 times in order for something it to be understood (Prosci).  Don't assume that it was taken in the first time.Repeat, revisit, clarify and continue to give examples as they occur.

2. Increase the Quality of the Feedback
I've seen something similar in the past but the ICO concisely state that good communication is:

• "Defined as two-way, appropriate to the audience, medium and message, and is in correct, clear language. 
• Honest, relevant, timely, appropriate, useful, inclusive and authoritative."

Make sure that you are giving the feedback as clear as you can.  Practice it if you have to but don't shirk from your responsibility of getting this bit right.

3. Check for Understanding
Check for active listening - Ask for them to confirm it back to you, in their own words.  This is a great way to see what they have heard.  Repeat the key message if you feel you didn't quite get the response you were hoping for.

4. Regular Reinforcement
If you don't follow it up, they won't think it was more than a passing viewpoint, even if it was thoroughly delivered at the time.  Take the time to refer back to it, either in positive changes you've seen or to reinforce continuing issues you are yet to see required improvements in.  Do this frequently to ensure the message is understood in that initial period of time.

If you find that things just don't work out then there are unlikely to be no surprises.  In many cases, if the employee has bought into the situation due to fully understanding the issue (they may not agree with it but they will understand the feedback), they may even resolve the situation themselves by finding other opportunities under their own steam.

However, on the positive side, an employee who does make the change is likely to respect and reflect positively on the experience (at least after the fact).  Don't also forget the influence that your action has on others.  They will see this action and it sets a powerful message that you and the team work towards a core value of improvement and high performance.

With all of this, you must prepare and have courage.  Nothing in life of any importance is easy.  Commit to it and reap the benefits.

Please see my website at www.managingforthefirsttime.com for more techniques, tips and advice on this topic and others.

Drop it!

I've been thinking about a post I've been trying to write for more than week now.  I just can't seem to get it right.  I finally decided today, if its not going to work, drop it and move on.

So I did.

Its ok to stop the struggle if its just not working.  The minute I made the decision, my mind cleared and I could focus again on other things, including the very learning point I decided to write about here.

Is there something big stopping you from moving forward?

Please see my website at www.managingforthefirsttime.com for more techniques, tips and advice on this topic and others.

Even the bad weeks can be a blast

I've just had one of those weeks where every mistake that could have occurred, did.  Its tough for you and the team during these times to stay positive.

What you must do however is understand what was driving those mistakes and treat them as a opportunity to improve.  Picture what it would be like in a week, month or years time when that mistake is a thing of the past.  There will be new challenges by then but not that one again.

Its amazing how positive that belief can be for your own motivation (effectively balancing out the negative reactions to the initial problem).  And just remember how much effect your attitude has on the team around you.

So stay positive, even the bad weeks can be a blast.

Please see my website at www.managingforthefirsttime.com for more techniques, tips and advice on this topic and others.

Reactions to Guidelines and Frameworks for Personal Development

There has been a lot of talk over the past week or two in the UK about the government's new five a day parenting guidelines.

A positive article from the BBC can be found here whilst a more scathing one from The Telegraph can be found here.

This has sparked a great debate about whether people should be told or even helped in the 'right' way to raise their child. On one side, the argument is that parents who don't know should be helped through guidelines and education. On the other, parents should be left to do the right thing for their child rather than a one size fits all approach.

Intervention

A lot of the debate is around the word 'intervention' (which I particularly dislike, but seems to have become the word of choice in training and development circles).

The 5 a day proponents say that this is not intervention anyway, merely proportional help and that without it further intervention may be inevitable later in life (schooling/social/criminal etc problems) if the parent fails in the role. The opponents clearly don't agree with intervention at an early stage.

So I guess the question is what does the parent need and how best to identify and then satisfy that development need. This same situation appears in the workplace all the time.

How do you help people to understand something that they might not currently even have awareness of?  Intervention is only intervention (assuming the negative connotation) when it be forced upon a person who already has awareness and have chosen to either develop in a certain and different way, or not at all, but with a rationale behind their choice.

Just a reference point?

I honestly can't see why guidance and a framework aren't a great place to start. Those with awareness can find their place in that framework and develop from there. Those with no awareness might just have their eyes opened to the possibility and pathway to develop. Surely that's a win-win and doesn't sound like a 'one size fits all' at all.

Those ready to fight it seem to want to fight whether it's right or not, whether it's needed or not.  They don't seem open to the idea that everyone can improve and be ready to ask themselves "where am I in this framework and do I need to do something to develop". Perhaps it's a fear thing, to analyse yourself.  Blame the framework, rather than focus on themselves and how best to use the information to their advantage.

I'm sure that you see this type of behaviour in the workplace all the time. People who think their way is the right way without referencing outside influences or new ideas. You must constantly challenge this with new ideas and external reference points. Challenge your team to be unafraid to constantly reassess.  The answer might be that they are in the right place already, but it's good to check.

There is nothing to fear and everything to gain. Try and help them understand that.

Please see my website at www.managingforthefirsttime.com for more techniques, tips and advice on this topic and others.

You're not really a leader until...

I was recently watching the film "The Core" when I heard this dialogue.


Col. Robert Iverson: Being a leader isn't about ability. It's about responsibility.
Maj. Rebecca Childs: Got it, sir.
Col. Robert Iverson: No you don't, Beck. I mean, you're not just responsible for the good ones. You've got to be responsible for the bad ones. You've got to be ready to make the shitty call.
Maj. Rebecca Childs: What makes you think I'm not?
Col. Robert Iverson: Because you're so damn good. You haven't hit anything you couldn't beat. I mean, hell, you were the one who figured out how to save the space shuttle. You made me, you made the rest of NASA just look like an ass. It's just you're used to winning... and you're not really a leader until you've lost.

Couldn't have put it better myself; so I won't.

Please see my website at www.managingforthefirsttime.com for more techniques, tips and advice on this topic and others.

Audits - Prepare Yourself

I’m always slightly amused by the fear that comes over everyone when they are told an audit is due.

The issue is that we are all sometimes guilty of only using the frameworks audited against every year (or however often they are audited) in the month the audit is due. You go into the cabinet and dust off the folder of materials from last time and then update; making it up as best as you can to try and score the most points.

Sound familiar?  Don't you want to get the best score?

Begin with the outcome in mind. It is worth remembering an audit’s purpose.

The definition of the word is to conduct a systematic review of and its origin is from late middle english from the Latin auditus ‘hearing’ deriving from audire ‘hear’.

It’s this point that staggers me every time, the fact that (unless your job depends on a certain ‘score’; and how often does that actually happen) the value of the audit is in your listening to the feedback.

Don’t see the one day audit as something in which you have to justify your team’s processes and performance against; see it as your own private consultant who has just spent eight hours looking for ways to help you improve what you and your team does.

Don’t fear an audit, embrace it.

Please see my website at www.managingforthefirsttime.com for more techniques, tips and advice on this topic and others.

(Photo by DaveFayram via flickr used under a creative Commons Licence)

Do you play the game?

We were awaiting the outcome of a big decision today which wasn't within our control. We couldn't control the outcome, we could just play the game to the best of our abilities; (or not at all).

The outcome today was no, negative, sorry, not this time (insert any rejection wording here). We played and didn't win.

We were afraid this might happen but we played anyway. We feel pretty disappointed about the outcome which wasn't the one we wanted.

Despite the disappointment, I'm glad we gave it our best shot rather than considering what might have been.

How would you feel if you didn't play?

#Trust30