MOMENTUM BLOG
The Mini Me in Listening
What is Mini Me saying when someone else is speaking? A few common examples:
“I wish she would get to the point.”
“He has no idea what he’s talking about.”
“I already know this.”
“I completely disagree.”
“I’ve been there, done that.”
“My way would be so much better.”
“I have so many things I need to be doing right now.”
“What am I going to have for lunch?”
How to Lead by Example
You have the power to choose your leadership style, but the one aspect of your style you can’t choose is leading by example. You truly have no choice but to intentionally practice it, as it will happen whether or not you choose to do so.
Focusing on Change Over Results
“IF YOU FOCUS ON RESULTS, YOU WILL NEVER CHANGE. IF YOU FOCUS ON CHANGE, YOU WILL GET RESULTS.”
The Customer is Always Right?
“The customer is always right” is a phrase pioneered by Harry Gordon Selfridge, John Wanamaker and Marshall Field, highly successful retailers who understood that the success of their stores depended on the happiness of their customers.
But First, Integrity
I believe that so many of our other key fundamentals are rooted in integrity, for example:
Honor commitments
Be accountable
Respect confidentiality
Practice blameless problem solving
Fix problems at the source
Appreciate and acknowledge
Speak straight, respectfully
Always do your best
Please Respond...
Your lack of response, timeliness or enthusiasm signals to team members that urgency is not expected or required. Further, during this current time of uncertainty, they look to you to provide necessary structure to rely on.
Good Leaders are Good Learners
As a leader, it is imperative that you practice continual learning. Good leaders are good learners. You have demonstrated learned knowledge and skills in getting to a leadership position, but now is when you need to develop a laser focus on learning more.
Accountability is Contagious
Failing to hold yourself and your team accountable, essentially creates a culture in which fulfilling responsibilities, assignments and promises is not expected. Clearly, not a culture which breeds engagement or high performance.
Coaching with Heart
The core of a successful coaching relationship is a bond of mutual trust. Both coach and client need to trust one another in order to openly and honestly explore both existing and potential new emotions, thought patterns and behaviors.
My Phone is Way More Important than You
THERE ARE BENEFITS TO BOTH PARTIES FROM LISTENING WELL:
Higher productivity – problems solved faster with fewer duplicated efforts or heated arguments
Increased trust – listening to individuals generates respect and trust
Fewer mistakes – information received is more accurate
Increased confidence – self-esteem goes up when we feel we are heard
Is the Problem THAT Guy...?
Before reacting emotionally, consider the probability that the individual does not intend to be combative. Most people are, in fact, honest and well-meaning. Look for positive intent from them and make sure you are communicating your own.
Thank You For Your Help!
If you wish to truly motivate your team to a higher level of performance, try going a little deeper than a blanket “thank you.”
It's a Matter of Trust
In the workplace, trust is vital in many areas:
Employees trust that you will keep their personal information confidential, including discussions or actions related to that information.
Management and shareholders trust that financial data, proprietary information, trade secrets, processes and plans will not be shared with others unless agreed and/or required.
Management trusts that customers will pay for products and services delivered – and trust that they have recourse if that doesn’t happen in a timely manner.
Most importantly, it’s critical that your team trust you as a leader. You may demonstrate trustworthiness in many ways: respecting confidentiality, consistently evidencing ethical behavior, being accountable for your commitments and allowing the open and blameless exchange of ideas. If they trust you, they can follow you.
Blame or Accountability?
Blame is not accountability.
While blame can be conferred on someone else, accountability is engagement and ownership we impose on ourselves. I cannot hold you accountable if you do not do so yourself.
Service is 360
Altruism - unselfish regard for or devotion to the welfare of others - can:
Feel good – altruism has been proven by studies at NIH to promote changes in the brain associated with happiness.
2. Reduce isolation and impart a feeling of belonging .
3. Reduce stress and feelings of negativity .
4. Give perspective .
5. Be contagious.
What is there to gain from a zero-sum game?
All our life, we learn to make decisions and conclusions, then defend them. Once we determine we are right, we cling to that “rightness”, often despite evidence we may be wrong. Our egos get in the way of changing our minds.
Continuously seek to improve the impact we make
Curiosity is one of my core values and I enjoy practicing it, through:
Proactive reading, listening, questioning and conversing
Thoughtful sifting, consideration, and discussion of new information
Planning as to appropriate applications
Demonstrate Urgency in Response Time & Follow Up
When you commit to doing something or being somewhere, you hold yourself accountable for doing it accurately and in the time promised.
Practice Blameless Problem Solving
A basic tenet of our coaching practice at Momentum Consulting is accountability, an essential component of executive leadership training, both with individuals and teams. Those of you familiar with us have surely heard one of us say “…there’s no blame in accountability, and no accountability in blame”.
Deliver Results
it is the responsibility of leaders to choose goals that matter. Only then does the necessary system of waterfalling those goals through the organization with key OKRs (objectives and key results) work effectively.
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