Is your company culture like this cartoon?

October 13th, 2010

At a recent coaching session, I was talking with the client about how the new leaders in their business want – and need –  to be viewed when they take over the reins of the company from the two owners (I am currently doing a succession plan for them).

"When leaders look down, all they see is cr@p. When staff look up, all they see is a#seholes!"

"When leaders look down, all they see is cr@p. When staff look up, all they see is a#seholes!"

One of the owners sent me this cartoon after the session (as a joke, I hasten to add, it is definitely NOT indicative of the client’s business – far from it!).

However, it IS indicative of many organizations – I’ve been in a couple of them myself!

And I’m sure many people reading this can identify with the view from both looking down from a leadership perspective and looking up as an employee. And many people in middle management can no doubt identify with the view from both directions – middle management is a tough place to be sometimes!

Whatever your situation, the one very important thing to remember is this:

Take away all the staff working in the company (or team), & what do you have? Yes, the usual “a lot less hassle!” type of jokes come to mind, but the serious point is that without the people, all you have is an empty building with a sign on the wall outside.

Without people, there is no business.

That applies both ways – for leaders, no staff = no business. But for many staff, no leaders = no business  too… which = no job.

Leaders often forget their personal responsibility in the organization, & blame their staff.

Staff often forget their personal responsibility as a staff member, & absolve that responsibility and blame everyone & anyone else.

Leaders, you are personally responsible for making things happen. You are responsible for your staff.  It sounds basic, but so many leaders forget their basic responsibilities. Leaders, you are responsible for forging & driving the strategy; you are responsible for delegating the work and following up to make sure it is done on time & to the required standard; you are responsible for recruiting, training, developing, motivating, inspiring & looking after your staff.  If they are not performing, or if they are performing well, you are ultimately responsible. Whatever company you’re in, these things are key elements of your basic job spec as a leader.

Staff, you are personally responsible for delivering on what you say you will deliver on. You are responsible for asking questions if you don’t understand; you are responsible for asking for resources if you don’t have them; you are responsible for asking for work if you’re not getting what you want; you are responsible for saying if you can’t meet the deadline. Whatever company you’re in, these things are key elements of your basic job spec as a staff member.

Both sides – leaders and staff – are personally and equally responsible for the outcomes.

When an organization recognizes this, & both leaders and staff take on that personal responsibility, that’s when the organization flies  – not just in terms of productivity & profit, but also in terms happier people, a more stable workplace with low staff turnover, knowledge sharing, etc. That is true teamwork  – a place where all people feel empowered & enjoy coming to work.

That’s why the productivity & profit goes up!

So, to conclude:

Leaders – stop cr@pping on people & expecting them to like it! Take responsibility for your side of the equation & fulfill your basic job spec.

Leaders aren‘t created overnight. Strong leadership is something you need to develop every day. And remember, perception IS the reality!

Remember your staff are your organisation.  You need to understand the likely impact f your decisions & behaviour on your team. You must have a full awareness of your leadership style – and continually assess what your team’s perception of you is. It really is all about them, not you.

Staff – stop whining about the a#seholes above you. Take personal responsibility for your side of the deal & fulfill your basic job spec.

And if neither of you can do those things, then maybe it’s time for you to find a new perch!

http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Simon_M._Smith

Posted in 360-degree assessments, 360-degree Emotional Intelligence assessments, 360-degree Leadership assessments, Business Coaching, Coaching, Communication, Difficult conversations, Emotional Intelligence, Emotional Intelligence Coaching, Emotional Intelligence Training, Executive Coaching, Executive Development, Leaderhip training, Leadership Coaching, Leadership Development, Management, Southern Cross Coaching & Development, Staff management, Team Coaching | 1 Comment »

Thinking about Coaching? Take our Coaching Test…

October 12th, 2010

Do you need Coaching? Click here to take the Coaching Test.

Posted in Business Coaching, Career Coaching, Coaching, Executive Coaching, Leadership Coaching, Life Coaching, Smifffffy, Southern Cross Coaching & Development, Team Coaching | No Comments »

Do you get nervous talking to “important” people?

September 9th, 2010

Try this simple but highly effective tip to build your confidence & level the playing field!

Most people get nervous when they have to meet or make a call to a “high status” or “important” person, or someone with a powerful sounding title or position. For example, going in to talk to the boss, meeting the CEO/MD you are having your meeting with, meeting the Director interviewing you for a new job, calling the manager you need to talk to who is a new business prospect…

We all get nervous at times – despite what you may think, it is very, very common – very few people truly possess the seamless, boundless confidence so many seem to project. I regularly come across it in my Leadership & Executive Coaching, Business Coaching, Sales Training, Interview Skills Training – in many areas.

The key is how to deal with & overcome those nerves. There are many reasons for being nervous, & I could write many articles about it, but today I will share one personal tip which I learnt, that works a treat for me & the many people I’ve shared it with.

When I was an officer in the Royal Air Force controlling Air Defence Fighter aircraft (over 15 years ago now), I occasionally used to do things a bit differently to what the 1918 rulebook said. I was sometimes considered to be a bit of a rebel in how I did things & how I led my men – hence I eventually voluntarily left after 10 years, and now run my own business!

One day, I was… um… a bit of a naughty boy, & upset the (in my opinion, old-fashioned!) commanding officer of the base I was on, as he disagreed with the way I lead my team (he was conveniently quite happy for me to cover for him while he went away on holidays for a few days though!).

Unfortunately (for me), he was a higher rank than I was. As a result, I had to go for a telling off (do the Axminster (a type of carpet) Shuffle, as we used to call it) from the Air Officer Commanding (AOC) the entire UK Air Defence Forces – equivalent in rank to an army 5* General (I was a very naughty boy in my boss’s opinion!).

While I was in the Officer’s Mess preparing for my Axminster Shuffle, putting the finishing touches to by my perfectly pressed No.1 uniform & hat,& highly polished shoes, a previous boss from one of my two tours in the Falkland Islands came over to talk to me.

I had always respected Group Captain Mike Goode (Group Captain = army full Colonel equivalent) as a leader, so I stopped & listened intently.

The advice he gave me is the tip I am about to share with you – a tip that has stood me in such good stead ever since.

He said, “Simon, let me give you a little advice that someone gave me when I was in a similar situation many years ago”.

“When you walk into the AOC’s office & salute, imagine the AOC is sat on the toilet with his trousers round his ankles, straining away & trying to have a s#@t. No need to be intimidated, he’s just another human being and s#*#s & f#rts like the rest of us.”

He then smiled, winked & walked off, leaving me almost crying with laughter!

Before I went into the office for my Axminster Shuffle, I imagined exactly what he said. My nervousness completely vanished – in fact, it took all my effort not to smile & burst out laughing when I got in there (that would definitely NOT have helped my case!).

Ever since then, when I’ve had to face someone I felt was of a higher status than I was & feel a bit out of sorts or even downright terrified, I remember Mike’s advice. It always brings a smile to my face & it always makes me feel better!

Try it for yourself – but be careful & have an answer prepared when they ask what you’re smiling at!
Simon is a sought after Executive and Business Coach, & runs his own Coaching & Training business, Southern Cross Coaching & Development (www.southerncrosscoaching.com.au).

If you are interested in talking to Simon about improving your leadership and/or business, give him a call on 02 9474 1005 or email info@southerncrosscoaching.com.au, or contact us via the website at www.southerncrosscoaching.com.au

As I nearly cried with laughter,

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

PASSION SELLS! Are they buying you?

August 11th, 2010

Schools of up to 300+ Hammerhead sharks, churning balls of 10,000 Trevally, turtles, Leopard sharks, Gray Reef sharks, a stunning array of 98% coral cover…

These were some of my daily sights in 1997 when I used to work as a diving instructor at a 5* resort called Layang Layang, a 2000m deep coral island pinnacle 320km north west off the coast of Borneo in the South China Sea. An amazing place to be.

However, one particular day, I remember waking up ready for the first dive of the day with my new dive group, and I was very tired & jaded. I’d had a hard 2 weeks, diving 4 times a day & socialising every night in the bar looking after my last lot guests (yes, tough life I know! – that’s my point, please read on).

That morning, I really wasn’t looking forward to going diving at all. I really was more than a bit over it all. I’d completely lost my passion for it. Yes, even paradise can get tough, it seems!

However, on the way to the dive boat, I stopped – and a sudden realisation hit me. What the hell was I thinking?

Here I was, a young (ok, youngish!), fit, single bloke living in paradise, getting paid to dive in what is one of world’s top dive destinations, paid to drink, socialise & live the high life in a 5-star resort! What an idiot! What more could a man ask for?

Once I’d taken time out to stop & really think about it, the passion for what I was doing came flooding back to me. I remembered why I was here, what I loved about it, what I was doing it for. It put a smile on my face again, & off I went for another spectacular dive (only a mere 30 Hammerhead sharks on the dive though!).

That afternoon, I was giving a briefing about the wonders of the night dive in the lagoon, scheduled for that evening. In the morning, I’d been thinking “not another night dive, what a pain…” but now I’d got back in touch with my passion for it all, I had a very different attitude.

As a result of the passion I put into my briefing, all but one of the group of divers came out on the night dive with me – unheard of! Half the group was the norm. And a great result for me, as I got paid a commission for each night diver.

Later that evening, over a few cold beers, quenching a thirst built up from the diving & the tropical heat, a very beautiful French lady came over to me. In an outrageous French accent, she said:  “Simon, I normally do not like ze night dives, zey do not interest me, but you spoke wiz such passion about it in ze briefing zis afternoon, I ‘ad to go on ze dive”.

I won’t talk about the rest of the evening – that was in my young, carefree, single days so it’s a story for a few drinks! – but there are two points to the story which are very applicable to businesses and people in them today.

The first point is that no matter what you do, you can – and people do – lose the passion for it. We get caught up in the daily grind & humdrum of it all. We forget the whole reason why we’re doing it. We forget what we love about it all. It slips away from us and we become tired & jaded, just like I was.

At some stage, we all need to stop & make time to realise what we do, why we do it, & how much we really do enjoy it, and how much it really means to us – despite what might be some seemingly tough times.

Take some time out. Stop. Think. Smile. Get back in touch with what you are passionate about in your business or your work.

The second point is that passion sells! Passion is contagious. People buy passion. Be it in your business, an interview, at home. And they will often buy your passion & enthusiasm over & above the most polished, unpassionate product or presentation.

So, before you go into any meeting, before you pick up the phone, before you go networking, before you talk to your staff, before any important business or sales meeting, before that interview:

Stop! Think. Smile. Get in touch with your passion for what you do. Get it coursing through your veins.

You will make more sales, you will have better client relationships and better clients, you will have more motivated staff, you will do better business. And you will be a happier business owner!

People buy people who are passionate about what they do. More passion = more sales. Passion sells!

A coach can help you get your passion back & help you get more sales. If you are interested in talking to us about this, please check out the website at www.southerncrosscoaching.com.au , give us a call on 02 9474 1005 or email info@southerncrosscoaching.com.au

Posted in Business Coaching, Career Coaching, Coaching, Executive Coaching, Southern Cross Coaching & Development, Staff management | 3 Comments »

Communication – When to Confront Someone: The Rule of Three

May 10th, 2010

“Should I bother to have the conversation with her? What do you think?” Mike, a marketing director, was telling me about Anne, one of his employees, who had done a few things to frustrate him. She arrived late to a meeting with a client. Not that late – only ten minutes — still, it didn’t look good.

Then, a few days later, she was supposed to email him some information by 4pm and didn’t do it until 6pm. I know, he told me, not a big deal. He didn’t really need it until the next morning. Still.

And then this morning he received a voicemail from her saying she wouldn’t be able to make the conference call they had planned with a colleague in another office. The call was an internal matter. Nothing time sensitive. But she didn’t give him a reason and that bothered Mike.

“None of these things are a big deal,” Mike told me, “And she’s a great employee. But I’m annoyed. Should I say something or shrug it off?”

I have a rule for dealing with these types of situations — times when I’m not sure if it’s worth raising an issue. I need a rule because it’s often hard to know if something’s a big enough deal to address until it’s too late and then, well, it’s too late. It’s already gotten out of hand. On the other hand if I jump on every single issue the first time it comes up then, well, I’ll be out of hand.

The first time someone does something that makes me feel uncomfortable, I notice it. The second time, I acknowledge that the first time was not an isolated event or an accident but a potential pattern and I begin to observe more closely and plan my response. The third time? The third time I always speak to the person about it. I call it my rule of three.

If someone makes a joke about my consulting rates — maybe they say something like, “well, with rates like those, it’s a good thing you add value (chuckle, chuckle).” I might laugh along with them but I notice my discomfort. The second time I smile but don’t laugh. The third time I say “This is the third time you’ve joked about my rates — I know it’s a joke but I also wonder if you feel like they exceed my value. If so, I’d like to talk about it with you.”

If you come late to a meeting once, I notice. Three times? I bring it up.

The first time you demonstrate a lack of teamwork, I notice. The third time? I need to better understand your commitment to the group.

I always say some version of, “I’ve noticed something three times and I want to discuss it with you.” That way we both know it’s a trend.

Is it OK to talk to them about it the first time? Sure. You don’t have to wait. But everyone slips once or twice. Just don’t let it go three times without having a conversation. Three is a good rule of thumb because it allows you to act with confidence that it’s not all in your head. And in these situations, confidence is critical to your ability to speak with authority.

“So,” Mike said to me after I explained my rule of three, “are you saying I should talk to her about it?”

“I can’t help but notice you’ve asked me that same question three times,” I said. “What do you think?”

Source:  Harvard Business Review

Posted in Business Coaching, Career Coaching, Coaching, Communication, Difficult conversations, Executive Coaching, Staff management, Team Coaching | No Comments »

Which one are you – active or passive?

April 2nd, 2010

Lessons for business, careers & life…

I was sitting on the back of the 6:10am Manly to the city ferry across Sydney Harbour a few Wednesday’s ago, on my way to my usual weekly 7am meeting, looking out east across the water at the pre-dawn fan of pink rays spanning across & stretching up from the horizon – stunning.

Despite the stunning view in front of me, I made myself look over the rail in the opposite direction & I noticed a dark wall of fog drifting only over the city & the southern shore, with just the tips of the city skyscrapers & Centrepoint Tower sticking out of the top, kissed gold by the first rays of the rising sun. Breathtaking.

I looked around me on the ferry to see who I could share the sights with, & was quite shocked to see that only one other person had seen this amazing sight. Everyone else had their heads down, staring at the floor or into their phones.

I thought about this for a while, & realised this is very indicative of what I see in my experience running my coaching business, of what can happen in people’s businesses, careers, leadership, etc, if they don’t take time to lift their heads up & have a look around.

People often go about their daily tasks – be that running a business, leading a team, generally going through their careers/lives, etc – doing the same thing every day, immersed in & swept along by the frantic busy-ness, not taking time to stick their heads up from it all to see what’s around them, to take time to see the wood for the trees.

So what? Who cares? Well, that’s just the point: people often don’t care. They don’t take the time to smell the metaphorical flowers, to stop & look around, to listen, to think.

As a result, opportunities are often missed; the chance for new clients/business drifts by unseen; the same mistakes are repeated, often without realising it; work & life in general streams by; clients, colleagues, friends come & go. People get stuck in varying degrees of sameness – drudgery even. Time flies by…

Until suddenly, something happens – business cash flow dries up… you suddenly wake up & simply cannot face your boss one more day… you realise you really hate your job & have wasted the past x number of years, you are overlooked for promotion, a serious illness happens, your partner leaves you – only then do you start to take stock & get into action.

Crisis. Panic. Desperation. Fear. Stress. How stressful does life suddenly become?

There are always unseen circumstances of course, no-one can foresee nor control everything.

However, take time to stop, lift your head up out of whatever you are involved in, be present & aware of what is around you – stop to see the woods for the trees, be that in your professional or personal life.

You are much more likely to prevent a lot of those crises. Or at the very least stop them & deal with them as minor issues rather than letting them develop into huge problems.

Start taking time NOW to actively manage your business, your career, your life, in the direction you want it to go. You are much more likely to:

  1. Take action to do things differently and avoid a crisis entirely or mitigate it before it hits
  2. Feel more in control of your life
  3. Be more successful
  4. Be happier in general

Get into the habit of stopping to look around you – not just physically, but mentally. Stop & think. In your professional and personal life.

If you don’t stop & look, you may never notice that million dollar idea; that ideal partner; that life changing experience; that promotion opportunity…

But by stopping, looking & thinking, you may avoid the looming cash-flow crisis, you may realise your partner isn’t happy in time, you will enjoy your kids growing up & remember it… You may see that something that makes a difference.

So take time to stop & take stock, to think.

Start to actively manage your business, your career, your life rather than letting it manage you!

Start getting into the habit NOW! Next time you’re walking around the city, or simply travelling to work, at home with your family, take a few moments to look around you. Turn off the TV, put down the phone or Crackberry! Look up instead of staring at the ground!

You never know what you might be missing! Something great might just be there at the corner of your eye or mind & you haven’t noticed it!

At the very least, you might just see something different that will make you smile!

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Better Thinking, Better Outcomes!

January 30th, 2009

 Why does it always happen to ME?

 

That’s a damned good question and one that is asked regularly by many people!

 

Sometimes, the proverbial does happen, and there’s not a lot we can do about it. However, have you ever thought that maybe your thinking could be contributing to that scenario?

 

Many people think in the negative – about what they don’t want, rather than what they do want. Focusing on the pain, rather than the pleasure, focusing on the past rather than the future.

 

If we spend all our time looking backwards, looking over our shoulder, why are we then surprised when we walk into a tree!

 

If all you talk about & hear about is doom & gloom in the economy, then is is surprising that you will feel fearful & gloomy? The media have a lot to answer for!

 

How often do you hear a good news news item? If you do, its usually one out of 30! (perhaps we could start up a Good News TV Channel – do you think anyone would watch it??)

 

The problem often lies in our subconscious minds, which are a bit stupid in many ways. The subconscious can be convinced of things without a lot of evidence. Have you ever woken up from a dream, & it felt so real you seriously wondered during the following day that perhaps it really did happen?

 

When you think about something, your subconscious suddenly becomes more aware of it, and prompts you to look for it. You suddenly start noticing things you hadn’t noticed before. Some might say that you attract those things.

 

For example, a friend gets pregnant – suddenly, without thinking about it, you find yourself noticing pregnant people everywhere! You’re thinking of getting a 4WD vehicle – suddenly they are everywhere you look! Your mate points out someone’s dodgy mullet – suddenly there are dodgy mullets all around you! Doom & gloom in the economy – everything is suddenly due to that, and it’s everywhere when you hadn’t noticed before. You are tuning in to what your subconscious is thinking about.

 

How often do you hear people saying things like: I don’t want to lose my money. I don’t want to feel miserable any more. I should have done that, I really screwed that up. I don’t want to be with someone who mistreats me. I’m fed up with this job; I don’t want to be here any more. I hate the cold weather. No-one ever seems to have anything good to say.

 

What the subconscious mind hears is “lose money”, “feel miserable”, “I really screwed up”, “mistreats me”, “fed up” etc. It doesn’t recognise the “don’t”.

 

How much easier is it to say what you don’t like/want, rather than saying what you do like/want?

 

Try this practical exercise: tell yourself now – preferably aloud (not in the office, perhaps!): “I’m a loser. I’m pathetic. Everyone hates me.” Focus on what you feel and say it all 10 times. How do you feel? What’s happened to your body? I bet your body has hunched over, your shoulders have become rounded, and you’re more slumped in your chair. Your head has probably dropped forward. You probably feel a bit flat, tired, jaded…

 

Now tell yourself 10 times, focusing on what you feel: “I’m strong. I’m powerful. People like me. I’m a good person. I can get that business in!” Now how do you feel? What’s happened to your body? I bet you’re sitting more upright, your head will be higher, your body may feel more relaxed, & you may even be smiling (and feeling embarrassed if someone in the office has just asked you what the hell you are doing!).

 

Now read this again: I don’t want to lose my money. I don’t want to feel miserable any more. I should have done something different, I really screwed that up. I don’t want to be with someone who mistreats me. I’m fed up with this job; I don’t want to be here anymore. I hate the hot weather. No-one ever seems to have anything good to say.

 

How do you feel after reading that? What’s your body doing?

 

The point here is that you can convince yourself of all sorts of things on an unconscious level just by what you think and say, and especially how you say it. That in turn affects your feelings, your posture, your confidence, your actions, how you approach life – and in business, whether or not people will buy from you!

 

Try voicing things in the positive, saying what you do want. I want to do… (rather than ‘I don’t want…’). I want a job where I feel valued. I’ll learn from that & do it different next time. I want a partner who appreciates me and values me. Some people have good things to say. I’d rather you did/said this. I love the sunshine & the warmth!

 

How different are these messages?

 

Go & listen to what you say & how you say it. Turn the negative way of saying things around to reflect the more positive side – say & think what you DO want, rather than what you don’t, the positive rather than the negative. It will take a good deal of effort, but the rewards will be huge.

 

Now you’ve read this article, what are you actually going to DO? Stop now & think for 2 miniutes, then write down 2 specific actions you will do as a result of reading this…

 

i.e. 1. for the next 24 hours, I will say what I DO want instead of what I don’t.

2. If I hear myself saying "don’t", I will stop & rephrase the comment in the positive.

 

Go on! Do it now!

 

Southern Cross Coaching & Development incorporates practical tips & hints like this into our coaching – when necessary. It’s all part of what we do to help you make a difference in what you do.

 

We also hold you accountable to get you into doing things  – we are your unreasonable best friends!

 

Please contact us for more details.

 

 

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Business Coaching, Career Coaching, Coaching, Executive Coaching, Southern Cross Coaching & Development, Team Coaching, Uncategorized | No Comments »

How much do you love your work?

January 12th, 2009

How much do you love your work?

There’s a lot of talk about business owners having to love their work, and the old saying “if you do something you love, you’ll never work a day in your life”.

There’s also a lot of debate about this, and I think the previous statements put a lot of pressure on business owners, and employees in general, and set unrealistic expectations.

So, I think its ok not to always love your work.

Sometimes the practicalities of it all take over, & I bet even Anthony Robbins has a bad day now & again!

And that’s ok – as long as the days stay as days, not weeks, months, etc.

I have the odd day when even being employed again seems like a good proposition – and then I have days when even living on a yacht SCUBA diving the best dive sites of the Pacific wouldn’t drag me away from my business. And I have days in between. It’s all about balance.

In my experience coaching businesses, I think there are a few practical issues why sometimes people understandably don’t love their work – most of which can usually be dealt with:


1.   Business owners in general (and also some people working for someone in companies etc!) mostly DO love their work, are passionate about it, and live for it… BUT, they often end up spending their time on the stuff they DON’T love doing or are not good at – i.e. marketing, cold calling, processes & procedures, accounting, staff management, writing websites, etc.

They often end up doing less & less of the things they really love & get caught up in what they don’t love… & hence it’s sometimes not so enjoyable, which is quite understandable!

That’s the stuff to outsource if you can! If you can’t, then you have to learn how to dance in the rain rather than wait for the storm to pass!


2.   As the saying goes: "when you’re up to your a#se in alligators, it’s hard to remind yourself that your initial objective was to drain the swamp".

When you lose sight of what you are running the business for or what you’re actually running the business for changes, disengagement & stress are usually the results & you are less likely to enjoy your work.

Stay clear about and act on what you set out to do and get back to draining the swamp & you’re more likely to be happy!


3.    Stay in touch with your core values. If what you are doing – or sometimes more importantly HOW you do it – goes too far away from your core values, then that can affect how you enjoy your work. Growing businesses often face this challenge.

Get back to what you believe in, stop selling your soul to get/keep the business, stay focused on keeping in line with your core values.


4.    Sometimes people simply have bad days! And that’s ok!! Most parents would die for their kids but they all have days when they could cheerfully throttle them also (metaphorically speaking, of course – thought I’d better add that just in case…!!!).

 

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Business Coaching, Career Coaching, Coaching, Executive Coaching, Southern Cross Coaching & Development, Team Coaching, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Vision without Execution is just Hallucination!

January 10th, 2009

“Vision without execution is just hallucination”

Four ways to overcome procrastination in business

I must get round to doing that… Next year… When I have more time, I’ll sort that out… I’ve got too much work on to do that right now… When I’ve been in business a little longer…

How many of those sorts of comments have you made in 2008? Might you be saying them in 2009? Well, you’re not alone!

On a more sobering note, I was talking to client this morning who told me that one of the major things that galvanised him into action was that a colleague who was only a couple of years older dropped dead suddenly.

As the client said, he didn’t want "He worked"as his epitaph, so it was time to change things.

Why does it often have to take something like that to make us do something?

In my experience as a business coach, many businesses (business owners) – including me, no-one is perfect – have been guilty of putting things off, to varying degrees.

The sad thing is, through lack of actually doing something – making and putting plans and ideas into action – many business fail to grow and reach their full potential, and many business fail full stop. Many never even get started. And more serious consequences happen too, as just discused.

So, what can you do about it? How can you get into action & stop procrastinating?

 

1. Get focused! Work out what you are aiming for and set a goal.

It’s corny, yes, & it’s the age-old thing us coaches keep spouting on about… but it’s true! How can you book a flight to go on holiday somewhere if you don’t know what you want to do on holiday or where you want to go?

The same applies in business. Set yourself a clear, specific goal, something that inspires you & will get you out of bed in the morning! If it gives you butterflies in your stomach, makes you go “whoa”, & gets the adrenalin flowing, that’s probably the right goal!

Once you know what you’re working towards, you can work out how to get there! And things happen faster when you’re focused! Set your personal compass, & follow it.

While your energy is scattered over many different areas, you’re spread a mile wide & an inch deep… make it an inch wide & a mile deep, & see how effective you become!

 

2. Take time to plan. “To go fast, first you must go slow”.

Break down the task in to easy chunks, small steps. A large goal can be very daunting, but a series of small tasks looks a lot more realistically achievable.

Take time to make a plan – in the 70s, the Japanese starting making cars nearly 30% faster than the USA, and at a higher level of quality. On investigation, the US realised that the Japanese were spending nearly 50% longer in the planning phase, which was the key to their success.

 

3. Take that first step! Use the Nike Principle – JUST DO IT!

You can set all the goals and make all the plans in the world, but you still need to take that first step to get there.

You might not achieve exactly what you set out to do, but by at least setting out to do something, you’ll be on the way, and you WILL achieve more than if you don’t set out at all!

If you fail, at least you’ll have learnt something new & can do it differently next time. If you don’t do anything, nothing will change.

Remember, Thomas Eddison took 5000 attempts to invent the light globe! He took action, learnt from his mistakes & never gave up – and succeeded in giving us one of the most useful inventions ever (perhaps people would be working shorter hours thoughif he hadn’t though!).

Feel the fear & do it anyway.

I did a fire-walk a few years ago – that was a classic case of taking the first step, overcoming the fear & stepping into the unknown.

Taking that first step was the hardest thing to do – once I did, I walked 30m over hot coals & achieved my goal.

There is often no other way to overcome this than taking a deep breath, swallowing hard, & put one foot in front of the other & step into the unknown.

If you can’t do that, get someone to push you (metaphorically, I mean!!) and/or hold you accountable. Creating some healthy “tension” around doing something is much more likely to make you actually DO it – that’s one of the reasons things like coaching & personal training work.

Jumping out of your comfort zone often gives you a sense of urgency & commitment that you might not otherwise have had! What’s the saying – “necessity is the mother of invention”!

4. Get support around you

Make sure you have positive, upbeat, supportive people around you. Keep the objective people, but lose the negative nay-sayers.

Even the most extremely positive and out there sort of person can rarely sustain their energy on their own.

Business owners in general are often very lonely people, having to make all the decisions themselves with few people to count on for support. It can be really tough out there.

There are various ways you can get support though – find local networking groups with uplifting, positive people in. Look at your local Chambers of Commerce, BNI, Business SWAP, Rotary, other local networking groups, Business Enterprise Councils, etc. Find like-minded people & make it a priority! Alternatively, of course, get yourself a coach, a Virtual Partner or join a Virtual Board ;-) !!

There’s rarely a “right time”

Use the New Year, or another prominent time landmark as a starting point, a line in the sand to get yourself moving forward.

There’s rarely a right time for things – if you wait for all the planets to be in alignment, you could be waiting for a long time.

Make sure the practicalities are covered of course, and make a plan, especially regarding finances, but in the end, the only way to get things done is to take a deep breath & give it a go.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Business Coaching, Career Coaching, Coaching, Executive Coaching, Team Coaching, Uncategorized | No Comments »

How can a Business Coach help you?

January 10th, 2009

 

6 ways Business Coaching can help you
 
Do you feel a bit lost, or overwhelmed (or under-whelmed!) with your business? Perhaps you’re not sure what to do or what to change to get what you want out of it?
 
Maybe you’re like a lot of small business owners & feel you lack a sounding board to test ideas on, or to reassure you you’re on the right track, or to help you see the wood for the trees because you’re too caught up in the business to see things clearly?
 
Would you like some practical solutions, mentoring, support, & guidance to make your business more successful (whatever that success may be)?
 
Read on to see how business coaching could benefit you & keep you on track, doing the right things right to achieve what you want to get out of your business.
 
6 ways Business Coaching can help you:

1. Focus.
 
It can get you focused on what you are striving to achieve, on exactly what your success looks like. Understanding that and why you want to achieve it is critical.
 
How do you know what you need to do to get there if you don’t know what your destination is?
 
Case study: A start-up business owner didn’t really know what she was trying to achieve when she came for coaching. After the first few sessions, she had set a clear goal around what she wanted and had a focused and effective strategy organised.
 
As a result, she kept herself totally centred on the goal – her business is now extremely profitable after only 6 months and she had over $70,000 of business in the short-term pipeline alone.
 
2. A structure to schedule quality time to work on your business.
 
We all know we should be work on the business to make it successful – business coaching often forces you to make time!
 
It gives you some structure so you schedule quality time out of the business to spend time working on the business.

3. A sounding board.
 
And an objective, non-judgemental, supportive, encouraging sounding board, for you to brainstorm, to test ideas, to get objective feedback on things, etc, to help sort out the jumble of ideas whirling around in your head and get some real direction.
 
Whether you are the CEO of a large organisation or a sole trader, it can be pretty lonely out there.
 
Who can you run your ideas by? Who can give you objective feedback on things i.e. without a vested interest, without their own (possibly hidden) agenda?
 
A trusted & respected coach is a good person to do this.
 
 
4. To see things from a new perspective – often seeing the obvious things you might have missed.
 
As the saying goes, “when you’re up to your ar#e in alligators, it’s difficult to remind yourself that the original objective was to drain the swamp!!”
 
Like a sports coach, a business coach can give a helicopter view of things when you are too involved in the business to see what’s really happening.
 
Ever shouted at the screen when watching your favourite sports team play, because you can see the errors & what they should be doing, but the team doesn’t? There have been some great pub post-mortems that would have fixed teams’ problems!
 
How easy is it for commentators to see what the bowler or batsman is doing wrong?
 
All because they are outside the event - like a coach is outside your business!
 
 
Case study: A business owner came for business coaching because he was working 80 hours a week & couldn’t see what he could do to change things so he could find time to grow the business.
 
Within the first hour of coaching a simple solution came to light which saved him nearly 40 hours a week (yes, really!) and cleared 3 years of stress that had been weighing heavily on his shoulders.
 
The solution was something he couldn’t see because of the alligators snapping underneath him, but the coach (me, in this case) could because I was on the outside.
 
He now works a more manageable 40-45 hours a week and is focused on growing his business.

5. Support and motivation.
 
Running a small or large business can be a lonely road.
 
A coach can be a guide, a friend, someone to believe in you when you are a bit lost. A coach can help you stay motivated and on track when you’re having a tough time of it. Sometimes you can often literally feed off a coach’s energy and feel revitalised after the meeting.
 
Sometimes it’s just about having an independent person, to tell you that you are on track & doing the right things. It’s difficult to believe your partner or best mate, as they may not tell you what you need to hear! But your coach is your independent, “unreasonable best friend” so you can trust their judgement.
 
And if the coach is acting as a mentor, you will have even more faith in what they have to say, which can be a real boost to your confidence, which as we all know makes a huge difference.

6. Accountability. Vision without execution is just hallucination!

 
A coach can make you accountable for what you do and don’t do – provide a bit of tough love where necessary – your “unreasonable best friend”!
 
Getting you into action, into executing your plan is often the thing that makes the biggest difference – helping you do what the say you are going to do, and turn people from “gunnas” (I’m ‘gunna’ do this soon) to Nike people – Just Do It!
 
 
Business Coaching will get you focused on doing the right things, and doing them right – to achieve your success, to achieve what’s important to you.
 
Remember the definition of madness: doing the same thing over & over again & expecting a different result.
 
 
If you feel Business Coaching (or other coaching) could be of benefit you to you, and want to find out more, call Simon Smith at Southern Cross Coaching & Development (tel: 02 9948 9503, mobile: 0430 180 555, email: simon@southerncrosscoaching.com.au)
 
Simon Smith is a Business Performance Coach and an Executive/Leadership Performance Coach. He is the founder and owner of the successful coaching enterprise, Southern Cross Coaching & Development (www.southerncrosscoaching.com.au).
 
Southern Cross Coaching & Development provides specialist coaching for small & medium businesses, and individuals and teams in large corporates & government departments and gives a 100% money-back guarantee around their coaching. Please call for more information.

 

 

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Business Coaching, Career Coaching, Coaching, Executive Coaching, Southern Cross Coaching & Development, Team Coaching, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Newer Entries »