Do you believe you have it in you?
Do you believe you can do it?
Do you think you have what it takes?

Now, last two questions: Are you wondering what it is? Do your answers depend on it? If you answered YES to either of these two questions, I want to ask you why? Why do your answers depend on it and not on you? Anytime you’re relying on something other than yourself to define your abilities or to answer what’s asked of you, it’s a sure fire sign that you’re not tapping into your truest potential.

What if you answered the three questions like this…?

• I believe I have it in me!
• I believe I can do anything I set my mind to!
• I believe I have what it takes!

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Do you believe in your own capability? If so, how are you maximizing its potential? If you don’t believe in it, you are suffocating its success. These are deep questions, which require careful analysis and intentional action. But, if you hope to utilize the unlimited potential that’s buried in your beliefs, then you must release the reserve of capability that’s concealed in your core.

According to research, people think 85,000 thoughts per day, 85 percent of which are negative. What does this study show you? I think it demonstrates that it’s easier to think negatively than it is to think positively. Are you going to let the hard work hold you back? I hope not!

Here are a few helpful hints to get you started:

• Affirm yourself. In other words, intentionally choose to believe positive things about yourself. This doesn’t just happen, so write these words down and reflect on them regularly.
• Learn from mistakes, but don’t linger on them. When you fail or fall short, reflect on your shortcomings only long enough to learn from them. And then, move on. After a mistake, the majority of your mental work should be devoted to picking out the positive, building on it, and applying it again and again.
• Maintain perspective. Belief builds upon belief. It takes hundreds of minor movements to make it up a mountain, in the same way that it takes several small steps to achieve success. So, be patient with yourself as you attempt to alter your attitude. It’s all about perspective – the way you looked at something yesterday might not be worlds away from your approach today, but as long as you have a different angle, you’re making progress.

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Whatever it is in your life, don’t let it steal your success!

Many things have contributed to this change, but one main motivator of this movement has been the economy. Organizations want to do more with less, or if necessary, they want to produce the same quality and quantity of work without the same quality and quantity of workers.

This creates an interesting equation. How do we get more output without investing in more input? One solution? TEAMWORK.

Teamwork is trendy right now because it is one attempt to answer the get more with less endeavor. We all know the saying two heads are better than one, but it’s true, when you get a group together, with the right mix of skills and commitment, their interaction as a team has the potential to generate more than the sum of what each individual can accomplish alone. Yes, tension, conflict and disagreement come with the territory, but done with skill and effectiveness, the successes will almost always outweigh the struggles.

Teams are powerful tools.  Just like the tools you have in your home, they are most effective when used properly. Generally, you want to use a team when you must have a solution that is high in quality (the right answer) and warrants a high level of acceptance (buy in). But, in order for a team to be successful, each team member must have specific skills. Therefore, over the next few weeks, I will be writing on the top six characteristics of a successful team player.

What I have found in my sales experience is that very few salespeople are customer-centered; rather, the majority is quite self-centered. They want more sales and more success for themselves, and they are willing to get it at any cost. They are willing to drive anybody off the road to get wherever they want to be. But, at the end of the day, when they get to where they thought they wanted to go – they end up feeling quite lost, realizing that they went the wrong way.

The truth is – what matters most is the customer. The customer’s needs, wants, priorities and concerns should ultimately steer your sale’s approach. Yes, it takes a bit more preparation and effort on your end, but your time and energy will be rewarded and respected.

The catch to all of this is that your customer may not know what he needs. And just because he doesn’t know, doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a need; rather, it means your job is to help him determine what it is. If you make this a collaborative effort, the customer is much more likely to stick around for the solution.

Here are a few simple tips to help you tailor your approach to the customer:

1. Ask questions. This will help both you and your customer dig deeper. It’s also a great way to remind the customer that this is about her.
2. Observe and respond. Your customer is bound to be communicating in both verbal and non-verbal ways, so pay attention to these cues and adjust your mannerism in ways that mirror them. In other words, if your customer is talking quietly, be sure to adjust your tone of voice, so that you’re not volumes above her. Nod to affirm the customer you’re listening and maintain eye contact.
3. Be intentional. Plan accordingly for your meeting together, respect your customer’s time and adhere to whatever schedule you both originally set. Make the most of your time together without misusing it.
4. Thank them. Customers are doing you a service by taking time out of their day for you. For this reason, a thank-you letter or email is always appropriate and usually appreciated.

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Stay customer-centered to avoid the self-centered sales cycle.

In 1965, Dr. Bruce Tuckman created a model to describe group development. Many have “renamed” the stages of development over the years, but essentially the same descriptions of the challenges and the necessary tasks carry through today. We have chosen to work within the original descriptions for the sake of consistency. The stages are:

Forming

Storming

Norming

Performing

Adjourning

Forming

The start-up stage is called Forming. Group members get acquainted, begin to build trust, and check out the leader’s ability to manage the group. There is mix of excitement, optimism, and fear as the group begins to create a plan for achieving the potential of the group.

Tasks for This Stage

• Get acquainted and build relationships
• Agree on a common purpose that describes what they will do.
• Agree on how they will do that work.
• Establish goals, roles, and procedures.

Storming

The storming stage can produce three very different groups:

• Passive-Aggressive Group—these are the unhappy, seething, uncooperative, no-progress groups. Group members are often individuals moving alone toward unclear goals. They choose not to share information and then complain about how unproductive the group is.

• Aggressive Groups—there is also the group that loudly protests. They let everyone know how unhappy they are but they refuse to participate in the activities of the group. It is a conflicting group of stars, each of whom works without regard for the good of the group.
  • What these two types have in common is conflict: sometimes loud and vicious, sometimes quiet and indirect. In both cases    they are showing their unhappiness with the group. As a leader of such group, it is your job to redirect its energy

• Assertive Group—an insightful leader takes all the diversity of thought, experience, and style in an assertive group and channels that energy toward finding wildly creative solutions. There will be conflicts; however, such conflicts will be seen as catalysts for change.

Tasks for This Stage

• Work out ways of dealing with conflict and differences of opinion.
• Use conflicts and differences in styles, expertise, and knowledge to create the best outcomes.
• Establish how “we” will work through our differences, and who will be influential on the team.

Norming

Norming is the somewhat peaceful stage that follows the Storm. It is a time when the culture (how we do things around here) is clearly defined—rules, roles, and relationships—and the leader works to provide the productive environment the team needs. The Norming stage happens when a small group of people “have a variety of skills and are committed to a common purpose, set of performance goals and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable come together.”

Tasks for This Stage

• Push ourselves to higher performance.
• Enjoy the new-found peace and productivity, but we don’t get complacent.

Performing

In the Performing stage, the focus is on achieving goals through collaboration. There is an urgency to get to the finish line and a sense of relief when it is reached.

Tasks for this Stage

• Produce outcomes are consistent with the team’s purpose.
• Keep up the energy level.

Adjourning

Adjourning wasn’t one of Dr. Tuckman’s original stages. It was added later because the acknowledgment and celebration of the completion of a special task is also important. For intact teams, it is very likely that they will repeat this cycle (Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, Adjourning) many times over the course of their time together. So, having a celebration and reviewing “how we’re doing” is essential for ongoing team building.

For Single-project teams, Adjourning allows a sense of pride and accomplishment. But it also brings to a close the project camaraderie. That makes the marking of Adjournment important for this team and for others in the organization. It sends the message that the organization values teamwork.

Tasks for This Stage

• Celebrating
• Cataloging the ingredients for success for use the next time
• Saying good-bye to the project and/or the team

Repeating the Cycle

For permanent teams, these stages may repeat themselves several times. Corporate downsizing may change some teams that were performing at their peak. Teams might be so reduced in size that they needed to be “Re-formed.” They will have to Storm again, find new Norms, and Perform up to expectations of the original team charter or purpose. Understanding the tasks in each stage can help leaders speed up this process and return to the Performing stage much more quickly.

Great leadership is the only way to ensure that everyone at your company is on-board and striving for the same mutual success.

With anything, there’s at least two perspectives to consider. Right? If you argue with your friend, both of you experienced that argument differently. If you received a poor performance review, both you and your supervisor will likely have opposing opinions about it. And so forth. Even if you experience something on your own, there are still alternative perspectives to consider. Let’s say you took a solo trip to Europe when you were 25 and now you’re 50, you are going to have a different perspective than you did at 25 as it relates to your travel adventures. The same is true when you’re put in a complicated scenario – there are two ways to look at it:

Is it a problem? Are you going to allow it to become a barrier that interferes with your ability to advance forward?

OR

Does it offer potential? Are you going to allow this bump in the road to be the very piece of pavement that becomes the next step you climb toward success?

It’s your choice: a barrier that stops or a step that boosts?

It’s true. This means that all of the pre-work is planned and executed – and then, all of that hard work gets tossed into the trash. It’s all for nothing without proper follow-up and follow through.

Imagine this. You walk into a restaurant. A hostess seats you and your family. You are given menus to review the choices. You see the cooks in the kitchen, preparing up something scrumptious. You can smell the delicious dishes. You have silverware, a glass, a plate and a napkin. But, your waitress forgot to follow-up. You didn’t even have a chance to order. You’re let down before you even taste their famous food. In other words, their food’s reputation means nothing to you because nobody followed through. It’s too late for whatever is supposedly so great.

Whether you’re the one doing business or you’re the business looking for help, remember that skirting around these two steps means you’re further from achieving your success. Follow-up and follow through to do what most forget to do.

The 8 most common myths I have experienced:

1. “I can’t be friends or socialize with subordinates because I will lose my authority. Besides that, I’ll be asked to do favors or be accused of favoritism.”

The truth? You can be friendly, while still being effective. As long as your performance expectations are clear – nothing should impede upon this supervisor/subordinate relationship.

2. “I have to be liked by my subordinates because the work atmosphere depends on me.”

The truth? Yes, you play a pivotal role in the working environment, but don’t put all the pressure on yourself. Be explicit about your expectations for performance and relationships. And remember: if it were all up to you, you wouldn’t have a team.

3. “You can’t be honest with everyone. The management of this organization believes that we shouldn’t provide information unless the person has a need to know. So, my job is to get people to do things, without always explaining the purpose to them.”

The truth? Yes, discretion is occasionally required, but informed subordinates who trust their supervisor as a reliable source, tend to perform more effectively. Don’t keep others in the dark, just to do it – withholding information should never be used as a way to exert power. Exchanging information is essential to the effectiveness of the business.

4. “Feelings and emotion have no place at work. The last thing we should ever do is get emotional. Logic and rationality will solve every problem.”

The truth? Feelings are real. So, during the appropriate time, they should be acknowledged – otherwise, this unfinished emotional business consumes attention and energy, which takes away from the professional business.

5. “At all times, I must appear competent, professional, and in control.”

The truth? The way you present yourself matters – but nobody is perfect, so expecting a flawless transition into a supervisory role is unrealistic. Recognize that you will learn things along the way, which will help you become better along the way.

6. ”You have to be tough to be effective. Although I occasionally push to get my way with my colleagues, there is no way I have what it takes to do that all the time.”

The truth? Yes, you can work toward your goals without torturing others. Although the harsh supervisor may see short-term results, rarely will this sort of supervisor sustain long-term success. Make an effort to align your personal and professional values to avoid being labeled the “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” of the office.

7. “I don’t want to be manipulative, and if I attempt to change the conditions to encourage someone to perform, I will be manipulating.”

The truth? Yes, it’s important to encourage others to perform. But, if your intentions are to effectively create conditions that inspire your subordinates in unique ways that extract their potential – you are not manipulating, you are motivating.

8. ”I’ll never make it as a performance manager.”

The truth? Millions have made it, so why are you so sure you won’t? Have patience with yourself, just like any other acquired skill (e.g. riding a bicycle), you may be unsteady at first, but your skill will come with practice.

We hear statements and questions like:

• How do you manage people who are a lot older than you are?
• How do you manage people who are a lot younger than you are?
• My director steals my ideas and then takes credit for them with upper management.
• Our younger employees expect raises and promotions before they even know where the bathroom is!

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This is a small sample, yet each requires a specific response that’s much more nuanced than I can address here. However, an underlying theme that I do want to discuss is the numerous underlying assumptions that lie behind the frequently asked question: “How can this employee not know that we expect professional behavior?

What do you mean by professional behavior?

Work expectations, habits and degrees of professionalism – are all impacted by our experiences, traditions, cultural influences, and a myriad of other contributors. For example, I assume you know the saying, “this is how it’s done,” and are familiar with getting upset when someone “steps on your toes” or ignores the “way it’s done.”

SMART is a long-accepted acronym that’s used to discuss performance management, especially when establishing clear expectations about performance goals. SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-Bound) is useful when setting performance expectations. Many, if not all, of the problems mentioned above are rooted in other, unspoken, and frequently assumed expectations about how we work.

1. Specific – do you want something done? Define what you want done. If you can’t explain it to yourself, it’s going to be impossible for anyone else to understand or to deliver what you want.
2. Measurable – what would be the signal of success? Select a tangible measuring method. If you or your colleagues don’t know what’ll be considered a success, there’ll be no way to know if you ever succeed.
3. Attainable – what’s realistically possible? Set achievable goals. By setting an impossible performance goal, you’re setting your team up for failure.
4. Relevant – is your performance goal aligned with other objectives? If multiple goals are aimed in conflicting directions, it’ll be difficult for you and your team to reach the same desired destination.
5. Time-Bound – when do you hope to achieve your goal? Target a specific date. Without an aim, your wandering will be a waste of time keeping you and your team off track.

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Ambiguity is rarely advantageous, especially when it comes to expectations. Specificity supports success, so reduce uncertainty and encourage clarity.

-By Doug Watsabaugh

• A – Ask questions. In a one-on-one you want a dialogue, not a monologue where you do all the talking.
• S – Seek solutions. Engage employees in discussion about progress on their goals, developmental areas, or problems. Get their opinions and ideas first, and then add your own comments.
• K – Keep plans and commitments. Take notes to document your discussion. Ask employees to do the same so you can review progress at future meetings, and track mutually agreed upon plans of action.

The following outline includes the steps and talking points for conducting a one-on-one meeting.

Step 1 – Pre-meeting preparation (action plans, numbers, goals, etc.)

Step 2 – Greeting (be positive, do some small talk, ensure privacy.)

Step 3 – Ask employees to reconfirm their goals and to share their results and progress on their plans.

Praise progress, recognize good performance, and identify areas to improve.

• How did your day/week/month go?
• What progress did you make on your goals and action plans?
• What went well?
• What didn’t go well?

Step 4 – Ask the employee to tell you how and why they made their decisions.

• What was your thinking process?
• What did you do next?
• What more could you have done?
• What can they do differently or better next time?
• How can you help more in the future?

Step 5 – Seek solutions and build a new plan on how to improve the results.

• What ideas do you have for improvement next time?
• What do you think of this idea . . .?
• Did you try . . .?
• Are you open to some suggestions?
• The benefit of this is . . .
• Have you thought about trying . . .?
• This is what I recommend…

Step 6 – Keep plans and commitments.

• Make sure to review all key action steps from the last meeting.
• Set new goals and action steps.

Step 7 – Summarize your discussion and the action plan.

Step 8 – Schedule another meeting and show your appreciation for their efforts.

A one-on-one is specifically about effective communication. You talk about goals, expectations, problems, and solutions to those problems. You give employees positive feedback about their efforts while identifying performance issues clearly and directly. You develop employee skills and attitudes about getting the job done well and achieving the best results.

In one on ones you train employees to think proactively when faced with challenges, obstacles, and problems. Over the course of time, the process teaches them problem-solving skills they can implement on their own. They become innovative and learn to take initiative to go the extra mile. The one-on-one process helps everyone explore ways to creatively improve performance, not merely get the job done.

Continued……Part 3 /3