Control

What is control?  Control is the process of isolating and commanding key factors that, when put into action, will result in achieving a desired outcome.  At the heart of control is action directed in three areas: first, to clearly identify the desired outcome; second, to isolate the key factors that can determine an outcome; third, to propel ourselves into action.

 Taking this definition and making it operative is where you discover the pay-off. Take for instance, a situation where you are talking in front of a group. You believe that you are losing your audience as you notice people fidgeting and looking at their watch or smart phone- typically a bad sign! 

 Your confidence starts to wobble. What can you do to take control and regain your focus and give yourself a little boost so that you do your very best (desired outcome)? After all, you aren’t finished and you want to gain the leadership’s approval (other desired outcome).

 Bright’s Quick Charges are great techniques for keeping yourself in control.  Quick Charges are techniques I discovered years ago when competing in sports.  Quick Charges are easily implemented techniques designed to help users perform at their best when a difficult situation demands it.  They are instantly effective, giving their users a “boost” that helps them through high-pressured moments—but even better, they are undetectable by anyone but the person using them.  They are like a “secret weapon” working to keep their user in control of a situation.

 Here’s a highly effective Quick Charge to use in this situation and others where you find your confidence slipping while in the heat of the moment. 

 Bright’s Stay-in-the-Present Quick Charge:

 When confidence levels are low and when doubt creeps in, this Quick Charge is useful because it helps to regain your focus.  To use Bright’s Stay-in-the-Present Quick Charge, you need to be aware that allowing yourself to anguish about past events is futile because there is nothing you can do to change them.  At the same time, to become anxious about what might happen is a waste of energy because it hasn’t happened yet.  Instead, you should “stay in the present” and direct your energies toward what needs to be done at that very moment.  Staying in the present is where you can and need to make a difference thus- the Stay- in- the- Present Quick Charge.

Tags: career, organization, teamwork, end result, expectations, managers, tasks, inspiration, job, presentation, public speaking

Training combined with coaching can make a significant difference in job performance and satisfaction

Training combined with coaching can make a significant difference in job performance and satisfaction

Our article recently published in Coaching: An International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice

Tags: career, coaching, job, performance, satisfaction, stress, training, work, workplace

Empowering Others

As a leader, do you think your people would respond favorably to an opportunity to contribute more toward your organization’s overall success?

 Whenever I ask this question of business-oriented audiences when speaking across the country, a majority always raise their hands, and with good reason. What is being suggested here is the empowerment of others, a management tool that is often difficult to put into practice.

Empowerment is defined as the act of authorizing someone, other than the empowering manager, to handle a task to its completion. When a manager empowers others, he or she creates a climate where staff can become passionately engaged in their work. This occurs because people have a natural desire to feel that what they are doing makes a difference. They want to be valued by the organization.

 A good example of someone who benefited from empowerment is Dominick Jones. He now works as an owner/operator of his own taxi cab company to give him something to do now that he has been retired for 2 years. 

 Here’s the story he relayed to me while en route to my hotel after he picked me up at the airport.

 Dominick began working at a spa in Columbus, Ohio when it first opened on the promise that each day he could rent at least 70 towels at 50 cents each to patrons in the men’s locker room. Dominic would retain a percentage of the revenues. This arrangement was attractive to Dominic. Several days after he accepted the job, the reality of the situation became clear. Each day he was able to rent no more than seven or eight towels. 

 Instead of being discouraged, Dominick accepted the situation as a challenge. He recognized that opportunities existed to increase business because club members often asked if various supplies were available. His first requests were for things used in the showers. For example, the spa was presently purchasing expensive disposable shower shoes that none of the members liked. Dominick got permission from his boss to look for something better and, within a week, found a manufacturer who produced shoes that the club members liked, at half the price. It wasn’t long before Dominick had opened up a little concession stand in the locker room where he sold T-shirts, bathing suits, socks, combs, brushes, powders, and other similar items.

 To earn additional money, Dominick would shine shoes, as he had done in his previous work. Many of the members left their shoes to be shined while they were working out. Dominick concluded his story by saying that he had done very well for himself.

He was sharing his experiences with me with such enthusiasm; it caused me to think that the whole event happened recently!  Boy, was I surprised to learn that it occurred 21 years ago.

 At a quick glance, you may think that Dominick is the hero. Yet, the unsung hero in Dominick’s success story is his boss. Because the boss was willing to empower Dominick, and encourage him to take a risk- by providing a valuable service to members – a type of service that far exceeded the typical towel concession.

 To empower others is more than simple delegation. The difference is in the power that a superior relinquishes to his/her people. A great deal of trust and confidence is necessary on both sides. In addition to believing and trusting a person, you need to know their strengths and their weaknesses as well as their potential. Without having this foundation to build upon, in combination with mutually agreed upon expectations, you are only going through the motions of practicing the management tool of empowerment.

 

 

 

Tags: career, coaching, effectiveness, empower, goals, inspiration, job, leadership, managing, motivation, organization, tasks, teamwork, work, workplace

Clarifying Expectations Discussion

If you thought to yourself that establishing clear expectations that are mutually understood is a two-way process, others would agree. In this case, the two-way process is between the boss and his employee. Furthermore, if you concluded that Michael needed to do a better job of clarifying specifically what he wanted from Chris given the fact that deadlines were very tight, others would also agree. Michael unfortunately made the mistake of assuming that Chris would understand what was desired. After all, they had worked together for several years and Chris should by now have been familiar with Michael’s style. On the other hand, Chris needed to seek further clarification from Michael instead of running off and doing things assumptively.

 If you thought to yourself that this is a typical occurrence in the workplace, few will disagree with you as well! All too often we find out after the fact that expectations were not clearly understood from the onset by both parties. One of the most common mistakes which causes rework is describing “what” needs to be done when assigning tasks and “assuming” that the end result is clear. So the lesson here is to make sure that the “end result” is discussed… upfront! Both parties- need to take responsibility.

Tags: coaching, communication, control, effectiveness, organization, tasks, teamwork, work, workplace

Clarifying Expectations Situation

Michael Kirk, who heads up one of the installation groups for a Silicon Valley based software company recently received word that a major installation was having serious problems. Michael calls on Chris Behreno, one of his most technically competent managers to work on the project which is falling behind. While Michael was reviewing the problems with Chris, he emphasized along the way how they were facing very tight deadlines. Michael ended the conversation by asking Chris for a plan for how best to address the problems.

At the end of the week, Chris provided Michael with the plan that outlined how best to address each of the problems. After glancing at what Chris did, Michael expressed his disappointment. “I could have done this myself,” he remarked.  “I wanted a more detailed plan with timelines and costs, not just a sketch of what needs to be done.”

Shocked at Michael’s response, Chris replied: “What do you mean – the whole plan?  Michael, I’ve never given you a whole plan on the first run-through.  You’ve always asked me to provide you with a brief overview of what we are going to do.”

 ”That may be true”, said Michael, “but I told you that we were operating under very tight deadlines and you should have…”

Chris interrupted, “Michael, why didn’t you just tell me what you wanted me to do from the very beginning?  Then we wouldn’t have to go through this.”

 Think about how you would coach Michael and Chris if they were your colleagues or reported to you.

Tags: coaching, communication, effectiveness, feedback, work, workplace

Clarifying Expectations

“We are on the same page”. 

The person who expresses that is aware of the need to be aligned in order to get consistent results.

It requires going beyond “talking” with one another. It involves establishing matched expectations. How many times have you engaged in a conversation where everyone is contributing but nothing comes out of the conversation?

Take for example, two team members discussing lateness to meetings. Both agree that it’s disrespectful to be late and how it’s inexcusable that people can’t notify each other when they are going to be late.  So far, that’s a meaningful exchange only. When does all of that “talking” take shape and help to define how best to work together?

When both parties clarify and mutually agree that if they are going to be more than 10 minutes late for a meeting, they will call the other person to let them know.

Calling was preferred over texting because chances were great they would be traveling by car to the meeting. To text would require having to pull over to the side of the road which would be inconvenient.

When all parties agree to the “expectations” described, then you have a “matched expectation package”.  What’s important is not to “assume” everyone is on the same page.

Tags: expectations, managers, managing, supervisors, tasks, work, workplace

Book Specials!!

We at Bright Enterprises want to make you aware of a terrific book purchasing opportunity. We are closing our New York based warehouse where we have stock of 3 different bestselling books that Dr. Deb Bright has written over the past few years. Before we begin reprints and ship all books to our Tucson facility, we wanted to first give you the opportunity of purchasing individual titles or a box of the books below at an extremely low cost.

Criticism or negative feedback is an inescapable and sometimes difficult aspect of communication in today’s workplace. Done effectively, it’s one of the most powerful influencing tools that managers can utilize in their “toolbox”.

For example, you cannot have an exceptionally performing team without the effective usage of criticism or negative feedback. Likewise, it’s difficult to build trust and respect in relationships without incorporating the effective usage of criticism or negative feedback.

Criticism is also essential to bringing about change in an organization as well as promoting quality. What’s unfortunate is that a topic such as this which affects so many aspects of a worker’s day is so grossly misunderstood and poorly applied.

The books written by Dr. Bright touch on the essential aspects of understanding criticism and learning the skills of how to give and receive criticism. The books would not be complete if they did not address the importance of learning to work with self, and use self -criticism as an asset for building self confidence.

The two books we are currently offering at a special price are:

The Official Criticism Manual (129 pages): A highly practical reference tool for times when the delicate art of criticism of others is necessary.  This book provides readers with proven techniques and strategies for both delivering and receiving criticism with the final outcome of building trust and respect in relationships. It is for those times when the inconvenient truth is necessary and called for. Organized in a step-by-step format for quick and easy reference, this one-of-a-kind resource offers practical insights into the difficult task of being honest and, in the process, inspiring others to change their behavior. A MUST for your management tool box!

• Hard cover (40 books/box) – 3 boxes available
  • Individual Book Price:

Original retail price: $29.50

Special Sale Price:  $8.50/book plus shipping and handling

• Soft cover (75 books/box)- 2 boxes available 
  • Individual book price:

Original retail price: $26.45

Special Sale price:   $7.00/book plus shipping and handling

Criticism In Your Life (232 pages): This book shows the reader how to actually benefit from everyday criticisms at work and at home by putting criticism in proper perspective. By always keeping other’s best interests in mind, readers will learn how to develop meaningful relationships. Recognizing that giving and receiving effective criticism is an art that can be easily mastered by incorporating a few essential steps.

 

• Soft cover (36 books/box)
  • Individual book price:

Original retail price: $24.45

Special Sale price:  $6.00/ book plus shipping and handling

Especially useful around employee appraisal times, these books also serve as a great complement to training programs that focus on performance enhancement and effective supervision of others. They make great gifts for employees during birthdays and work anniversaries, and are thoughtful ways to say “thank you” when employees are performing exceptionally well.

We would be happy to send or direct you to articles on the web that Deb has written in the past to give you an idea of the value she offers in her work. If you are interested in this opportunity or if you have any questions, please contact us via email at dbright@brightent.com or by phone at 520-620-3500.  Also, we invite you to check out our website at www.drbright.com. “Like” us on Facebook!

*Offer valid until September, 2011.

We look forward to hearing from you!

The Bright Enterprises Team

INTRODUCTION TO UNSPOKEN EXPECTATIONS

 Some expectations are communicated very clearly, either verbally or in writing, and they are referred to as “spoken expectations.”  Others are not communicated clearly and are commonly referred to as “unspoken expectations.”

Here is an example:

Tom Walker has been a manager for 15 years at an insurance company that, like many others in the industry, has gone through tremendous changes recently. Among those changes is the company’s style of management. Although Tom uses the popular jargon of the new management style, his actions still reflect an old style of management that is autocratic and directive. He is quick to tell people what they are supposed to do, and reluctant to ask for their opinions or to involve them in the daily running of the department. Instead of empowering others, Tom takes on many of the tasks that his people are trained to do, simply because they are things that he has always done.

 Recognizing the problem, Tom’s boss, Anita, encouraged him to attend an advanced management training program that addressed some of these issues.

 When Tom returned, Anita met with him to find out what he had learned and what he was planning on doing differently. His response was, “It’s the same old stuff. The instructor was very motivating, but she didn’t introduce anything I didn’t already know”.  Tom’s reaction to the class surprised and disappointed Anita.  She thought to herself, “He’s missing the whole point. It’s not what you know that gives you the competitive edge and defined your value to the organization; it’s how well you can translate your knowledge into action”. 

 Anita’s unspoken expectation was that Tom should be working to align his managerial style with the company’s new direction and to improve his effectiveness. But Tom missed Anita’ s message by concluding that the instructor reviewed material he had heard before. Anita’s disappointment resulted because, even though she assumed Tom was familiar with the management/leadership tools, she was looking for him to return with new ideas about how to use them. Unless Tom accurately picks up on Anita’s message he needs to start making changes, his job may be in jeopardy.

An essential ingredient in any relationship is understanding the other person’s expectations. That step sounds obvious and simple.  The only trouble is that not all expectations in relationships are articulated.  

 

 

 

Tags: communication, expectations

The Power of Criticism

Criticism is probably the most powerful form of communication, we have at our disposal. Just think about the criticism that you received as a child and the important role it played in determining what you are and what you do today. It is not uncommon for criticism to have been a determining factor in making a career choice, in choosing a particular kind of personal image, or even in selecting a marital partner.

A good example of how the power of criticism might negatively alter the course of a person’s life is found in the story of Earl. He allowed parental criticism to change his life, and to this day he has been plagued with regrets for having done so. Earl was seriously contemplating marriage to a young woman he had been dating for over two years. His parents, with whom he still lived at that time, had never been enthusiastic about his companion but had never expressed this verbally until Earl mentioned that he was planning to discuss marriage with his girlfriend. The dam burst and a flood of criticism about this young woman poured forth. Convinced that his own feelings and observations were faulty, Earl changed his mind about getting married and soon the relationship became static, faltered, and finally ended. Six months later, having moved out on his own, Earl realized that he had made a mistake and tried to pick up the pieces. But by then the young woman was dating another man, whom she subsequently married. Today, six years later, Earl is unmarried and convinced that he missed out on an important opportunity for happiness in his life because of his decision.

Despite being surrounded by a plethora of such examples, many people still seem to deny the existence of criticism in their lives, especially when it originates with loved ones. The positivism of the seventies and the eighties—the “do and be everything” decades—has encouraged this denial. Some people recognize that criticism is with us but wish that it would magically disappear. It is not very nice and it makes them feel uptight. Well, it is here and it won’t disappear because it can’t, so we might as well take the plunge and begin to explore criticism.

Identifying what you Really Want as an End Result

Interestingly, of the many people I interact with when coaching executives or speaking to business professionals, I’ve noticed that they have difficulty sorting out what they want as a desired end result.

Take for example, a technology management team who needs to put together a presentation in front of their colleagues to encourage them to buy into a future technology plan. Managers leading the discussion became so caught up in the production of the PowerPoint presentation that they lost sight of the end result they were striving to achieve.  Putting together a great PowerPoint presentation is not the whole story.  Interestingly, the PowerPoint is the means to the end.

Here’s another common off the job example that many of us can relate to losing weight. So many people start off highly motivated to lose the unwanted pounds, only to find themselves putting the pounds back on when they “go off their diet”. In this situation, the real desired end result is to keep off the unwanted weight- not simply to lose the pounds.  Some people would argue that their end result is eating healthily and living a healthy lifestyle and then, losing the unwanted pounds is a means to the end.

Think about it- achieving the end result of “living a healthy lifestyle and eating healthy” will result in thinking differently about oneself, as well as, requiring an attitudinal change towards food.  So thinking clearly upfront about the desired end result is extremely important.

Here’s yet another classic example of how people are not effective at identifying clear end results- An aspiring competitive golfer wants as his end result to qualify for the PGA tour. So I asked him if he would feel that he achieved his real desired end result if he qualified for the tour but ended up on the bottom of the money list. He said “no” because he had to feed his wife and 2 year old son.

So bottom line, as you set goals for yourself, be sure to go beyond thinking about what you want and truly identify your desired end result!

Tags: end result, goals