Kool Results

Monday, April 04, 2011

Organised chaos or balanced lifestyle?

In a workplace that works, employees will have the skills to share their ideas, innovation and commitment. In a rapidly changing world, this will result in leadership qualities that will shape the future of your workplace.

Workplace well-being is a holistic approach to creating high performance organisations through establishing the right conditions to generate high levels of employee engagement.

What strategies does your workplace have in place to support employees in reducing work/life struggles and creating a healthier lifestyle which in turn will improve productivity.

It is important to make it as easy as possible for people to balance their work and family responsibilites.

Encourage your workplace to:
• Understand the issues of work and life balance.
• Learn about workplace trends that may support employees to find a better balance.
• Define individual priorities.
• Find strategis for coping.

Have you done your fine tuning?

The digital clock on the wall flashes red. You look up, and realise that it's seven o'clock and another hour has gone by. And you are still at the office! Was that you yesterday? And the day before?

When was the last time you took a good long look at your work practices? Are you getting the work-life balance right? You may be trying to steer your team through the rough waters of change, but working excessive hours is not the solution.

Long hours and unreasonable demands made on your staff will lead to a reduction in productivity, to sickness, and to a general loss of moral. As a manger responsible for the well being of your staff, make sure you have set them realistic targets, and encourage them to priorities.

When you are leading others, it is rare for someone to give you the recognition you deserve, and to offer your encouragement. That is why it is vital to reward yourself. Use the time driving home to reflect on how productive you have been, and what you have achieved. By the time you reach home you should have dumped all your work issues, and be ready to relax properly, and to re-energise yourself.

There is a new breek of managers and CEOs who recognise the importance of maintaining their staff's well-being. The positive results being produced is evidence that it works!

I was asked what I do to relax, and to ensure that I have head space. I moved to the beach deliberately so I could be in an environment which nurtures my soul. I have fun with my children; I meet with friends and have a laugh; I go to heh gym. I schedule time into my weekly work routine to do something I know will refresh me.

We are real people, with different needs. We all must learn to manage in our own manner, in a way which is best suited to our particular circumstances. But I guarantee you, create this balance, find this space, and you will be successful at work and at play.

Kool Results ... putting you firstPersonal & Business CoachingPhone: 08 8376 3492 Fax: 08 8376 3493 Mobile: 0438 017 873Email: fiona@koolresults.com.au Web: www.koolresults.com.au Blog: http://kool-results.blogspot.com

Monday, March 07, 2011

Major Change

Don’t ask what’s in it for me – but what’s in it for us

How do you deal with major change? This can come in all guises – it might be relocation, an organisational restructure, the introduction of new IT processes, or a takeover. Regardless of what it is, your attitude is critical to the success you will have in overcoming the challenge.

As a leader of your organisation or team it is essential you have strategies in place to help your staff and customers cope through periods of flux. Life has to go on, so don’t let your service to customers suffer during this process of change. Your staff will also need support to adjust to any change, so continue to listen to them carefully. Above all, if you display strong leadership you will offer confidence and continuity.

As long as you communicate effectively with your clients, and keep them in the picture, they will be reassured by your confidence. Allow your staff the opportunity to debrief; there may be a lot of emotion involved, so empathise with them and be aware of their anxieties. Explore their insecurities and offer workable solutions to overcome their fears. In larger organisations the HR Department will be trained to manage this. In smaller companies it’s usually down to the owner or director.

Communication is always the key. Fear of the unknown is a very real fear, which some cope with better than others. If you explain to staff at every step of the way what is happening, and why it has to happen, you will allay these fears and you will get them to buy into the process. As you work through the problem together you attain the best solution. Be aware of their working environment and anticipate any obstacles they may come across, so you can smooth the way. Keep checking in with staff to monitor how they are travelling. This is just as important three months later as well as three days later.

And who is there to support you as a leader? You need the opportunity to off load all the negative emotion that may be dumped on you. You need to have time out to nurture yourself through this change. As a coach, not only can I offer you support and be a sounding board, but also I have tried and tested strategies which allow people to move through a change successfully.

You’ll be able to show customers and staff alike the way forward. You will pull together as a team. Collectively, the strength of the individuals will produce a powerful force to take on change and respond to it in a positive way.

They must often change who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.

Confucius

For more information about change check out Dr Adam Fraser’s article “Why change is so hard to do” at www.dradamfraser.com

Monday, February 21, 2011

The New You!

What does the New Year mean for you? Will you head off in a new direction and maybe apply for a new job? Do you have a fresh vision for your business? Or are you thinking of having a party for that special age you turn this year? Whatever is new for you, it is most likely you will have to sell this idea – or indeed yourself – to a particular audience. How are your presentation skills going to hold up?

At Kool Results we can offer you advice and tips for speaking out confidently.

Effective presentation skills

When you get up to speak do you come over well? You may be required to give a presentation; speak at a public event or appear at that crucial second interview for a job.

What’s your current style? Is it death by power point or are you able to make that emotional connection with your audience? In a presentation you will need to provide facts and figures which are accurate, but can you do it in such a way as to inspire your audience? Make sure you bring your personality to bear on the talk. Offer anecdotes and tell a story to illustrate your facts. If the audience can relate to what is being discussed they will become actively engaged. Story telling is a legitimate way of doing business, so use it if it works for you. Remember not to stray too far off topic in case your audience really does think you are in fairy-tale land!

Maybe it’s not a product or idea you are trying to sell, but it’s you at an interview when you seek a career change. The interviewers will have seen and heard it all before, so how can you make a point of difference? What do you need to do to stamp your personality on the job? This is where coaching is particularly valuable, as a coach can improve your self-confidence and self-awareness. When your strengths are high-lighted, you can recognise the qualities you do have and become empowered to express them confidently. Most people find it challenging to sell themselves – particularly women – so it is important to enhance these skills.

In the December newsletter we talked about social intelligence and its importance. When you are at a team meeting, perhaps trying to sell a new idea to your people, it’s particularly important for you to get staff on board. You need to engage them and get them to share your values. They won’t be convinced by raw data, dry graphs and pie charts. So use the other strengths you have; maybe it’s your sense of humour and your spontaneity. Bring your personality into discussions so they can share in your passions and dreams.

Whatever the nature of the presentation you need to make, being at ease and comfortable with yourself is the key. Use some of the tools suggested, and then try to imagine you are having a chat with the audience to break down any barriers. Just as you need to feel comfortable, the audience will be far more receptive if they are at ease and engaged with your style.

Have a look at some of the greatest television interviewers. The chat show host, Michael Parkinson, had real skills in not only relaxing his interviewees, but also in engaging the television audience so they felt they were in the same room.

You may never have to appear on television, but Kool Results can help you become the best speaker and best presenter you possibly can be.

Friday, December 03, 2010

Christmas is coming....but what does it bring?

I am sure most of you will have noticed the baubles, streamers and trees in the shops which indicate that Christmas is around the corner. Apart from sending us all into panic, some of us may genuinely fear all the social expectations at this time, whether at work or at home. Have you had a good look at your social skills recently? When you are in a leadership role, how you behave towards your staff is critical to how successful a leader you are, and, ultimately, critical for the success of your business.

Social intelligence – the sort of present we’d all like to have!

We are all familiar with emotional intelligence, but what about social intelligence? Do you have the ability to empathise with your staff in order to motivate them? Daniel Goleman’s book ‘Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships’ explores the concept that effective leadership requires a real ability to promote positive responses in your staff. It’s about how to get your people on board so they buy into the same values and goals as you.

There is scientific evidence which suggests positive behaviour is infectious! When you see the results on your bottom line you know you are doing something right. The ability to retain staff is important, as is getting greater commitment out of them which often leads to an increase in sales. Creating a positive attitude in the workforce will consolidate good employee relations. If there is a ‘disconnect’ this can have negative ramifications.

We have all come across highly intelligent people who are experts in their field, but lack the ability to transfer this knowledge to others. Or maybe they are competent in the laboratory, but lack interpersonal and relationships skills to work effectively with colleagues, let alone take on the role as a leader. Goleman’s research has uncovered new evidence that suggests social intelligence has its roots in our biological neurons.

Goleman calls these ‘mirror neurons’, where we pick up, whether consciously or not, signals from another person about the state of their emotions, merely through the way they behave. Our own neurons then ‘mirror’ these emotions. So, in a business environment, a leader’s emotions and actions can be picked up by others and they can share a similar experience.

This is a very powerful concept and the importance of being upbeat cannot be underestimated. A leader may deliver a good performance appraisal, but in a negative and non-empathetic way. The result will be a dissatisfied employee. Conversely, a different leader may give negative feedback, but deliver it in such a way as to make the employee feel good and positive about how he may improve his performance. Feeling good about yourself improves confidence and enhances success at work. When you have several people in your team feeling satisfied, a positive environment is created.

In collaboration with Richard Boyatzis, Goleman has written ‘Social Intelligence and the Biology of Leadership.’ In it, social intelligence is defined as having seven main elements:

1. empathy – the ability to understand people and to be aware of their needs, particularly when dealing with people from other cultures

2. attunement - tuning into the moods of others by careful listening

3. values awareness - appreciating business culture and understanding social networks

4. influence - appealing to people’s self interest and gaining the support of key players

5. personal development of others - providing the necessary coaching and mentoring

6. inspiration - articulating a compelling vision and bringing out the best in people

7. teamwork – promoting teamwork through co-operation and collaboration

So what can you do if you feel your social intelligence is not up to scratch?

We can all work on strategies to improve social intelligence. At Kool Results we will observe how you work and offer objective and constructive ways to help. By using us as your mentor, we can design a plan to improve and to enhance your existing skills to become the best you can.

And what better present can you want than that?

Women in Business

I was speaking to someone from overseas the other day and he said he never thought he would see the day when Australia elected a female Prime Minister. His perception of Australia was that our culture was very ‘blokey’. So you would think that the appointment of Prime Minister Julia Gillard was the result of great change, an indication of how successful women have become in the workforce. Think again. In the recently published report by the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) it made clear that the number of female key executive managers and board directors in the ASX 200 has hardly changed over the past eight years. In comparison with New Zealand, the UK, Canada, the US and South Africa, Australia has the lowest percentage of women in the most senior positions.

So what exactly is going on?

What women want.

What are the benefits of having women in the workforce?

According to a report commissioned by McKinsey in 2009 companies with three or more women in top management out-performed companies with no women executives on every organisational and financial indicator. With increasingly diverse customer bases, those companies where women work alongside men in parity do a lot better than those dominated by men alone. Creative and talented individuals are more likely to be attracted to work in companies where they see greater potential for social change –businesses where women’s input and development is recognised and encouraged.

Businesses with an equal or large proportion of women tend to be friendly and encourage collaboration. The organisation is less combative in its approach and staff tend to be developed and nurtured.

How do we get women into the workforce?

To recruit more women and to be prepared to elevate them to positions of seniority according to their skills it is crucial to have a supportive senior executive. If they buy into the idea, the drive will be far more successful. And it’s not sufficient to have the token woman on the Board. Women need the support of other women in similar roles, to share their ideas and to start making a real difference. Women in particular value the opportunity to network.

What do you need to do to retain these women in your organisation?

Have a look at the values your business espouses. Are they clearly defined and clearly implemented? Women set great store by good ethics displayed within a company. Are you able to identify talent at an early stage and do you promote personal development and opportunities to realise potential? Do you offer flexibility and family-friendly policies to allow both women and family men to develop professionally? Do you reward the contributions made by women from the bottom to the top?

In America there is increasing evidence that women are starting their own businesses in an attempt to have control over their careers, to gain more freedom and flexibility, recognition and money.Think how successful your business could be if you could harness and retain this potential.

How Kool Results can help.

We have tried and tested policies to recruit and retain women. We can help you increase opportunities for women in leadership roles by showing you how to offer women high-profile assignments. We will work alongside you to educate your managers on the importance of advancing women who display potential. We will show you how women can be mentors to other women and how to allow the women who work for you to be themselves, not just to emulate men in order to succeed to the top job. Remember that power comes from sharing information with others, not from withholding it.

"The good news for women is that business now wants collaborative leadership, relationship skills, sharing of information, and win/win negotiation—skills that come easily to most women."

Nancy Clark, CEO of Womensmedia, Inc.

Kool Results

Kool Results - Executive & Leadership Coaching