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| CONTENTS: |
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| Section 1 |
- Topical Topics |
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Leadership Opportunities . . .
Over past issues we’ve critically examined the roles, the credentials and the strategies that are peculiar to the leadership role. Now it’s time to explore some of the opportunities that people in leadership roles have to make profound differences in the lives of those they might lead. In the next issues of Polaris Digest we’re comparing and contrasting how a leadership perspective can add unique and substantial value to some ordinary and familiar undertakings.
We’ll continue our discourse with the challenges of decision making.
The Quintessential Leader . . .
A senior and accomplished executive once told me that he considered decision-making to be a singular characteristic of the “quintessential leader”. I asked for a definition of this term as he was using it in our discussion.
“It’s obvious,” he stated firmly, “a good leader has to make good decisions quickly and instantly. For example, I make thousands of decisions every day, and they all have to be right!” He must have read the incredulity on my face, for he quickly added, “Well, hundreds anyway!”
Maybe this was the secret of his success but it counteracts everything of value that I’ve ever learned about effective decision making in a leadership context. As well, it may have been in vogue at one time for all decision making to be the responsibility of the top leader, but I’m convinced that this is no longer the preferred practice. I even have doubts about the validity of “quintessential leaders” – defined as the “most typical examples or representatives”. Today, we acknowledge all sorts and sizes.
It’s very true that in most organizations, thousands of decisions are being made every day, most of them either routine or of very minor importance. The decisions that have real impact are relatively rare in the province of any single individual – they are shared, accumulative and complex. In the personal domain though, we all face occasions when we make highly impactful, consequential decisions alone.
A Stepped Approach . . .
Problem solving and decision making are closely aligned; it’s difficult to separate the two processes. One way to view this is to see decision making as part of a process - issue definition and issue resolution, being two sides of the same coin. Further, the point of any decision is usually the first step in monitoring - follow-up and follow-through action.
Also decisions are not all equal. They may well carry similar impact but some are simpler, safer and more secure to make. Similarly, the contexts for decisions vary widely and some circumstances are easier than others. The consequences and outcomes may be sensitive and substantial despite the fact that the actual process was easy and rapid, and vice versa. We’ve all been there!
Issue definition can be straightforward and explicit while resolution of that same issue can be complex and sensitive (e.g. normalizing racial relationships). The reverse can also be true (e.g. solving world hunger). On top of this, monitoring processes are invariably complicated and remote, making them difficult to control; oftentimes they tend to be neglected and/or overlooked.
In the issue resolution phase then, one initial consideration is a structure for processing decisions which will alert us to the need for care and consideration due to this anticipated complexity. This is a Dimensional Decision Making model comprising:
- 2-dimensional (matrix) for simple choices and selections e.g. which computer model to buy;
- 3-dimensional (all quadrant) for complex assessments/strategic issues e.g. career changes;
- 4-dimensional (integrative) for transformational changes e.g. marriage/child raising issues;
- 5-dimensional (holonic) entropic / transcendent e.g. self actualization/fulfilment.
Two-dimensional decisions, on this model, are straightforward and afford little opportunity for leadership interventions other than contributing to clarity of purpose and needed outcomes. Agreement on which factors to consider and upon which of the two matrix axes to place them can focus mutual understandings considerably. The leader may guide this process to good effect.
Three-dimensional decisions, as the term implies, involves an additional dimension and this leads to greater complexity. Using a quadrant approach (internal vs external together with individual vs group) allows one, or indeed a group, to “walk around” the issues, while accumulating depth and texture of understanding, interrelationships and improving bonding with each step. The role of the leader in this critical process is to keep the process on track and focused on the intended outcome(s).
Fourth-dimensional decisions have the added dimension of time – once committed, difficult to retrieve, nullify or influence in other ways. The process here is to build upon the quadrant approach through exploration of the intricate levels of development that co-exist and inter-relate within each quadrant as the decision process unfolds. There’s a most valuable role for the leader in this complex journey in helping all concerned to fully appreciate the consequences of any decisions at physical, emotional and intellectual levels.
Fifth-dimensional decision making is characterized by its absolute irreversibility. It normally requires a change of state – life to death being one glaring example – and it’s generally intensely personal. The proper role for a leader is either one of absolute integration or commitment (personal sacrifice) or no involvement whatsoever. We would venture here into the realm of values, spiritual considerations and ethics which are well beyond the scope of this present discussion.
Making it Work . . .
Decision making strategies, systems and tools are plentiful although some can be complicated and hard to master. Fortunately many are now available in software format which relieves us of much of the tedium. As leaders / managers though, our primary responsibilities include:
- Selecting the right issues for attention – a function of leader/manager role/responsibilities
- Assigning priorities and resources to deal with the issues – our function as above
- Exploring the adequacies and risks involved in proposed decisions – as mentors / coaches
- Monitoring outcomes to ensure resolution – the issue of accountability.
If effective decision processes are measured and evaluated in terms of the responses elicited, which would appear to be a sensible approach to assess effectiveness, then we should consider three related characteristics, namely appropriateness, acceptability and impact/consequences, all of which are vital concerns for any leader.
A leader is responsible for focusing the changes desired by others and facilitating the emergence of a sustainable new reality, so the decision has to make sense in the light of this desired reality. In terms of appropriateness, the first of these, the task of a leader is to ensure that there’s direct causality between the decision and the outcomes approved by the group – enough said.
Acceptability is a political consideration. Each member of the group will acknowledge leadership from others – at a price. What keeps the price at manageable levels is the acceptability of a myriad of decisions. If the price is deemed to be too high, then power is exercised through endorsing or withholding acceptance of key decisions. The use of coercive power, the leveraging of influence, is the substance of politics, which is an anathema for most leaders.
The challenge for the leader with regard to decision impact is more difficult to meet. Whereas we can all agree quite readily on what it is we have to achieve, we’ll inevitably disagree on how we get there. How we arrive at our desired outcome is usually a matter of blending method with time, cost, relative quality, sensitivities and, above all, impact. Impact is the emotional residue once all intellectual elements have been rationalised – and this, being subjective, is a tough challenge for any leader.
There’s a kind of emotional balance sheet for every leadership intervention and decisions are the individual entries. They will be construed as either positive (assets) or negative (liabilities) and there are working ratios that reflect the strength of desire for the outcome. At any point, the health of the leadership relationship can be assessed in terms of the balance of asset to liability decisions.
The trade off process is in participative decision making where acceptability and impact resolutions are attempted in the moment / at the time of the transaction – but there’s still a residual accrual. A leader always owns this residual product, and so it becomes, in effect, the leader’s effectiveness scoreboard. It has to be closely monitored at all times.
The Leader’s Opportunity . . .
The wise leader recognizes the vulnerabilities that exposures to critical decisions will create. It could be compared to a “grubstake” – the initial investment of confidence and resources extended by suppliers to gold seekers in the late nineteenth century. The trick was to find substantial gold before the grubstake expired. So it is with the leader; followers will offer the grubstake of credence and confidence which will be eroded / consumed by less-than-perfect decisions over time and exposure.
Leaders are expected to make decisions in a way that considers all relevant factors (known and unknown), time and cost considerations, factional preferences and which recognize all reasonable consequences. Those who avoid decisions are dealt with harshly in the courts of public sentiment. There is latitude, to a point, and followers can be extraordinarily resilient under some conditions but this is not assured and should never be an assumption.
The leader works with borrowed time and credibility. Recognizing that decisions are not all equal in terms of appropriateness, acceptance and impact, each and every decision the leader makes can detract from this initial investment. Successful decisions become assets on the balance sheet and a healthy working balance must be maintained. Monitor your progressive scoreboard at all times.
Now there’s a great decision!
I’d welcome your questions, comments and suggestions. We can all learn through dialogue and your experiences will undoubtedly gain more value when shared. Please contact me at david@andros.org.
A Note to our Readers . . .
Previous series of articles on the topics of
- Tomorrow’s Leaders – a model for SME organizations
- The Leadership Crucible – the ‘making’ of leaders
- Leadership Characteristics – a comprehensive catalogue of leader qualities
- Succession Planning – the strategic argument, principles and strategies, and
- Managing Change – every person’s guide to painless processes
have been summarized as discussion guides for those who lead and manage through mentoring and coaching. If you would like to secure a copy for your own use, please contact us.
It is a pleasure to share ideas with you and we’d welcome your questions, suggestions and comments. They’ll assist us to refine and expand the essential value of these initiatives.
Thanks in anticipation for your participation.
Please contact me at david@andros.org.
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Timely Insights . . .
Ideas that stick . . .
Mark Twain once observed, “A lie can get halfway around the world before the truth can even get its boots on.” His observation rings true: urban legends, conspiracy theories, and bogus public-health scares circulate effortlessly. Meanwhile, people with important ideas—businessmen, educators, politicians, journalists, and others—struggle to make their ideas “stick.”
Why do some ideas thrive while others die? And how do we improve the chances of worthy ideas? In Made to Stick, accomplished educators and idea collectors Chip and Dan Heath tackle head-on these vexing questions. Inside, the brothers Heath reveal the anatomy of ideas that “stick” and explain sure-fire methods for making ideas stickier, such as violating schemas, using the Velcro Theory of Memory, and creating curiosity gaps.
In this indispensable guide, we discover that “sticky” messages of all kinds—from the infamous organ theft ring hoax to a coach’s lessons on sportsmanship to a product vision statement from Sony—draw their power from the same six traits.
Made to Stick is a book that will transform the way you communicate ideas. It’s a fast-paced tour of idea success stories (and failures)—the Nobel Prize-winning scientist who drank a glass of bacteria to prove a point about stomach ulcers; the charities who make use of the Mother Teresa Effect; the elementary-school teacher’s simulation that actually prevented prejudice . Provocative, eye-opening, and funny, Made to Stick shows us the principles of successful ideas at work—and how we can apply these rules to making our own messages “stick.” For more details on this valuable text, go to http://www.madetostick.com/thebook/
SAFE Goal Attainment . . .
You’re aware of SMART goals, I’m sure, but like me you’ve found the acronym to be catchy yet not always effective. One possible reason is that it’s mainly an abstract or conceptual idea that fails to deliver results when used alone. It lacks compulsion.
Here’s a fresh approach – SAFE goal Attainment. SAFE stands for:
See the end result – Accept the end result – Feel the end result – Express the end result.
See it: Picture the future as it will be when your goal is achieved. See it in great detail and full color. If your goal is weight loss, see yourself standing in front of a mirror at your new weight. And looking good! See yourself being admired by others for your new appearance. Put yourself in clothing you might never wear now, but looks good on the new you.
Accept it: Accept means that you open yourself to attaining the goal AND you are 100% certain that it will occur. This is critical to goal attainment because it ensures that you have no doubts. You may not know exactly how you'll achieve your goal, but you have no doubt about achieving it; it will happen and you know it. There's some faith and magic at work here, so open yourself to the power of the Universe to bring you what you want.
Feel it: Goal attainment is more about attracting what we want than chasing what we want. Attraction is strengthened by combining the mental power of thinking about the goal (seeing and accepting) with the emotional power of the feelings you'll have when the goal is achieved. As you visualize yourself having achieved the goal, allow yourself to feel the accompanying emotions. The stronger the emotion the stronger is the attraction to the goal.
Express it: Use your full powers of expression to cement your end result in place. Describe it verbally, telling yourself all about it. Write about it. Describe in vivid detail every aspect of how your life looks after the goal is achieved. Capture your feelings in words, too. Draw it, paint it, create a collage that describes and depicts it. Place your writing and pictures where you'll see them every day.
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| Section 2 |
- Talk Back |
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Coach's Corner . . .
A selection of frequently-asked questions.
Dear Coach:
My question is, “Where do you draw the line between coaching and interfering?” I have two people with very good-to-excellent potential working on my team but both are resisting my coaching offers. They’ve suggested that they’ll be better off if I let them struggle along on their own rather than “interfere” too much. They say they’ll learn more that way.
Are they right?
Response:
This is a very good question and perhaps it should be aired more frequently than it is.
Let’s begin with a return to the basic roles of both leaders and managers. Leaders are focused on what gets done and this requires direct interaction following the four-step leadership process:
- Define/focus the Vision or desired outcome
- Communicate/clarify the Vision in the reality of the individual
- Encourage participation, involvement and commitment in every action
- Deliver results / outcomes that benefit everyone concerned.
Leadership could also involve some extended mentoring, the purpose of which is to assist others to sort out relevant priorities, connections, sequences and consequences (step 2 above).
Managers are concerned with how things get done and the overriding intention is to get results through others by making them successful. This can be accomplished through coaching as well as through use of delegation, monitoring, training, incentives and other similar strategies and techniques. Most often, it’s a combination of several of these strategies.
So your relationships with your direct reports need to include both leadership and management, each delivered in a sensitive and timely way. Since both types of intervention come from the same person, there’s lots of opportunity for confusion. Clarity in the current role is essential.
The supervisor/team leader can resolve this easily though by using a simple checklist approach – first ensure that there’s a clear understanding about what outcomes are required and only then enquire if assistance is needed / desired on how such outcomes might be achieved.
A common mistake among leaders is to provide direction and then, without missing a beat, launch into “helpful advice” on how the results could be realized. The conversation usually follows a pattern like, “I’d like you to take on the implementation of our redesigned customer communications strategy, especially to help everyone stay abreast of our new product introductions by sending out a series . . . (oops!)”. The manager just went over the line in his/her enthusiasm to help. The message heard by the employee was likely “I want you to do it my way”
As a manager, it can be very difficult to assign a task and then to sit back and allow the recipient to flounder for a while, especially when there’s so much you could be offering. When those receiving delegation are new to their roles and perhaps relatively inexperienced, there’s a great deal to be gained by walking them through the implementation plan before letting go.
A graduated plan, based on your confidence in the delegate’s competence, is often helpful here. Try using several distinct levels of delegation, for example:
- Here’s what I want you to do; please prepare a detailed plan of action and discuss with me before taking any action so that I can support you fully.
- Here’s what I want you to do; please detail your intended action plan and copy/update me as you initiate the plan. I’d like detailed progress reports daily / weekly.
- Here’s what needs to be done; can you identify any difficulties or obstacles that I can assist with before / as you implement your strategy? Keep me informed as you proceed.
- Here’s what needs to be done; let me know if you need resources and/or help as you proceed and please keep me apprised of progress daily / weekly / monthly.
- This is the outcome we need; I’d like you to assume full responsibility for the implementation and outcomes and keep me informed on general developments / progress.
Not only can the level of delegation vary between delegates, but each person can operate with different amounts of freedom depending on the task / situation / context. Each time you relax your level of control, make sure the individual is aware of the fact – it’s a tangible demonstration of your increasing confidence and it helps build relationships.
In the interests of building such relationships quickly and securely, do provide opportunities to “stretch” the delegate, but remain alert to the need for immediate assistance-on-demand. This means staying close to the action but not intervening until actually invited. This works better than expected in the majority of cases.
Growing people while still attaining the results demanded is always a trifle risky, but when the reins are loosened and success still follows, the rewards for all involved are phenomenal!
Good luck!
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Commentary . . .
Getting the show on the road . . .
There have been many times when I’ve heard the same plaintiff cry, “We have to make some serious changes around here but people don’t seem to get it!”
In almost every case the fickle finger of fate is pointing at the others involved. Then again, perhaps I should have said, uninvolved? However this mental image brings to mind another time / place when my sainted Scottish aunt would observe, “If you are pointing your index finger at someone, take a moment to observe that there are three other fingers on the same hand pointing back at you. If indeed they are the problem, then the other fingers are suggesting that you are the solution”.
There’s something very comforting in laying the blame elsewhere, but we’ll wait with increasing frustration for “them” to make the changes. Experience tells me that it’s unlikely to happen.
Rather than wait around for them, here are some things that I (or perhaps you) could be doing to alleviate the situation – to get the show on the road.
1. Face the pain: People won’t embrace change until you admit that the organization isn’t doing some critical things in the right way. There’s an apparent unspoken rule that managers don’t want to hear the truth, but you won’t go anywhere unless you’re prepared to take an honest look at what’s not working as it should be. Take the time to probe for the truth and listen to ideas and opinions that you might not like.
2. Create a sense of urgency: Identify a challenge or crisis that clearly shows why the status quo is no longer an option. Profits may be falling, the competition might be out-performing you or a new technology could be rendering your product or service obsolete. You need to engage people at the emotional level by demonstrating the seriousness of the challenge both they and the organization are facing.
3. Articulate your future vision quickly and succinctly: Make your case for change briefly and pointedly. If you can’t communicate where you’d like to take the firm in less than five minutes, your vision is probably too complicated for others to grasp. Think about how to express it using simple stories rather than through unemotional charts and diagrams.
4.Communicate – Communicate - Communicate: Present the need and the case for change often and consistently. Keep your messages interesting and provocative. Help your people see the connections between what they do and the changes you’re all seeking. Performance reviews are a great opportunity to talk about how individual behaviors are helping or hindering the vision.
5.Plan what you’ll do about those who resist: Expect that some of your people will resist change and include that in your plan. Resistance has to be resolved, so seek it out and bring it into the open. Resistance that goes underground is tough to fight. Resistance that’s articulated, that has a face and an agenda, can offer valuable perspectives. Let the resistors’ viewpoints guide how you manage the change as well as the pace at which it proceeds.
If you consider that change is not only a fact of life for our foreseeable future, but also implicit in the definition of both leadership and management, you’ll know that it is the medium in which we must move. Confrontation is suspect in terms of time, energy, credibility and relationships – it is rarely successful as a strategy. Deflection works, for a while, but we can never assume that those in opposition cannot learn from their mistakes, and besides, it doesn’t work too well with apathy.
Our choice is obvious, isn’t it? We must work with change in all its dimensions and configurations including resistance. We need to get “real”, to deal with others’ realities in ways that make sense to them. The strategy is to harness each and every individual vision to the organizational change wagon and to allow each person to contribute through personal strengths, recognizing and appreciating every contribution in its unique expression.
Agreed, this takes time, perhaps more time than we think we have. However, have you ever calculated the time it takes to overcome resistance once it is entrenched? Surely, it would pay us to do it right the first time?
Think about it!
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A Point of View . . .
This section is a Guest Column.
Those with different and interesting viewpoints are invited to state a case on a related topic. Articles are most welcome.
Road Rage Revisited . . .
There I am, driving along Hwy 401 towards Toronto, minding my own business and in fact, appreciating the smooth flow of traffic, when suddenly I’m aware something unusual is happening. Checking my side and rear-view mirrors I register there’s an Intrepid right behind me, closing rapidly.
The highway is just two lanes at this point and I’m travelling in the passing lane because there’s a line of 18-wheel rigs, snout-to-tail, in the other lane. The Intrepid driver clearly sees my presence as an unwarranted impedance so he closes to within four-to-six feet of my rear bumper and leans on his horn. He’s so close and I have nowhere to go. As I’m already cruising at a speed slightly in excess of the limit I’m not disposed to go any faster. You can guess what happens next.
Within seconds, I feel my blood pressure going right through the roof and I’m very tempted to slow down to the speed of the slowest rig beside me. The risk here is that Intrepid will lose it and ram my rear end. Should I tempt him? Quickly, I assess my options – get out of his way by driving as fast as I can; ignore him until he backs off or slow down to teach him a lesson in patience. Then the decision is wrested from my grasp!
A new presence appears in the form of a police cruiser right on Intrepid’s tail, lights flashing and siren whooping. He’s trapped, hoisted on his own petard, and forced to slow down and pull over. I can only imagine what ensued, but I couldn’t resist a small chuckle. Then I had a moment or two of sober reflection which I’d like to share.
What if Intrepid had decided to “go for broke” passing me on the soft shoulder and maybe forcing me into the side of a rig? What would have happened if there had been no police cruiser at that moment? Would I have managed the moment well? Safely? Reasonably and in a “win-win” spirit? I doubt it very much! I could only lose!
The consequences of any of my briefly considered options were less than attractive – a confrontation with Intrepid (perhaps with dire outcomes) or the risk of transferring the tension to the innocent rig drivers as I squeezed myself into their lane at maximum speed and with minimal clearance.
These were not good solutions – any of them, but then I was the one being victimized, right? This, too, was patently false. I’ve been driving the 401 long enough to know that Intrepid is always there and I know full well that reason and even maturity are not sufficient to handle him/her. My only real defence is to anticipate Intrepid’s arrival at any time / location and to allow myself a safe exit plan that will not endanger anyone in any way. I have to drive defensively if I choose to go on living.
I wasted a lot of adrenalin that day, but that’s all I had to pay – thank heavens! If I ever make myself vulnerable to Intrepid again, I’ll be sacrificing more than I’m ready to give! The truth is that my future is always in my hands, head and heart.
Well that’s my opinion anyway.
David.
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| Section 3 |
- On the Horizon |
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Four Tips for Coaching Managers - by Patricia Wheeler
If there was ever anyone who excelled at creating and communicating a clear vision, it was my client Harry. He was known throughout his organization for this skill, and as a result was sent to turn around an underperforming team. Harry wasted no time communicating the vision to his direct reports. Two months down the road, the team’s performance was improving but not at the rate Harry expected.
I asked him about his approach as team leader; he described numerous meetings and emails in which he told his team about the need for results and the specific steps they should take to accomplish them. I then asked when, if at all, he elicited their experience and ideas. He admitted that he had been telling far more than asking. We talked about the difference between the managerial tools of “directing” and “coaching,” and he decided to add more coaching to the mix.
Harry then met with his team and admitted that he had not asked them their ideas about implementing the changes. He asked them for FeedForward…what was working well so far in his approach and how the team could be even more successful. I asked him afterward about the meeting; he was surprised at how much useful information he learned, and how, unless he made a few minor course corrections based on the team’s experience, the turnaround would not succeed as anticipated.
Months later, I asked him how his use of coaching skills had the biggest impact on the team. He replied that asking open-ended questions had helped greatly. Previously, he asked questions such as, “Will you meet the deadline?” His direct reports did not consider it an option to say no or point out obstacles to their results-driven boss, so they frequently made the mistake of over-promising and under-delivering. As a manager-coach, he learned the slightly different question of, “What obstacles will get in the way of meeting this deadline, and what approach do you suggest taking?” This created a mutual problem-solving dialogue which led to more on-time delivery of results and a proactive, rather than reactive, response to roadblocks. Results delivered: a more effective…and more confident, motivated team.
Some managers decry coaching as a “soft” strategy. Actually, it’s anything but soft. Coaching definitely leads with a positive, can-do spirit in which individuals are seen as capable. But effective coaches hold a mirror to their coachees in a way that leads them to confront and deal with their missteps and derailing behaviors as well. So this supposed “soft” approach is one that yields hard, measurable results.
When managers coach, they promote worker accountability. Effective coaching managers craft agreements in which the coachee agrees to specific timelines and accountabilities. The cost? More time spent up front in conversation, clarifying the vision, the desired results, and the steps it will take to reach them. The payoff? Fewer wasted hours, less destructive emotion expressed, more efficiency and engagement.
Four tips for coaching managers are:
1. Be clear about the outcome you’re mutually seeking. In a coaching arrangement, be very clear about what you are trying to improve, and why it is in the enlightened self-interest of both the individual and the organization. If there has been an issue where performance is in question, I coach leaders to check and re-check understanding of the task, the coachee’s responsibility, and the role the manager plays in ensuring the desired results occur. With a recent client, the usual suspect was lack of clarity. In this particular case the team leader assigned tasks individually without fully clarifying the roles, responsibilities, decision rights, requisite collaboration, and skill sets of the employee. Often team members were not sure where their accountability ended and someone else’s began. This resulted in slowness of execution on a highly visible initiative, which threatened the team’s credibility within their organization and reflected badly on the employee who felt hung out to dry and the manager who did not produce critical results.
2. Ask before you tell. When I train managers in coaching techniques, one tendency I observe is too much advice giving. Advice is well and good, but it’s not coaching. Often managers give advice which works for them but not the person they’re coaching, and thus experience frustration when their suggestions fall flat. Ditto when a manager gives advice before truly understanding the situation from the coachee’s frame of reference. Ask open ended questions, such as, “What’s missing in the current plan?” and, “Given the time constraints, how do you propose to complete this project on time?” And don’t waste time trying to prove yourself right (and them wrong); really listen to the answers. This is especially important in a developmental dialogue – know what the other person wants before offering sage wisdom.
3. Offer yourself as a resource whenever possible. Ask those whom you are coaching what they need from you to accomplish the desired goal. Be clear, of course, whether you can deliver what’s asked. Time is the rare commodity of busy managers. So be honest about your span of control and real ability to give focused time to those who will ask for your counsel and coaching. The bonus here, in addition to added traction toward the goal, is that the employee you’re coaching has the experience that his or her boss genuinely cares….which is a great driver of retention and engagement.
4. Practice self-development. The best workers want authentic leaders who walk their talk. Your behavior is the best demonstration of your commitment to continual improvement. We strongly suggest transparency – making sure your direct reports, peers, and bosses know what you are personally committed to improve, and involving them in the solutions. In short, if you want to be a good coach, make sure that you know what a good coaching experience feels like.
Copyright 2007, Leading News.
Patricia Wheeler is an executive coach and consultant who helps smart people become better leaders. As Managing Partner of the Levin Group LLC, she has spent over 15 years specializing in organizational systems dynamics and coaching senior leaders. A distance-learning expert, Patricia uses an action-oriented and results-based approach to coach teams within global organizations, leading to increased synergy and bottom-line results. She publishes Leading News in collaboration with renowned executive coach Marshall Goldsmith. You may contact Patricia by e-mail at Patricia@TheLevinGroup.com or by telephone at 404 377-9408. Subscribe to the newsletter at www.LeadingNews.org.
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Opportunities & Challenges . . .
20 Leadership Lessons . . .
By sharing important business lessons on film, executives communicate in the most compelling method of all, one-to-one storytelling. Contributions are edited into short, powerful, highly engaging lessons that can be applied to decision-making across the entire range of business challenges.
Try it – you’ll like it!
http://www.50lessons.com/
Remember to review the lesson Summary, Ideas for Action and Questions to Ask. It will take you just a few moments to gain a fresh perspective – well worth the investment!
Ask us too, for a summary extract of Robert R Quinn’s book “Deep Change”. It’s yours for the asking.
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Your Development
How well are you doing with your personal development? Will you be ready for the opportunities and challenges that tomorrow will undoubtedly bring?
Would you like some help with
- professional / objective assessment?
- ongoing self development?
- personal, one-on-one coaching
We have a talent for bringing out the very best in people. We help them to focus, to build self and general confidence based on committed results and we contribute to competence and resiliency.
We are Polaris – the finest self-navigation program for emerging leaders / managers. You can reach us at info@polarisprogram.com or by calling (519) 766-1178 anytime.
Perhaps Polaris would be the right program for you? We’d welcome the opportunity to demonstrate this powerful program and to contribute to the strengthening of your profile and/or management team.
Please contact us for details.
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Reach Out!
Harness the power of a sparkling new thought every week. By subscribing to our "Reach Out" service you'll receive a short, high impact, motivating and often provocative quotation every Tuesday morning. It will lend focus to your week, stimulation for your thinking, insights into your whole life and perhaps even solace for your soul.
Best of all, it's free! Take a moment for yourself and make room for a little refreshment.
http://www.reachoutdirectory.com
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| Section 4 |
- Secure Site |
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A New Polaris Program . . .
will begin in the Spring 2007
There are currently openings for this leading-edge personal development program which is winning plaudits across the board. Please call us for details of qualifications required and registration processes.
Polaris participants are invited to use their assigned usernames and passwords to access the extended curriculum and knowledge base at http://www.polarisprogram.com/members.php
Review Sessions . . .
Polaris program participants are invited to review the modules for
Work Out 5
- Personal Organization – Focusing Resources
- Influencing Others – Communicating with Intent
- Focusing Principles – Consistency and Commitment
Work Out 11
- Implementation – Reinforcement and Learning I
- Building Relationships – Trust and Confidence
- Beyond Self – Consensus and Synergies
Preparatory assignments . . .
Preparatory materials are on the web site and will also be sent by e-mail.
Work Out 6 (April 3rd)
The agenda for this session will comprise:
- Personal Organization – Branding and Profiling
- Obstacles & Setbacks – Assertiveness and Conflict Management
- Integrity & Ethics – Codes and Transparency
Work Out 12 (Date to be arranged)
The agenda for this session will be:
- Implementation – Reinforcement and Learning II
- Building Relationships – Mentoring and Coaching
- Beyond Self – Positive Organizational Culture
Any person who has participated in the Polaris Program at any time is invited and encouraged to attend any Work Out at any time and without fee. Please contact Sheila to advise her of your intention to attend.
Please set time aside for your preparatory work, and call your coach with any questions and comments.
Use your RED time well!
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Be kind to yourself - and to someone else! |
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Stay well, live long and prosper.
David Huggins and Amanda Levy
Andros Consultants Limited
http://www.andros.org
Helping individuals and organizations be their best
http://www.ebooks4business.ca
Distinctive business books for the discerning mind
http://www.polarisprogram.com
Realizing tomorrow's potential - today!
Shameless Marketing Tip:
With close to thirty years of experience in identifying and resolving
professional and business issues, we've developed a wealth
of expertise that could benefit you. An exploratory consultation
carries no obligation. Let's talk! Contact us at info@andros.org
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Contact us to learn more.
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