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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 possess that could make profound differences in the lives of those they lead.
We’re continuing with our comparisons and contrasts on how leadership perspectives can add unique and substantial value to some ordinary and familiar undertakings. Our topic this month continues on the theme of personal development – just how do you grow as a leader? What are the specific things that you need to do to be successful? This is the third and final of three closely related articles, focusing on Investment.
The Overview . . .
There are, I believe, three fundamental areas where effective leaders differentiate themselves from competent managers, namely in how they use information, in their perspective / point of focus - and finally in their preparedness to invest. Let’s start with a brief overview of these three aspects of performance and contribution:
- Information usage: Leaders are able to shift their perspectives from cognitive competencies (knowledge, skills and experience) to wisdom (comprehension, appreciation and value). They can relate comfortably to the essential differences between ‘knowing’ something and ‘understanding’ it.
They tend not to value information for its own sake, as a cerebral asset that is acquired – with the attendant heavy investments of time, effort and discomfort and, therefore, as something to be attributed discrete value, protected and defended because it provides perceived personal advantage. Instead, they view information simply as a pathway, as stepping stones to increased understanding, appreciation and mutual benefit; as something to be shared, cultured and traded openly. This was elaborated in last month’s issue.
- Perspective: Leaders are able to move their viewpoint from self-awareness to ‘other-awareness’. Instead of their primary concern being on what and how they feel, what’s in it for them and what specific personal consequences might ensue, they will assess others’ realities – individually / collectively – before acting.
This does not mean that they are being altruistic and selfless necessarily, but rather that they recognize two truths – firstly, that real value is created between and among people not within one’s self, and secondly, that change is best leveraged through collaborative efforts in a ‘win-win’ scenario. They are perceived to be pragmatic, open in their behaviors and strategies as well as transparent and trustworthy in interactions.
- Investment: Leaders are always ready to invest - especially in other people, relationships and in future conditions. They work from the vantage point of desired solutions back to the action that’s required now, rather than from desires, intentions and problems to needed outcomes – which is a manager’s perspective.
The concept of investment also indicates that leaders are willing to defer immediate gratification in return for increased and improved future options which could become a shared experience with mutual benefits. They see real value as a commodity that is created through combining multiple efforts not as something that can be imposed upon or demanded of others. They’re ready to contribute now in return for future gain.
I concede that’s a really quick overview, and it likely raises as many questions as it answers. In this issue I’d like to discuss the precise detail of the third aspect – preparedness to invest – and attempt to build a compelling case based on some actual behaviors.
The case for leadership . . .
Staying with this definition of a leader “one who focuses the desire for change that’s resident in others and who then facilitates the creation of a sustainable new reality”; we need to concentrate our attention on two ideas – ‘creation’ and ‘sustainable’ to realize the third and essential need for leadership.
One of the great tragedies in life is that so many people die with their dreams unrealized and unfulfilled.
The visions are there and the passions that attend them may also be evident but they never come to fruition. They are talked about for sure – ‘One of these days I’m going to . . .’, ‘I’ve always wanted to . . .’, ‘I could have, I should have . . .’
For one reason or another, and they’re always sound and reasonable explanations, the dream remains on the drawing board. The truism is, ask a person what (s)he is and you’ll be told what it is (s)he wants to be. Please know that I am not against good intentions, dreams and visions – I believe them to be essential to a successful life. What I’d like to do is stimulate the required action that translates these intangibles into concrete action.
The passion is there but it’s not focused to the point where we can be shaken free of the many comforts of the status quo. Passion drives the imagination, the speculation and the stated intentions, but it seems insufficient to provoke needed action. This is where the leader steps up to the plate and offers needed focus and definition.
But this is not enough!
We’ve all been there – the ideas and the passions blend and a sensible course of action emerges – we have a plan! With the leader’s help the plan is detailed and shared; roles and responsibilities assigned; commitments are freely given and accepted. The game is afoot, and then it fades with a soft whimper! Nothing happens!
The real test of effective leadership begins at this stage. A plan is not enough to guarantee the desired outcomes, no matter how strong the passion, committed the people or how clear the vision might be.
The comfortable habits into which we all settle over time can be a deathtrap for newborn ideas. It’s highly likely that we’ll need to be stimulated by an external presence to be able to recognize and resist the siren songs of the comfortable familiar that we all hear.
The leader must assume the role of ‘gadfly’.
Let me tell you about John . . .
John was such a leader. He had inherited a struggling yet promising business from his father, an insightful, focused and demanding entrepreneur who had started the company on a dream and shoestring some twenty years before.
The Company’s early years had been fruitful and it had grown at a substantial rate. Ten years later John had been brought into the business to learn the ropes and he’d performed well, but in the shadow of his father. A year ago, John’s father had succumbed to a health problem and John had found himself in the driver’s seat.
Intellectually, John could not be improved. He’s a chip off the block, bright, insightful and highly focused and well able to understand the needs of his business. He’s also very good at relating to others, appreciating their ideas, efforts and contributions. His leadership skills appeared to end right there however.
He spoke with me on the issue of ‘engagement’ – a common buzzword these days which is applied to all manner of challenges. In his case, and he was quite clear about this, the problem was follow-through among his key people. They would meet, discuss and agree upon all the essential issues for moving the business forward. The meetings would be focused, energetic, constructively positive experiences and some excellent plans would be produced. Then nothing would happen.
“What’s the level of activity on the more mundane aspects of day-to-day business operations?” I enquired.
“Oh, I have no complaints there!” he responded quickly, “I’ve got a great bunch of really committed guys who work their butts off for our Company. Maybe I’m expecting too much?”
“Well that’s possible,” I answered, “but it could be something else. Let’s consider the nature of the activities in question.”
Our conversation went like this:
- The nature of the business – providing engineering solutions for the construction industry – was technically challenging, demanding in terms of regulatory compliance and involved critical quality standards. There was never a dull moment, but through long-established diligence, standard operating procedures had ‘tamed the beast’ to an acceptable level.
- Normal operations were running like a Swiss watch. John’s father had chosen his key people well and every one of them was completely dedicated to his/her assigned roles and responsibilities. By judicious use of cross training and participative management techniques, each person was productive, collaborative, enthusiastic and experiencing very high levels of personal satisfaction.
- Market pressures were escalating especially in terms of expanding product / service scope and market penetration. To remain profitable, the Company needed to be more things to more people, faster and cheaper. Competitive pressures were also intensifying as major suppliers to the industry were expanding their reach using economies of scale which John’s company couldn’t match.
- Everyone agreed that there was an urgent need to reconstruct the business, and that there were indeed many opportunities to be explored. The excitement that accompanied the monthly planning sessions seemed to evaporate faster than it was created though, only to be resurrected at the next meeting.
We looked at the current plans for business expansion and they were very competently constructed. When I asked about execution and implementation activities they were conspicuous by their absence.
The light comes on . . .
“What do you actually do with these plans between the planning sessions?” I asked.
“Well not too much, I guess. I mean, we’ve designated what has to happen and people are assigned, but there are so many other things going on all the time and people are so busy, so I just have to leave it to them to do what they can when they can.”
Bingo!
Over a couple of hours, John and I constructed the changes required in his behaviours that would generate the kinds of responses he wanted to see in the behaviours of his key people. It wasn’t rocket science, just a change in perception. He understood what was needed as soon as I reminded him of Newton’s First Law - an object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.
Yes, the leader’s job is to focus the desire for change, and John was doing this well. It’s also to facilitate the creation of a sustainable new reality and this was simply not happening. On each of those many times in each working day, when given the choice to do something which enhances satisfaction and comfort or something which introduces uncertainty and relative discomfort, what would you do? This is a ‘no-brainer’, right?
The Leader’s path . . .
The technique for the leader is to re-create this balance in favour of the needed change. There are a plethora of small adjustments that the leader can consider that will make the desired shift; there are also a myriad of things that will reinforce the preservation and perpetuation of the status quo.
Behaviours are complex but the rules are simple.
For every behavior there’s a limited range of responses within any given context. When change is needed, if the leader doesn’t adjust his or her behaviors why would there be any change in those who follow? If (s)he persists with the same behaviors that support comfort and familiarity, isn’t it reasonable to expect that others will too?
Start with the question, “What responses would I like to see?” and then seek out the initiating behaviors that will generate such responses. Your words, facial expressions, gestures, textual phrasings, choices, use of questions, time horizons, expressed values, reactions to another’s behavior, invested time and attention, all need to verify that you’re sending focused, consistent messages that say that change is required.
Over time – and consistency is vitally important – you will engender different responses (read ‘behaviors’) in others. What you do is considerably more persuasive than what you say; and in most cases it’s much more credible. If John was saying he wanted change, fresh ideas, new approaches and increased initiatives, but yet was not changing his own behaviors between meetings, who would believe him?
So, what’s the bottom line . . .
Gandhi said it best – Be the change you want to see in the world. This is a central lesson for every leader, one that cannot be ignored.
- Leaders must provide focus to identify, define, codify and unleash the power for change that resides in others - this is Strategy - and
- Leaders must also maintain their focus on that needed change without separating it from its many author(s) – this means Relationships - and
- Leaders must invest themselves as role models for change in order to stimulate and reinforce others – they have to become ethical, authentic, credible examples.
This is a package deal. Nothing less will work!
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.
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Timely Insights . . .
Asset Based Thinking . . .
Dr Kathryn Cramer, author of the book “Change the Way You See Everything” has a neat presentation on changing from Deficit-Based Thinking, that for which we’re all well schooled, to Asset-Based Thinking, an easier, more intuitive, and truly more effective, but somewhat less popular perspective.
Deficit-Based Thinking, which has its place, focuses on what’s wrong / missing / undesirable with a situation. Asset-Based Thinking uses an alternative approach which puts the power of personal, interpersonal and situational assets to work so that you can make progress creating the desired / required results and outcomes.
There’s an interesting and informative video that offers the basic ideas and several useful suggestions which really can change the way you think about things – from your career to your home life. It certainly isn’t complex or conceptual and it hits home in ways which can stimulate instant, credible personal change and impact.
Amanda has prepared a very competent synopsis of the video which assists with the changes you might wish to explore and she would be delighted to share this with you, free upon request. Why not treat yourself to a valuable and very personal gift, just in time for summer?
Meanwhile, you can catch Dr Kathryn’s presentation right here:
http://www.researchchannel.org/
Dealing with Unwelcome Requests . . .
In “Executive Stamina: How to Optimize Time, Energy and Productivity to Achieve Peak Performance”, Marty Seldman and Joshua Seldman suggest these ways to handle this tricky — and very common — situation:
- Suggest you might be able to offer a modest amount of help — but not right now: If someone, say, asks you to join a team working on a project, you might say that, although you’re too busy to do so, you might agree later to give the team feedback on its work.
- Suggest you might be able to offer a modest amount of help right now — but none later: One option would be to say that given what else you’re dealing with the only help you’re able to provide would be to sit down over lunch sometime this week and help brainstorm ideas on how to manage the project. Then make it clear that this is where your assistance will end by adding that you’ll reconsider working on the project only if you get an unexpected cancellation, and otherwise your schedule is full up for the next 60 days.
- Offer help finding someone who could help the requester: You might point out that you’re already committed to two other projects that are high priorities, but then suggest that you know, say, an excellent consultant who could provide just the support the requester needs for her project.
- Spell out what the requester would need to do in order to make it possible for you to help out: Tell him, for instance, that it would be possible for you to assist only if he could help you make your current projects a lower priority or get some additional help such as an outside consultant, increased head count or help from someone borrowed from another department.
- Reveal your personal limits on how much you’re willing to take on: It’s quite possible the requester has no idea that, given what else you’re handling, for you to meet her request you’d have to renege on a promise you’d made to attend a family event or take a vacation. Indicate your willingness to discuss whether there’s a way you can help out to some degree, though less than what she’s asking for. But make sure she understands that, although you’re a flexible, can-do person, you will be steadfast in setting limits and boundaries in your work.
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| Section 2 |
- Talk Back |
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Coach's Corner . . .
A selection from frequently–asked questions
Dear Coach,
What do you do when you have one supervisor who’s a real bully but while everyone affected will openly discuss the situation no one is prepared to be quoted or to make a formal complaint? This woman reports to me and I know I have to deal with it, but I can’t betray confidences and I don’t have any support from those who are being bullied right now.
Response:
This is a sensitive and tough situation to be in and I applaud you for facing up to your responsibilities. You clearly recognize though that you’re on dangerous ground and the situation has many significant pitfalls.
Even bullies have self-esteem needs and this is a vital part of their being. We all want to be accepted, appreciated, affirmed and approved by our colleagues and if our self image is questioned we’re going to feel vulnerable in the worst way. Rational responses will rapidly be sacrificed to self-preserving emotionality.
So, if you were to expose the person in question directly to the ravages of long-withheld negative feedback from her colleagues and staff, it could be akin to dealing with a wounded beast. The silence of withheld feedback creates a vacuum into which all kinds of erroneous assumptions will have likely crowded. These could include the apparent condoning or endorsement of tactics, substantial distortions of normal expected responses and even infer the tacit approval of past and current practices.
To have all this suddenly and uncomfortably challenged will cause a backlash of the strongest kind and irreparable damage could be done. While your intentions may be pure, you as well as your good intentions will be attacked most aggressively as part of a defensive reaction. You could end up deeper in the hole than you are right now.
Let’s begin, therefore, with the substantial problem of withheld feedback.
- By not speaking up we may well be colluding to allow people to develop a distorted image of themselves and also to all the pain and embarrassment that eventual disclosure will incur.
- By tolerating unacceptable behaviors we are increasing ineffectiveness and diminishing the essential and valued contributions that both we and such persons could be making.
- Next, by suffering indignities for long periods we are increasing our stress levels and possibly developing permanent toxic emotions that will have a profound impact on our health and wellbeing.
- By deferring resolutions we are compounding the complexities and eliminating simple solutions that might have worked and thereby moving towards seriously reduced options for resolution, and
- We are eroding their and our own authenticity and personal dignity.
In the light of this strong case I hope you can see a reason to approach those who consider themselves victims and to prevail upon them to stand up and be counted as part of the solution rather than as part of the problem.
Try these approaches with the ‘victims’ first:
- Challenge each one with the question “What is it that you really want out of this situation?” Ask gently and listen respectfully to the responses, probing and clarifying as you go – “So what does that mean to you? What would that look like? Which impact or consequence is important to you?” using the problem descriptors above as reference points.
- Share the essential conclusions among these persons and seek consensus on the central issues. Ask for consent to reference the incidents and/or outcomes without direct attribution of individuals.
- Emphasize the value of objective and factual points versus those which are mainly emotional but strive to compile a balanced agenda of items for eventual discussion.
Then:
- Seek firsthand knowledge for yourself. Try to observe the critical behaviors for yourself so that you can speak about them authoritatively and confidently. Proceeding with just hearsay evidence is very high risk.
- When you are as prepared as you can be, create a safe environment by taking a coaching stance with the person in question and respectfully asking for permission to offer some constructive help with aspects of their performance which could be improved.
- Ensure that you interact as a coach, avoiding any judgmental remarks, references to ‘unacceptable behaviors’ or similar; in short, offer ‘feed-forward’ rather than ‘feedback’.
There could be value in holding a subsequent general staff session where an exchange of relationship building strategies is openly encouraged. In this session, as moderator, your role would be to promote the sharing of constructive strategies and techniques for handling the kinds of situation where bullying was being experienced, e.g. work sharing/expectations, standards enforcement, policy applications, collaboration, and idea forums.
You could also promote a safe forum for individuals to raise and resolve uncomfortable issues among themselves. One that I’ve used to good effect is the “three questions”, an open 15 to 20 minute dialogue on
- What three things have gone well this past week and what can we learn from this?
- What three things have not gone well and what can we learn from that?
- What three things will we agree to do differently this week based on what we’ve just learned?
Above all, ensure that you are feeling safe, that you allow for others to feel safe and that you pace the required action to such safety concerns as you proceed.
I hope this is helpful.
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Commentary . . .
KISS – Keep It Simple, Sir . . .
When giving feedback, if there’s any advice that’s more bandied about than KISS, I’ve yet to learn of it.
There are two issues that arise when gratuitous wisdom is being offered, which are rarely, if ever, resolved and I think a few moments of thoughtful consideration would be useful. Let’s hope I can assist with this without breaking the maxim in the process!
Firstly, what is this ‘constructive feedback’ on which the KISS advice is levied? According to renowned executive coach Marshall Goldsmith, it’s getting stuff off your chest. Accepting this definition, even at face value, it’s immediately clear that we’re not going to keep it simple. Off-loading our wisdom and emotions onto others requires justification, endless explanations and perhaps even apologies.
It’s better to give what Marshall calls ‘feed-forward’. This is helpful advice on how performance might be improved next time around. Here the focus is on the future versus the past, on the other person versus on you and somewhat constructive – whereas most feedback is destructive despite the appellation.
If the intention is indeed positive and truly constructive, all we ought to be doing is sowing a seed. Anything more than this is demeaning to the other person; after all we shouldn’t presume to do their thinking and make their decisions for them, should we?
Now the second issue – SIMPLE. Linda Ford, management consultant, writing in her book “Transform your Workplace: 52 proven strategies to motivate, energize and kick productivity up to the next level” uses it as an acronym.
- “S” for “sensitive”: Respect the employee's sensitivities. For instance, if he's hypersensitive or overly emotional, consider saving the discussion for the end of the day, and preferably on a Friday. This will give the employee time to think about what has been discussed, and, if it's less than favorable, to regain his composure and not have to face an office full of inquiring minds.
- "I" for "issue-related": If you're looking to give feedback on a specific subject, make sure that it is indeed specific. Keep it relevant to the issue at hand, and resist the urge to cover "just one more thing."
- "M" for "meaningful": Ensure that the employee can take action on the feedback you're giving. If, say, she's chronically late and you ask her to commit to get to work on time, you might be missing the mark. If the root of the problem is that she can't leave for work until the school bus picks up her child and the bus is routinely late, you'll only frustrate her if you merely tell her to arrive on time. Your feedback needs to address the issue at hand, in this case perhaps by figuring out how to revise her work hours to accommodate the late bus.
- "P" for "prompt": Feedback is best given shortly after the event that triggered the need for it. If the employee has done something well, don't wait until the quarterly or annual review to mention it; likewise if performance problems need correction there's no time like the present.
- "L" for "listen": Although by the very act of giving feedback you're the one speaking, you can make it more effective by making the feedback two-way. Use active listening skills, such as repeating and paraphrasing what the employee says in response to your feedback. Be aware of the feedback he's giving back to you through his body language. Check that he has understood what you're saying, and let him know that you understand what he's telling you in return.
- "E" for "easy to understand": Be careful of jargon or slang, and instead use words, analogies and examples that are easy to grasp. Express your feedback in a form that suits how the employee perceives things. If she processes information best by seeing, write things down, or use pictures or flip charts. If he's more auditory, ensure that there's a lot of two-way discussion. And if she processes information best by doing, use role-playing or games to emphasize a point.
In short, KISS, whether it’s feed back or feed forward. From experience, allow me to share that feed back sessions are often the start of deteriorating relationships – and that’s something we could live without!
Think about it; try it – you’ll be glad you did.
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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.
Spontaneous Coaching really worked . . .
I consider myself to be a fairly experienced and well-rounded manager with more than fifteen years in the role, so I was quite sceptical when I was given a coach ‘to assist me with business leadership development matters’.
Like a lot of others I viewed coaching as something for people in trouble or for those on their way out the door. I never thought of it in the same way as a sports coach, although on reflection, I should have done. I also imagined it would be a regular series of Q&A type meetings where my recent performance would be critiqued and conceptual recommendations would be made in the glaring light of hindsight.
My perceptions were all wrong.
From the first session, where I was invited to set an agenda for the outcomes my Company would value, I was encouraged to think for myself, make my own decisions, set my own priorities and to take control of the process. Then I was told there would be no regular meetings – I was expected to make contact with my coach whenever I felt the need. Whoa!
At first I was lost; I didn’t know how to think about issues in a way that would allow for coaching. I was also having trouble relating what I thought the Company wanted (my agenda) with what I was actually experiencing on a daily basis. One day as I was sitting at my desk trying to decide what to do about a sensitive personnel problem, I just reached for the phone and called my coach.
Ten minutes later I was implementing a great solution that I had worked out for myself (with my coach’s help) and it felt really good. More than that, I had learned a new way of thinking about difficult people problems which will be a benefit in the future. Why had I wasted so much time?
Now, I never hesitate to pick up the phone or to send an email to my coach as soon as I realize that I’m getting stuck on an issue. In almost every case I will find the answers for myself (which makes me feel good), but I know that I wouldn’t have gotten there as quickly, or got there at all in some cases, if I’d been left to my own resources.
Coaching is among the best things that have happened to me and with this help I’m learning a lot about leadership and management – and a lot more about myself.
Well that’s the way I see it.
Dennis
CEO-in-Waiting
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| Section 3 |
- On the Horizon |
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The Positive Workplace
Deviant -- Positively Deviant
How’d you feel if someone suggested you were positively deviant? Not amused, is my guess.
Why? Because the word ‘deviant’ - meaning ‘differing from a norm or from the accepted standards of a society' – rather like the word ‘habit’, generally has a negative connotation.
Need it be so? I think not.
This week I’ve spent several hours with a true deviant - a friend who recently underwent surgery to remove a tumour from her spinal chord. The surgery was ‘successful, but disappointing’. While her spine was not damaged, she has neither movement nor feeling from the chest down.
I suspect that most of us would be feeling anything but positive in similar circumstances....and who would blame us. My friend, however, is both positive and optimistic.
Denial, do I hear you murmur?
Anything but, is my firm response. Why? Because prior to the surgery she did her homework. She read up on her condition, treatment options, rehabilitation strategies and more.
She sought out information beyond the norm for lay people such as she, reading up on the latest stem cell research, the intricacies of neuroscience, micro-biology, the possibility of creating new synaptic connections, and more.
It was then she told me of her intention to search for all the deviants she could possibly find!
I have to admit, I didn’t make the connection between her condition and PDs as she called them, figuring she was talking about something to do with her job as a social worker.
PDs. Positive Deviants. Individuals, in the definition of positive deviancy, whose uncommon practices/behaviors enable them to find better solutions to problems than their neighbors who have access to the same resources.
The idea of positive deviance was introduced by Jerry and Monique Sternin in their efforts to improve child nutrition in Vietnam. “Although the know-how to reduce malnutrition was long established… most people proved reluctant to change such fundamental matters as ‘what they fed their children and when’ just because outsiders(experts) said so”. The Sternins started looking for solutions from insiders: those who already had the best-nourished children. What were they doing that others in the same circumstances could adopt?
As my friend moves from hospital to a rehab centre, with my prayers for her recovery and an image of the Buffalo Bills’ Kevin Everett firmly within her consciousness, I’m committed to learning more about the practice of positive deviancy.
Positive deviance ... “the idea of building on capabilities that people already have”. All we need do is . . .
Define the situation / problem, related current practices, and a successful outcome
Determine if there are individuals or groups (Positive deviants, PDs) that already exhibit desired behaviours or status
Discover the uncommon practices that enable PDs to outperform others
Design activities enabling others to practice the uncommon practices
Discern the effectiveness through ongoing ‘valuation’
Disseminate successful practices.
For my friend it means identifying others who have beaten the odds and finding out what uncommon practices – what they did ‘outside the norm’ - that worked so well for them.
And for you and me?
What say we put positive deviancy to work for us in the workplace, that we too might become better, from the inside out.
Until next time,
Be well, be strong, do good!
Amanda Levy
http://www.positiveworkplace.com
And explore some links you might find useful:
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/41/sternin.html
http://www.positivedeviance.org/materials/presentations.html
...and check out the powerpoint linked to the heading ‘The Power of Positive Deviance’. |
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Opportunities & Challenges . . .
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. This leading-edge personal development program is winning plaudits across the board.
Please contact us for details of qualifications required and registration processes - info@polarisprogram.com or 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.
Go to http://www.reachoutdirectory.com
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| Section 4 |
- Secure Site |
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Polaris Participants. . .
Accessing the Essential Information Bank...
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
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.
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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
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Realizing tomorrow's potential - today!
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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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