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Executive Coaching

Position the team as the unit of performance

Most job applicants will  list 'team player' as one of their strengths. But how true is this in reality? Benchmark yourself against the following:  Are you prepared to stretch time lines to achieve buy in from key stakeholders? Do you really listen and allow yourself to be influenced by the views of others? Do you appreciate the impact on motivation and…
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Goals – be aware of downsides

Conventional wisdom is that having goals is the key to success and that the SMARTer (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time bound) the goals are the better. But there is an alternative view, supported by research, which suggests that there can be negative consequences from having goals. Goals can be limiting if interpreted by those responsible for their achievement as being a boundary…
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The Art of the Possible

Politics is sometimes described as the 'art of the possible', implying that making some progress is better than stalemate or insisting on an ideal solution that will never see the light of day. While it is easy to be cynical about politics I feel that business leaders can usefully apply some of the approaches used by the best politicians to…
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Communication and the Key Decision Maker

If  you are an owner manager/leader of a small management team there can be a tendency to assume that communication between yourself and those who report to you is good, simply because you talk to each other on a daily basis. It might be worthwhile to test this assumption.What messages are you sending out by the way in which you…
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Time management is self management

It is our responsibility to determine how we spend our time. Stress related to time pressure is a symptom of poor self management. How you spend your day is a matter of setting priorities, planning and discipline in sticking  to your planned schedule.  If some unanticipated event arises during the course of the day the first step should always be…
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Tips for employee engagement

Engaged employees are enthusiastic, committed to and inspired by their work. They are emotionally connected to the organisation and keen to give of their best. They are alert to issues /opportunities on behalf of the company. It will come as no surprise that research indicates that engaged employees significantly out perform less engaged or disengaged employees. So how do you…
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Cult of ‘Done’

Here is a piece by Bre Pettis, a successful US entrepreneur, which I hope that you enjoy.While  slightly 'tongue in cheek', it  contains  a lot of wisdom, and is especially relevant for anyone who is prone to procrastination, and who isn't from time to time. Cult of Done Manifesto 1. There are three states of being. Not knowing, Action and…
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Persuasion

Your powers of persuasion are an essential set of life skills, without which you would not be able to get your business and personal needs met. However, while we instinctively know how to talk others around to our view of the world most of us could do better. The sub components of persuasion (below) are interrelated, but looking at them…
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Nothing changes without ACTION

It can be tempting to think that just by developing a vision and of what we want and believing that we will get there, that this will result in the realization of our goals. Yes, having the right frame of mind is essential but only in so far as it inspires us to take action. So if you are struggling…
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Should you act on your ‘gut’ feelings ?

The short answer to the question is that 'it depends'. If the decision has limited consequences then relying on your intuitive response is ok, and probable the most efficient way to operate. Likewise if circumstances require you to make a quick or even an impulsive decision, you may have no option but to rely on your inner voice to see…
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