Telling Your Story

by Angela Gallogly

Vice President of USA Operations, Advanced Team Concepts

http://www.atctraining.com

My friend and I got together over coffee last week, and he was detailing the challenges and rewards he's been experiencing with the start of a new professional endeavor. He's currently looking for financing and had the opportunity to do some important networking at a recent community function. He admitted that when a potential backer asked for details about his interests and efforts, he fell short on sharing a compelling and complete story.

This happens to many of us and has definitely happened to me. We have hopes, successes, needs and ambitions that we aren't able to articulate. When this occurs, we find ourselves surprised that what's in our head and our heart isn't communicated as easily as we thought it would be. It's not that we haven't got the ideas, the passion and the drive. We just haven't prepared our story. We fall short in the communication, and the result is often a missed opportunity.

Examples might include:

• Representing your business. Being able to verbalize your products and services, and why they're the best.


• Supporting a personal interest. Maybe you're passionate about a nonprofit or ministry effort and need to be able to educate and engage others.


• Looking for a job. When you're networking and interviewing, you've got to confidently and concisely communicate what you're interested in and why you'd be the best choice.


• Making a pitch at work. When you want to communicate a plan or idea, getting buy-in might depend on you telling the story well.

These are just a couple of examples, and of course I could list many more. But regardless of the situation, my experience has taught me the importance of preparation.

When I have an important story to tell, I start by writing it down. This allows me to add the appropriate details and edit any potential rambling or off-subject information. I like the idea of an elevator pitch - I imagine riding on an elevator with a key contact. In that amount of time, what would I want this person to know? I also imagine who this person might be so I'm writing to the correct audience. I usually create bullets, rather than a script, so I won't sound stilted and disingenuous. The last thing I want to do is deliver a rehearsed sales pitch. I want my story to be natural and real.

Then I practice. When you read your story out loud, you might find that it sounds different than you intended. This step often leads me to some additional editing. Once I'm comfortable with content, I practice until I can communicate each bullet smoothly, without relying on my notes. Then I know I'm ready to tell my story.

It might be a potential job or promotion, a sales opportunity, a fundraiser, or a new business process for your work team. Everyone has a story to tell. Think of your own. What do you care about, and where do you need support? Who will your audience be, and what will you say? Are you prepared? Don't miss your opportunity!

Virtual Teams

by Angela Gallogly

Vice President of USA Operations, Advanced Team Concepts

http://www.atctraining.com/

I've been spending a lot of time in the world of virtual team building. Lately, my team is spread out, my customers are busy and travel budgets are tight. This has resulted in a serious reduction in face time.

This isn't a bad circumstance. It just means that we have to work a little differently to stay connected. As I look around my office, I have to smile to myself as I examine the evidence of my own approach. There are three humming computers, phones, speakers, microphones and webcams, all leaving a trail of wires and power cords. This is great equipment. I just need to make sure it doesn't trip me up, both literally and figuratively.

For me, it's important to remember:

• To communicate differently in a virtual environment. Unless I'm on a video conference, my team can't see my body language, a huge piece of the conversation puzzle. I've got to ramp up the use of words and tone to communicate well.


• To keep information and projects visible. Text-only communication can be limiting so I try to keep team calendars and project timelines available. Graphics can also compliment the message.


• To use these tools wisely. For example, hosting a webinar is a fantastic way to train, whiteboard ideas, and share documents, but you need to feel comfortable with the tools you're using. I work hard to understand tool functionality, and I practice with it until I'm comfortable.


• To never forget the need for personal connection. If I have the ability to meet a team member or customer in person, I try to do it. If it isn't possible, I have to find other ways to build the relationship. Photos and video conferencing can help, but I have to be prepared to work harder and longer to build trust and relationship in the virtual world.

Trust and Respect

by Scott Airitam

President, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

I really want you to think about this one.

If you have ever been in a session (speech, workshop, or class) of ours where the concept of either Trust or Respect have come up, then you know that we consider both a choice. If you are the Leader of a team, you have to choose to trust the team members, even if they burn you, because to do anything else leaves you with an inability to be a "capital L" Leader. A person cannot Lead if they do not trust those who are following, and they cannot be a Leader if the people following do not trust them. Same with respect.

So, in my world, over the past couple of weeks, I have been burned. It doesn't happen very often with me, because Trust and Respect are two conditions I work very hard to create. Nevertheless, like those I help in my profession, I am called to be a Leader the right way.

Suffice it to say, that a small percentage of people I Lead have decided to pursue an agenda different than the rest of the team and have targeted me with accusations and such. It's been tough, but it is always a good lesson to be in this position. It is time to learn.

In this situation I was faced with one of the early questions of Leadership. In order to maintain a high performance team, I have choices: a) either I choose to trust and try to turn the situation around if I believe it to be salvageable, or b) I decide trust is not an option and I move to get rid of them. In making that evaluation, I promise you it would be easier to get rid of those in question and proceed with my agenda. However, I have seen the value that these people bring to the equation and I know it would be in the team's best interest if I worked on the situation a bit more. That means talking to those involved and figuring out why they've chosen the path they did. It might shed some light showing me what I may have done intentionally or unintentionally to create the conditions that allowed this situation to arise.

This is the type of insight a great Leader brings to the table. I will admit, that there is a time in any organization where there is a bad fit--and when that becomes the determination, it is in the team's interest for the Leader to step up and do the tough work--letting people go.

I thought I'd post this because it's a good example of how we walk the talk around here, but it is a better example of a real-world situation and the options we actually have if we stop and identify them.

Networking

by Scott Airitam

President, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

Big company or small business--it doesn't matter. We all do it.

We all engage in networking.

Only, because I'm doing it so often in the midst of others trying to do it as well, I see how difficult it is for so many people. The other day, I was at a luncheon--I'm attending more of those lately--and people were networking. A woman approached a man and started talking. Five minutes later, he is backed up against the wall and she is still talking. I wondered if he even said anything. His eyes were darting back and forth as he looked for an out. She had him cornered pretty good. Finally, I went over and introduced myself to them both and soon he was able to extract himself from her time killing attachment. (And, since I knew what was going on, I was able to move along pretty smoothly as well.)

It's like she went in for the kill when it was much more appropriate to simply create awareness, familiarity, and credibility. All of that can be done in a few seconds.

So, for people wanting to be good at networking, here are a few very solid tips:

1. Networking isn't selling. These are two different things. In a networking scenario, you want people to walk away knowing who you are and having a good feeling about you and what you have to offer. You can talk briefly about the problems you solve, but you not necessarily trying to solve a particular person's problems right there and then. Usually, you want to save that for a time where you can truly put together a "knock 'em dead" sales call. The key is timing. As my friend Cliff Hand, a true expert in this arena and owner of the marketing firm, Marketing Specific, says, "It is being in front of someone when they have a need that you can provide."
2. Because networking isn't selling, address the other person's agenda. People like to be listened to. Prepare for the networking opportunity by practicing questions like, "What do you do?" and, "Tell me more about your company." Most people are so worried about talking about what they do instead of listening for how their business offerings can address a need. The more impressive person asks much more than tells. Ask questions and keep the other person talking. Actively listen with eye contact and interest. If there is some common ground, or if the other person asks, briefly tell them what you do and how much you like it. You will be remembered much more easily for being a good listener than you will for telling about your stuff. Also, how else will you know what they truly need if all you talk about is what you have to offer?
3. Have a business card and make it memorable. Having a memorable business card could mean special paper or shape, or raised ink, or double sided or multi-colored. But it doesn't have to mean any of that. Simply have a meaningful conversation with someone and offer them one of your cards. But, before you hand it over, write on it where you were, the date, and the topic of your conversation. If they offer you a card, make it memorable in the same way.

Hopefully, these tips will help. I'd hate to be out and see you being the one that has someone trapped, looking for a way out. If you are, I'll be the one that comes over to rescue them from you.

If you enjoyed this post, check out Leadership Systems' Facebook Page here.

Interviewing

by Scott Airitam

President, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

First, let me start off by apologizing to all of the loyal readers. I've heard from a few of you that were not happy to be without a post for so long. It's unconscionable-rediculous. There's no excuse for it. Well, really there is, but, you're not into excuses. You are? Ok, here it goes. September has been a good month for Leadership Systems. Companies and organizations are really seeing results from engagements with us and that means more and more business. On top of that, as chair of the board of the Rowlett Chamber of Commerce, I've been intimately involved in the normal business of the Chamber coupled with the business of doing an executive search for the new president. So, yada-yada-yada...excuse, excuse. Done.

Now that you've forgiven me, let's talk about the blog.

Both Angela and I are experts on the selection process. We know it from the employer's standpoint and we know it from the interviewee's perspective. We've both created and delivered classes on it. I created a career center for employees of Morris Air, in Salt Lake City, when Southwest Airlines acquired that airline and couldn't take on all of their employees in positions at every level. This week, I interviewed two executives and taught an interviewing class.

To me, the mistakes people make in interviews are unbelievable. I walk out of too many interviews with people who are competent on paper, but hugely dissapointing in person because of the mistakes they make. A huge percentage of those mistakes would dissapear with proper preparation. So, I am inspired to help out people that are looking for a job, or may be interviewing for a promotion in the future.

Below is a list of preparation tips for interviewing. Pass them on to your friends, save this onto your computer, do what it takes to make sure it is helping the right person at the right time. Here it goes:

1. Know that preparing for an interview should take you between an hour and a half and three hours. Just mentally rehearsing what you want to say in your mind for 15 mintues does not make you prepared. It just makes you walk out of the interview saying to yourself, "why did I say that?"


2. Have 5 things you want to convey to the interviewer about yourself. Work these things into your answers to questions in the form of stories.


3. Create a list of stories that highlight your skills and attributes. These stories should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Don't tell an incomplete story. Practice telling your stories to a live person or into a webcam or camcorder. (Behavioral Interviews ask you to relate very specific stories from your past about an characteristic they are looking for. The premise is that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior, so the only way for them to have an idea of what you'll do in the future is to have you choose a story to tell them about your past in a similar situation.)


4. Don't address your agenda at the expense of the interviewer's. Stay on topic with your answers. If the question is, "describe a time where you had to deal with a difficult change," it is one thing to take one of your stories and tweak it to highlight the aspect of dealing with chage. It is quite another thing to begin answering that question and then switch over to something completely different. You've got to practice using your stories in different ways--your story on managing time might also apply to leading a project, multi-tasking, or doing what it takes to get the job done.


5. Prepare 5 questions for the interviewer. You don't have to ask all of them, but if you only prepare two questions, chances are you'll get those questions answered during the interview. It is important to ask insightful questions that don't seem self-centered (how much vacation time will I get?) Look on the website. Ask about the culture, clarify the scope of the job duties, find out expectations or characteristics of your boss, or understand why the person that was in the position before left it.

These tips should help you to add a little polish and sheen to your interview. Interviewees should stand out and be memorable. It is the way you'll get the job you want. Good luck!

If you enjoy my posts, feel free to enjoy a more conversational and fluid relationship with Leadership Systems by visiting the Leadership Systems Facebook Page.

Resistance Is...

by Scott Airitam

President, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

As I was coming in from taking my youngest to the bus stop this morning, a friend tells me that she has to go to the dentist. I actually cringed. Then, the measure of self-awareness I've been blessed with kicked in and I started asking why I was having that reaction to the dentist. Sure, I've had unpleasant and uncomfortable visits to the dentist's chair, but my life would be so much worse if I hadn't gone through those experiences. Stopping to think about it rationally, the short-term pain or discomfort of visiting the dentist (let's label it 1% of my time) makes the rest of my life (let's call it 99% of my time) much higher in quality.

With that being said, another side of me kicked in after all of that and I started making the reasonable parallel that many adults react to training in that way. Of course, I had to ask why. So, now you have a blog to read.

So, in my experience, there is a healthy percentage of people who do not want to be there in most of the classes I facilitate. This generally has nothing to do with me or my company, it would exist regardless of who created or delivered the session. They resist the very improvement opportunity that would make them better. Now, if they stopped and thought about it rationally, they might change their approach, but, I'm not mad at them for their resistance. Their reluctance to learn, grow, develop, and to better themselves isn't always born of a lack of desire for those outcomes, instead, it is often much more deeply rooted.

You see, many people resist because they want control. As adults, they have a lot of responsibility, and, the surface level excuse for their lack of enthusiasm is that they don't have time for the training class. They've got important stuff to do. I try very hard not to take that one as an insult. Anyway, that's often all surface talk. I know it is because I've honed my craft to a point that most people who spend any time at all in a Leadership Systems class forget that they didn't want to be there within the first hour. What it really boils down to is control.

Most kids don't like to go to school for the same reason. Other people, who claim to know what's best (parents, teachers, school administrators, even politicians and police) FORCE children to go to school, regardless of what they want to do. I'm not questioning whether kids should go to school or not, of course they should. But, for every action there is a reaction, right? In this case, by forcing someone to do something for so many years, when they are an adult and can choose, they often choose to go against that which was forced upon them. Regardless of how good it is for them.

So, we meet adults who can certainly benefit from the sessions we offer, but, have a compulsion not to...because they can.

Organizations are only as good as the talent they bring in and the synergy they can create among the people. When organizations foster an attitude that self-improvement and team-improvement are not priorities, those organizations are weakening their position in their market space.

For this reason, we purposefully develop all of our sessions based on an adult learning model that engages people--that's why I can say that people forget that they were forced to be there inside of an hour. People let down their guard in our sessions, mainly because our sessions don't feel like school at all, even though we are conscious of the learning milestones that are being reached. We look to actually create behavior change. It has to be this way, or those who resist continue to throw up passive or active roadblocks to their own learning in the classroom. For this reason, I can't fathom how training organizations that aren't proficient in experiential learning, accellerated learning, and adult learning continue to thrive. They do mainly because they find clients who just want to document that training hours have been made available. I guess there are some companies out there that just want to check the box.

For me, though, helping people to learn, grow, and develop is important. Helping organizations to come together and take the next step is a passion. I would love a world where people were conscious about getting better, being better employees and better people, and where everyone's self-awareness kicked in and made them inquire of themselves, "why?"

Building (and Rebuilding) Your Team

by Angela Gallogly
Vice President of USA Operations, Advanced Team Concepts
http://www.atctraining.com

In my last blog, I promised to dedicate some time to the topic of building an effective team. I stressed the importance of giving team relationship adequate attention and outlined a couple of risks if the relationship is neglected.

In my work as a facilitator, there is one question that I get a lot. So what should you do if your team isn’t in sync? The answer depends on several factors, which include: the team, the problem (or pain, as I call it), and the cause of the pain.

It’s often best to start by unearthing the potential contributing factors to the problem. Have there been changes in the work environment? What are the demands that the team is being challenged with? Has there been a change in personnel? Has the personnel change impacted the group dynamic? There are endless scenarios that I could highlight here, but the important thing to remember is this – try to get to the root cause so you’re not just treating the symptoms, but you also understand the disease. You may or may not be able to change the cause, but understanding where the team’s pain is coming from can be important as you begin to work through the challenges.

I recently facilitated a customer’s staff retreat that provides a great example. In this customer’s scenario, there had been staff changes that had taken place at an executive level. This had resulted in a great deal of upheaval. The trickle down effects were additional personnel changes and a new methodology for running the business. New processes were put into place, and old, long-ignored processes were reinstated. No longer could an employee do something because “that’s the way we did it before.”

These changes created some interesting team dynamics. Some of the team members were excited by the new challenges and the potential for growth and success. Others resisted the change and were fearful of what was going to happen next.

When we designed and then delivered the retreat, we kept all of the above factors in mind. We spent two days focusing on the rebuilding of this team. Part of the process involved sharing information. This alleviated some of the fears of the unknown that the team members were experiencing. We also provided new tools in communication and leadership to equip the team to meet the business standards being set by the new director. Lastly, we combined social events and facilitated discussions to allow people to dialogue and solidify their relationships. At the conclusion of the event, definite progress had been made. The participants were open in their sharing, and the atmosphere was positive.

It’s important to point out that this team’s work was not done. They will need to continue their dialogue and follow up on commitments made at the retreat. The building and sustaining of a healthy team is an ongoing process.

This is just one example of how a team decided to navigate a major transition. The solution for another team scenario could be completely different. I’d recommend beginning by taking the “pulse” of your team. How’s the team’s morale? How’s communication going? What are the challenges that the team is facing? Are any of these factors impacting the effectiveness of team? When you’ve drilled down into the cause of the issues, you’ll be much more likely to create an on-target team building effort.

A Look at Office Politics

by Scott Airitam,

President, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

Most people desire to get ahead in their career, and, a vast majority of people would prefer to be considered a success by others. There are many factors that go into how much a person can attain in their career and numerous difficult decisions affect the level of success a person realizes. People that do not have personal aspirations and a sense of aggression about their career will often get left out in the cold, stepped on by others, and left waiting a promotion time. As we move forward in our careers, though, it is as important to know how much carnage we’ve piled up behind us as it is to see how far we’ve gotten. It isn’t just accomplishments that are considered whenever someone looks at the sum total of a career; there are other aspects to consider as well.

Because humans are political beings, many of the difficult decisions a person has to make in the navigation of a career involve office politics. The more successful we consider ourselves, generally, the more politics we have to deal with. This type of politics often carries negative results. There are those who recognize these negative politics and try to do the right thing in spite of pressure to the contrary. There are those who recognize the politics and don’t make a particularly courageous effort to do the right thing because of perceived personal gain, because they choose to avoid or can’t handle conflict, or because of fear or manipulation. There are also those who simply don’t understand the politics around them—thus they sometimes luck into the right thing and other times fall into doing the wrong thing.

How can we determine the right thing and the wrong thing when it comes to office interactions and our ability to get what we want or need done? Just like any ethical dilemma, it will depend on personal values. Obviously, the laws of our land are a guide and the policies of the company are a guide, but there is so much more to it than that. Which is more right, for you to receive personal benefit or for your organization to benefit? When these things are at conflict, it is a difficult question to answer for most, and it should be. After all, we are in a society and a time where if you don’t look out for yourself, you will be hard pressed to find anyone else that will. The tenured and loyal employees get laid off just like anyone else. Companies with all the “success” in the world are failing overnight due to ethical blunders. So, it is difficult to say that a person should give 100 percent, all the time, to the company they work for, but it is true. Without that company, there would be no paycheck and no opportunities to reach the individual goals ambitious people set for themselves. It becomes a risk that every employee should be willing to make as long as they choose to be with an organization.

The bottom line is that if you’ve chosen a life within an organization with people, you will experience politics, and the rule of thumb is that while we are employed by an organization, what is good for the organization is good for us. Therefore, if we make decisions based on negative politics and personal gain (or personal avoidance of conflict) instead of making the decision based on doing the right thing, we are creating carnage in our wake. We may get in good with the right people or garner the right person’s attention at a timely moment, but the damage we leave behind stands as a testament of how we operate. Certain people may believe that the negative results of our actions go unnoticed, but they do not. In most cases there is someone who sees it and there are definitely people that care.

Here are a couple of examples of scenarios that help put all of this into perspective.

1) Policy Violations/Discipline:
Frank is the assistant to a vice president with whom you feel you need to have a good relationship in order to be successful in your job. The VP has said on many occasions that Frank is one-of-a-kind and invaluable to him. A female employee in your department has come to you, hesitantly, to report that Frank has been sexually harassing her over the past couple of weeks. She is uncomfortable with the situation, but “doesn’t want to cause any waves.” As a manager, you know that the VP might not favor you as much if you pursue this, but you have an obligation to your employee, right?

In this case, there is clear benefit for you, the manager of the department, to play the political angle. The ease in which you are able to get things done, to succeed with this VP, is at stake. If this were a real-life scenario for any of us, it would be a difficult position to be in. Playing out the example though, not taking formal action in this situation may enable you to avoid being in the political doghouse with this particular VP, but it can have devastating effects on the company and you. Because, in this example, you are a member of management, you are a representative of the company and can be held responsible for your actions, or inaction, in a court of law along side your company. Going with the political decision here can cost the company hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars as well as possible court ordered company policies detrimental to the long-term success of the organization. Clearly, the carnage left in the wake of a decision made on political criteria is detrimental to the organization, is seen by others, and can have a negative affect on the ability for you to achieve your personal goals in the future. Nobody wins.

2) Promotions/Hiring/Firing
You are a supervisor in your company’s customer relations department. You are good at both leading other people and at taking care of the company’s valued customers—especially when they are upset. Over the past year you have been asking to hire another employee because your department, working hard the entire time, has fallen two months behind on answering correspondence, averages a hold time on the telephones of over three minutes, and works almost eight hours of overtime per person a week. You know you really need two or three new employees, but you’ve finally been given the budget and go-ahead to hire one new person. You have been interviewing and believe that you have found a person with that hard-to-find mix of talent and attitude to be a long-term success in the company and on your team. Before you can make an offer to that person, the CEO, inserts a new candidate into the equation. This new candidate is someone that is the daughter of a friend of the CEO and she went to the same college as the CEO. She clearly lacks the work experience of the candidate you’d like to hire and her degree is in a completely different field. She could possibly get the job done, but you are sure the leading candidate can do the job better. If you do not hire her, you may have to answer to the CEO and if you do hire her, the CEO should be very happy with you. What is the right thing to do?

Here too, there is a benefit to be considered by hiring the person the CEO recommended. By hiring the person the CEO put into the process, you could win some favor for you and your department and avoid tough questions and scrutiny in the future. The negative aspect of making that decision, however, has to do with what is best for the department and the company. By not hiring the best available person for the job, attitude and skills, you are risking losing the employees on the team that have gone above and beyond for a year. If the new hire doesn’t alleviate some of the workload on them, they will either leave for a different job or they will physically stay and mentally depart. When that happens, you will likely face some tough questions anyway. Nobody wins.

Without a doubt, there are many more scenarios that could be brought up. Situations with vendors, circumstances of gender, race, or sexual orientation, and decisions on how we spend our time are all examples of this. Playing office politics has repercussions that affect more than just the people involved. By being about the right thing, being honest, having a clear understanding of our own personal ethics and values, and developing the skills to handle conflict productively win-win situations are created for the company and for ourselves. Most of all, in the end, we will be respected, not just liked. There is a huge difference.

The Fatal Flaw of Planning

by Scott Airitam
President, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

So, check this out. I'm sitting here, doing my work and minding my own business when people I admire very much, my county commissioner and his assistant, ask me to represent them on a pretty important board of directors. Now, I don't have any ambition at all to serve in public office. I'm very thankful to those that do serve because it's important to be represented, and, because we need options in order to get the right people in office.

But, I digress...

Anyway, I have a plan for my life. It's not rigid and it's not all written down, but it is a legitimate plan. Then comes this opportunity, and, whoa, I'm considering it. Not only am I considering it, but I've all but said yes, barring any potential conflicts of interest with my work. No doubt, this, and the recent appointment to a Dallas Area Rapid Transit Quarterly Incentive Committee for their Blue Line extension from Garland to Rowlett will throw some kinks into my plan. I mean, I didn't even know about these things when I created the plan.

And, I'm finding that to be the fatal flaw in small business planning. I get to work with companies of every size and industry in so many different cultures and communities. Life has truly dealt me a special hand when it comes to my career. Just over the course of the summer, I've gone from working with the Air Traffic Controller's Association (a union), to juveniles, to hospital directors, to bank officials--just to name a few. Also, I've chatted with more than one small business owner about improving their business. These conversations generally come down to knowing their business plan. The sad, but realistic, thing about this is that small business owners are so busy keeping the business going that they do not reappraise their plans. Years and years after creating the business plan, they are still relying on it to guide their decision making. Of course, they've made adjustments, but they are in their mind, nothing concrete, and thus are subject to how powerful the influences pulling in different directions that day happen to be.

The real tragedy though, isn't that they don't "officially" adjust the plans they've created. No, the real issue here has much more impact on the big picture. What happens, by maintaining an old plan, the organization keeps hard-charging in the direction that it had originally set. Opportunities are missed. Opportunity spurs opportunity in this life and if a true opportunity is overlooked, so is the path that could have been by seeing it.

Like I said, I have no doubt that by being a part of the DART committee and the board of directors that the commissioner would like to name me to is going to open up new doors I could never have seen before. People I wouldn't have ever spoken to will become familiar and their influence will affect me and vice-versa. The same things happen for organization (of all size, by the way.)

I tell the kids I coach in basketball that their defensive effort isn't completed until we have the ball. In this case planning isn't finished until an the plan is changed to take into account opportunities that might not have ever fit into your plan in the first place.

A Day In The Life

by Scott AiritamPresident, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

Picture yourself as the head of a tech firm. You've got your MBA and you've put some skins on the wall. Your accomplishments are well recorded. And you see many more in front of you. You are a hard driver, rarely stopping along the way to celebrate, to rest, or to enjoy the ride. Your life is about accomplishing things.

Now, picture one of your VP's saying that you should talk to this guy, Scott Airitam. Evidently, he has some really good training that let's companies accomplish more together and leaves people with a true sense of loyalty and commitment to the organization.

Your first question is what? "How much does this cost?" The VP says he's not sure, but let's bring Scott in and talk to him--at least that part is free. So, as not to be a complete jerk, you say, "sure."

This Scott guy comes in asks a bunch of questions. Some of them make you mad because his questions come with the assumption that there is something that could improve about the company. He's doing a needs assessment right here in front of you. The nerve of that guy! He leaves with the promise to put a few options for what he could do for the company in a proposal and have this to you tomorrow. Tomorrow? What, does this guy not have anything else to do?

Later that day, you are thinking about some of the things Scott said. Some of it was surprisingly insightful for someone that hasn't worked here. Too bad he owns a company and isn't looking for a job. Nevertheless, his services are probably going to be expensive, and, you have to save all of your training and development budget for technical training for your people. After all, it's the sales force and production work that really pay the bills around here. Not some psychobabble training about the "people-side" of business. So, you put Scott out of your mind and work until 9pm that night, and, in spite of yourself, you do peek at who leaves at five and who stays late. A couple of your managers stay later than you. You remind yourself to mention to their VP what a great job they are doing. See, you have people skills!

You arrive back at work at 7am. You were tired before your eyes completely opened, but that is what coffee is for. The company depends on you to survive. Yes, you make a mental note of what time certain people arrive for work. We'll see how many hours they put in today. By 9:30am, you have an email from Scott. A proposal. You go to open it, but before you are able to do so, your assistant tells you that Scott is on the line. What, did he send the thing by mistake and now, unable to recall it, he's calling you?

You get him on the line and he wants to walk through the proposal with you--like you cannot read. Wow, this thing is pretty comprehensive both as a potential contract and as an action plan! Unexpected.

Ugh. All three options require you to take part in the training sessions. Is he nuts? Why would he blatantly offend you by saying that you need work. He must really NOT want to work with you. Wait, he's saying that you should take the sessions as a way to model how important you think they are to the organization. You do not have time for this. This Scott guy doesn't know how many hours you already put in. He's suggesting courses that teach better leadership skills, how to handle conflict effectively, hiring right the first time, the value of diversity, performance management, and some stuff about culture like internal customer service, cooperation and collaboration, and the use of power. Interesting stuff...and according to him, the company would be more efficient. You wouldn't have thought about a bunch of this stuff for your organization because, you are already doing it, right? But, there are definitely some poor conflict management skills around here. Not sure about the hiring session, though, your management is doing a good job with HR's help, right? Performance management could be helpful--you remember some of that stuff from college, but you really have just been winging it. Hmmm. And this culture stuff is pretty cool. And he's claiming it will make our culture and our people a competitive advantage over the competition.

But, let's see what he's charging. Whoa. Didn't expect that. That's a large chunk out of our training budget to do what he's suggesting, and we still need the tech training. You could move some stuff around in the budget and do this, but do you?

Building an Effective Team

by Angela Gallogly
Vice President of USA Operations, Advanced Team Concepts
http://www.atctraining.com

I want to spend the next couple of blogs focusing on building an effective team. It’s a key principle and priority in my business, and it’s certainly important to the customers that I serve. In past blogs, I’ve circled the topic with the discussion of effective communication and building trust. Now I want to expand the discussion to include the challenges, the rewards, and a few keys to success for building a GREAT team.

Teamwork is all about people. It’s about creating a place where the talents and energies of individuals can combine to create something great. It’s also a tremendous challenge. It takes ongoing work and focused effort. A common misconception that I encounter in the business world is the idea that you can “team build” once every year or two and then check it off the list and get to the “real work.”

Imagine a family that only has “family time” once or twice a year, maybe at a gathering for a major holiday or family reunion. The rest of the year, the family is busy – work, chores, school, bills….I’ve seen my own family get into this mode – we call it the frantic family syndrome. There isn’t time for quality time, family dinners or fireside chats. Have you ever noticed that this is when the family fighting starts? It’s the same with a work team. If you don’t take the time to communicate, connect, and build relationships, eventually you’re going to see some dysfunction.

When a team isn’t cohesive, you can see the signs. Is there an absence of trust? Does the team avoid conflict or handle it badly? Are the individuals in the team more interested in their own self-preservation and advancement as opposed to the success of the team?

If you’ve noticed signs that your team isn’t syncing well, that’s a start. Awareness is the first critical step, but it must be combined with a commitment for improvement.

To start you off, I’d like to recommend a great read that my friend and colleague, Scott Airitam, shared with me. Patrick Lencioni’s, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. It’s a simple fable that simplifies and defines the importance of a healthy and effective team.

In future blogs, I’ll discuss some practical tips that can strengthen a team from both a leadership and a contributing team member’s perspective. If you have any team stories or tips, please add your comments. I’d love to hear them.

To Tear Down? Really?

by Scott AiritamPresident, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

It's really interesting to me that after my last post, I've had four outside conversations with people that want to get me to say that we should leave the door open to use The Last Man Standing Approach.

One of those conversations was pretty brief because there was a misunderstanding--the person was trying to apply it to hiring. So that one doesn't count.

Nevertheless, I cannot say that there is prudence in leaving yourself an out to use a destructive practice.

In each of the conversations, the common denominator was that the person I was talking to had a true need behind the desire to "have permission" to use The Last Man Standing Approach. That need was that they felt they would be setting themselves up to be weakened by not being able to be direct.

What they weren't able to see at the beginning of those conversations was that Leadership allows for directness. It calls for directness when it is appropriate and needed. Sometimes that comes in course correcting someone, other times it is needed when there is no time to allow for "learning by trying" and instead the Leader has to step in and make the decision.

The other side of the discussions revealed another need. In two of the people, the habit of venting anger and frustration on employees is so ingrained that they were having a hard time imaging not being able to do that. The success of the last blogpost is that it made these people think, and, to some degree, question what they have been doing.

The Leader will shield his people from as much of the junk that obscures productivity and development as possible. This includes the Leader's moods as well as high level politics, dysfunction in other groups, lack of tools necessary to do the job, and quality co-workers. In short, the Leader is going on the offensive against anything that might tear down productivity and development of his or her people.

I've worked with too many groups where the head person brings me in to "fix" the group, and, after analysis, it's either the obstacles that person is throwing in the way of their people or the lack of removing obstacles that is the real problem with the group.

Holding onto that crutch is not a way to build up--it is a recipe for tearing down.

The recipe for building resides in developing more capable Leaders. I've worked with groups such as National Air Traffic Controllers Associations, Southwest Airlines, and Lake Pointe Medical Center because they are interested in building up their Leaders. All have seen significant success from the process because it is holistic and it doesn't bring any negative side effects other than hard work and discipline.

If those were my organizations, that is the "negative" side effect I'd sign up for as well.

To Build Up or To Tear Down - That is the Question

by Scott AiritamPresident, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

Before I get into the heart of this blog, let me apologize to any loyal readers out there. I have been absent from here while I tried to help my city, Rowlett, Texas, win the All American City Award from the National Civic League. It was a grueling process for the past three weeks, and, in the end we did not win, but it was an amazing thing in which I was a part. You'll probably hear more than one story from that experience in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, back to the show.

In earlier blog posts I've established that managing people is not an easy task. Ask anyone that's had to create a work schedule for their employees and maintain that schedule in spite of absences, apathy, and disloyalty. Ask any manager that has had to fire someone they liked personally, but who wasn't performing on the job. Ask any manager that has had to ensure the job got done in spite of difficult personality conflicts.

If you break down the art/science of managing people, there are two distinct schools of thought that create the outer extremes regarding how we go about this. On one end, we have the school of thought that says that you place as much adversity in front of those you lead and the superstars will shine and rise to the top. This Darwinian approach is typified publicly in television shows such as The Celebrity Apprentice and is probably demonstrated somewhere in view of you in your workplace. It is very popular and it works. It wouldn't be popular if it didn't work. On the other end of our continuum, we have the approach that if you provide those you lead with everything they need to do the job, then they will provide extraordinary results. This is not as popular as the previously mentioned approach, but it has followers nonetheless. When it works, it works in a huge, dramatic way. When it fails, the failure can be just as huge and dramatic. All managers' approaches to managing the people they lead fall somewhere on this continuum.

If we explore each approach independent of comparison for a moment, we will see that each has merit. It is where this merit falls that should influence your decision making about which approach is right for you.

The first approach, which I like to call The Last Man Standing Approach, works because the participants in it learn to work the system to get as much out of it as possible. This is good news because the system doesn't give up all it can naturally, and those that can massage and manipulate it will have the opportunity for better results. It also produces thick skin for the participants, creating a better chance of them performing under extreme circumstances, pressure, and criticism. Managers that employ this strategy get results, if for no other reason than the fear the employees have of failure and the consequences of that failure. The Last Man Standing Approach certainly claims a very high constituency among those in management. Simply look around and observe--it is not hard to find. Unfortunately, there is a downside to this strategy. The positive effects of this approach are short term in duration--because they are born of fear and compliance. When a person complies because they are scared of something, they will only comply when the thing they fear is present. If they fear the manager, then when that person goes to a meeting, leaves town, or is ill, the fear is removed and compliance ceases.

Also, by using this approach, another lesson is taught and learned. People learn that nobody watches their back and they develop self-preservation skills very quickly. Self-preservation skills often are lacking in loyalty and commitment (to the manager and/or to the organization.) the people learning this lesson are focused on one thing, themselves. This breeds unhealthy competition where one person in the organization is, at best, hoping for the failure of another so that they come out looking better. At worst, people sabotage one another. It is here that we can see how managers can be the architects of their own suffering in the long run.

Another downside of The Last Man Standing Approach is that it produces frauds. Because under this strategy what really counts is looking good, a person focuses on how they appear in a situation, not what they actually produce or do. This is the basis for a great deal of subterfuge and underhandedness. When the primary measure is the "surface" appearance, then that gets all of an individuals attention and energy. Remember that if others look bad, and I look good by comparison, then I am fine--regardless of how much better I could be doing. So, in this situation it would be in my best interest to make others look bad. The long-term prospects for this approach are meager.

So, if there is so much baggage associated with The Last Man Standing Approach then what is the alternative? The other side of the spectrum provides the next option. I call this choice Leadership. Some may argue that Leadership is simply getting people to do what you want them to do--and there is an element of truth to that. The reason The Last Man Standing Approach doesn't fall under the Leadership umbrella is that it doesn't get people to want to do what the Leader wants them to do. It's a subtle difference, but that difference has long-term implications.

Leadership is not as popular as The Last Man Standing Approach. This is because Leadership has downsides as well. The first downside is that it is not easy. Indeed, difficulty lies down this path. Getting people to follow you out of loyalty, commitment, and respect takes much more skill than getting them to follow out of fear. This method takes time as well. A person can instill fear into an employee in a matter of seconds or minutes and maintaining that level of fear doesn't require too much effort. Using Leadership skills to accomplish the same thing could take hours, day, weeks or longer. It requires much more mental and physical energy to use Leadership, at least at the beginning. But, there is an upside to this as well. Leadership enables people to follow, even when the leader is not there. Because it builds loyalty, true Leaders have proven an investment in their followers well-being. After this is established, followers often do not want to let their Leaders down. Followers often adopts a "whatever it takes" attitude toward getting their jobs done with quality, speed, and caring. As you can see, then, the emphasis is not on looking good, but doing and being good. Because true Leaders come across as selfless, caring more about the mission and the people than themselves, followers will often adopt a similar approach. No longer is self-preservation the ultimate goal, but, instead the mission and the team become the primary focus. This creates is long term commitment to the organization and to the Leaders--aiding organizational stability and forward momentum. Leadership is difficult, but the reward is worth it.

Each behavior executed from the perspective of either The Last Man Standing Approach or Leadership causes a ripple in the surface. Can a person using a Leadership strategy survive in the midst of an organization that primarily rewards The Last Man Standing Approach? The answer is not only can it survive, but it can produce real results that cannot be denied. It is true, that in that situation there is a political price to pay for being different, but, one must break through the surface in order to begin creating the ripples of change.

Creating a Career Vision

by Angela Gallogly
Vice President of USA Operations, Advanced Team Concepts
http://www.atctraining.com

Last week I had the opportunity to work with a group of young adults in a summer work program. If they successfully complete the program they’re given a summer job opportunity and a variety of training sessions for their career preparation. One of their prerequisites requires that they participate in a 2-day Work Readiness workshop with me. The class includes a variety of job related topics: interviewing, resume writing, job retention, professional conduct, communication, etc.

The section that resonated with me was at the beginning of day 1. The participants went through a variety of goal setting steps, including creating a career vision for themselves. It was exciting to see the goals that these young adults had. There was no limit to their hopes for the future. I encouraged them to identify the barriers in the way of their goals, and the actions it would take to remove them.

I decided to revisit my own career vision and give it some thought. Is my vision the same as it was 5 years ago? What’s changed? Are there new barriers? Should there be new actions? It was a very worthwhile experience for me. Often, we get so busy doing the work that we don’t think about how we’re doing it, why we’re doing it or even if we want to do it.

Organizations invest millions of dollars to map out their team’s vision. I have personally facilitated many strategic planning or vision planning sessions to meet this end. Most people in the business world have participated in this process in one way or another.

Why not take the time to do this as an individual? Think about your own career vision. A vision is not necessarily a “position.” It is more a statement of the quality and results you desire from your future work experience.

An example:
The ideal position will give me opportunity to expand my computer skills, surround me with great people at work, and give me the flexibility and income to enjoy more quality time with my family.

Why bother?
Vision, or purpose, is a strong force to help us move forward. We tend to deal with challenges and change better when we have a compelling purpose, or vision. Your vision should be creative and expanding. It should not be inhibited by your current assumptions about how things are, or how they have always been. A personal vision provokes you to think about a preferred future, and more importantly, the work that will be necessary to move toward that ideal.

When you create your vision, you can’t skip the last step that the young adult group went through. You’ve got to create actions that will move you toward the vision. Otherwise, the vision is just a dream, with no real substance. Last week, I encouraged the class to create a couple of actions each week, with deadlines, that would move them in the direction of their vision. As the journey unfolds, they’ll identify new challenges, opportunities and actions. The point is to keep the vision in front of you, and to keep working on it all of the time.

Careful! Sometimes Instincts Stink

by Scott AiritamPresident, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

I wonder how many of you ever got hurt trying to learn to catch a baseball or softball. Really think back. I can remember taking more than one baseball to the face and head learning to catch a fly ball.  Now, watching little kids learn, I watch coaches get exasperated with those kids whose instincts tell them to turn their back on the ball.  Or, sometimes, run and get the heck out of there!

How many times have we heard that a wild animal (be it dog, bear, or otherwise wild) can smell our fear and the worst thing we can do when confronted by them is run.  But, isn't that exactly what our instincts tell us to do? I mean, crazed dog or giant bear--my brain is saying, "don't walk, RUN!"

Some people can overcome their instincts when the situation calls for it. Others cannot. The problem is that our instincts are not always correct. Yet, our brain is sending signals to our body, in exactly the same way it does when our instincts are correct. And, our body is conditioned to get a message from the brain and go with it.  The difficult part, then, is to keep the logical, rational part of our brain going during these times of perceived "danger."  People old and young, have kept their brain from making them run from softballs and baseballs.  Instead, they raise their hand and catch the ball. There have been many people who, when confronted with animals, don't run, in spite of the fear.  Instead, they calmly execute techniques that save their lives.

So, I'll give you some insight into how this works and how to apply it to your world of work.

Now, it's amazing to me how we can see, in the above examples, that instinct clearly isn't always right.  Nevertheless, we defer to instinct in our Leadership roles at work all the time.  One clear example is in my line of work.  My company is used to seeing organizations that are going through tough times cut back or eliminate training.  

This is instinctual, and bad instincts to be precise.  Think about it.  This represents the type of insticts that will make an organization extinct.

If we just consider clear need, and answer a few questions, we can see the logic behind what I'm saying here.  First of all, when is it that organizations have the higher need to increase productivity...when they are doing well or when they are having troubles?  When is it that organizations have a greater need to improve communication...when they are doing well or when they are in trouble?  When is it that organizations have more of a need to elevate their Leadership abilities...when they are doing well or when they are in trouble?  Arguably, you could answer that the need is there in both cases, but, the questions posed are clearly looking for an answer that talks about a higher need.  With that being said, here's one final question. When is an organization more likely to cut back on training its people...when they are doing well or when they are in trouble?

Instincts will tell us that we need to stop training people and just increase results when things are in trouble. Unfortunately, these instincts are wrong.  If it were that easy to turn the faucet on, why wasn't it done sooner?  Specifically, raising the level of ability, increasing knowledge, and providing additional tools for people can only help a struggling workplace.

When circumstances pin you into the corner, don't turn your back on the ball and don't try to run and hide from your problems, instead, take them head on and make the situation into what you want it to be.  This means anticipating this problem and preparing for how you want to react to it. 

From my perspective, it's frustrating to watch organizations that I've developed a relationship with decide that their investment in their people is not a priority when things become challenging for the organization.  It is difficult to argue against the "we'll just push 'em harder and faster" mentality that organization leaders sometimes move toward during the tough times. The fact is, that approach doesn't work.  Building up the people-side of business does work.

To be clear, I'm not saying that an organization shouldn't weigh its decisions carefully.  Investing in people when times are good is very smart.  When times turn, though, what I'm saying here is that many organizations pull the people-side development down to nothing.  I am saying that although that is what instinct tells us to do, it is not the smartest thing to do.

So, in our example, the counter-instinctual response would be to increase the level of training and development in an effort to counter some of the negative effects of the troubles the organization is dealing with.  During difficult times you have the opportunity to increase the efficiency, productivity, morale, and commitment of your people.  By strengthening your position instead of weakening your position during these tough times, it stands to reason you can improve your chances of coming out of those times in a better position.