Considering Different Perspectives

Many times clients come into a coaching session with a lot of assessments and are very rigid about their perspective of a situation that they need to address. It is my role as their coach to question their assumptions, open their mind up to different interpretations and uncover different approaches to moving through a situation. It is not my role to validate or give them the solution.  As a result, greater commitment and ownership by the individual is eventually established.

In a recent coaching session, my client was very sure that she knew what was keeping her direct report from performing up to the standards set for her.  She believed that it was a lack of knowledge. Her partner did not believe this to be the case; she felt that it was a lack of training and communication.  My client was very sure that her assessment was correct and as a result limited the communication with the direct report so as to avoid the frustration related to the lack of performance.  This became a vicious cycle and led to the report’s overall decrease in performance.

We spoke about the cycle of avoidance that was being created by the lack of dialogue. We talked through what the missing conversation looked like in order to close the gap between her perception and what was truly keeping her direct report from performing her job properly. My client was still very hesitant to believe there was any other perspective. After more probing what was discovered was that the direct report was not given the direction needed to complete her tasks - as much as my client thought she was giving it. My client was now open to the idea that maybe her partner had a valid point; maybe the training and communication was lacking.

My client made a commitment to speak to her employee. The direct report expressed that sometimes she felt very unsupported and that communication between the two was mediocre at best. The conversation was enlightening and my client felt that there were many shifts they could make together to move towards the right path and improve the situation between them and the performance of her direct report.

What do you think prevents us from opening up our minds to different perspectives?

Passing a Business from Generation to Generation: A Child's Perspective

This post is written in response to Passing a Business from Generation to Generation: A Parents Perspective

Dear Mom & Dad,

I know you don’t think I know much, and while I don’t have as many years of experience under my belt as you do, I can hold my own.  I’ve watched you build the business from the ground up, putting in back-breaking, long hours for days on end and know that this business would not be near where it is today without your efforts and labors early on. 

But the business has grown from our basement to a multi-million dollar operation that’s employing more people every year and continuing on a positive growth path. Of which you certainly deserve the bulk, if not all, of the credit. 

With that I'd like to clarify the following things: 

1. I don’t want you out, nobody does.

The knowledge, relationships, and respect that you’ve accumulated over your 40+ years in the industry are unmatched and a key asset to our continued success.  We all recognize that right now without you the business would struggle drastically.  Besides, we all know you can’t (and won’t) fully retire. 

2. You hired competent people

Put some trust in the people you hired, especially those who have been with you for years.  It’s okay if they fail because in order to grow we need to let others have control too. 

3. Roles change over time

Nobody will ever do "it" as good as you.  But you can't do everything if we want the business to continue on its current trajectory.  As the company has grown, so too have the responsibilities of each key employee.  With that we’ve created an environment of accountability and ownership where all feel like this is their business.  Just because they don’t do things exactly as you would have doesn’t mean they don’t care and don’t have the organization's best interests in mind. 

4. Succession planning

Not an easy topic to broach, but one that we must take head on - TOGETHER.  I'm in the family business too, our business, I want it to be successful so that you can enjoy your retirement years and not burn yourself out -- not only because you're my parents but because I also want to know that if things continue to go well, I can also benefit and take it a bit easy in my later years too. 

So while sometimes it may seem like I’m in a hurry to get to the top, I know it takes time and patience from my end.  And a willingness from all of us to continue to provide critical feedback of one another.  So, stay there for a while longer but give me and the rest of the team the power to make decisions and to make our own mistakes. 

Humbly,

Number Two

Small Shift Tip: Have the courage to change

We tend to resist anything new or different. Ask yourself these questions:

Is the culture of your company one of resistance?

Do you experience push back on anything new?

What is under that "attitude of resistance"?

Do you have a lot of "legacy" employees that prefer things to stay the "way we have always done them"?

These times require greater flexibility and constant reinvention. Most change does not have to be "big" for it to make an impact. One small shift to greater courage is just to notice when resistance is taking place; point it out to those resisting and ask why?

Where have you seen resistance in your organization and what can you do to change it?

A Realistic Approach to Goal Setting in the New Year

New Year...reflect & let go!

While most people mark the New Year with annual resolutions, I look at my birthday as the demarcation point for that annual ritual.  So what do I do on the New Year?  For me the New Year is a time to reflect and let go. I reflect on my “could of, would of, and should of's” and then look forward to what the upcoming seasons will bring.

For me the New Year is a representation of the “official” start of Winter with all of its briskness. Winter offers me the chance to enjoy the warmth of a cozy chair and blanket and a book for new learning.  Learning has always been a catalyst for me to stay passionate and engaged in my work. Winter is also a time to clean out my old files and calendars and purchase my fresh new planner. It is a chance to enjoy “comfort” food,  Sunday night with the family watching movies and just spending more time indoors being together.

The New Year represents a fresh P&L, the need to open new doors of opportunity, and a good reason to reconnect with clients, old and new. 

2012 is here and with it comes the balance of excitement and pressure and the hope for great celebration and business growth!

Would love to hear what a New Year represents to you!