Going along with my prior discussion "Increase by Association" and the point I made about being a teacher as well as a student, I want to give you an idea that has worked for me in the past ( others as well).

Take a protégé, intern or just one of the office staff with you when you have errands to run or some mundane appointment, like a doctor appointment, getting your drivers license renewed, etc.

If you give them unfettered access for that sixty to ninety minutes or more, you may learn a thing or two yourself! How?

By answering their questions...
Getting insight into how they view the organization...
Seeing how things are running from a perspective other than your own or those who work directly under you in the office environment...

If you rotate these "ride alongs"(not taking the same person all of the time), you will build loyalty and possibly gain some insight in how to manage your business even better!

Be sure to subscribe to this podcast so you can be notified when a new episode is published!

For more information, please visit my website at www.bobthibodeau.com

Increase By Association - What Is That?

If you are just starting your business, you definitely do not need to stop learning! If anything, you should be working hard to learn even more than you know now! Even things that make you feel uncomfortable in your business. 

You need to be part of group collaborative meetings with others in your business. But do not just try to meet with your peers at the same level as you are at. If you want to grow, you need to hang around with those who are at level you want to be at.

If you hang out with those at the same level as you are, that is where you will stay. If you hang around with those one or two levels above where you are at, you will begin to pick up tips that will elevate your game and your business.

I call it, “Increase by Association.” 

By doing this, you may not only be taking from their knowledge. At some point in time, one of them may discuss an issue they are having, and they are not sure of what to do. It may be something that you address on a regular basis. You would be in a position to give them a perspective that most in the group do not have or have forgotten about.

Successful leaders take the time to mentor their colleagues and make the investment to sponsor those who have proven they are able and eager to advance. They will welcome you into the group, if you show you are sincere in being there as a contributor and not just a taker.

Continue to teach your subordinates while continuing to learn from your mentors!

Be sure to subscribe to this podcast so you will be notified when new episodes are published. Visit my website at www.bobthibodeau.com

Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you

You don’t know it all. So don’t pretend that you do. Surround yourself with people who know more about everything that needs to happen, than you do! There is nothing wrong with knowing the processes and maybe even the actual details of doing the job. But there comes a time when what you know is outdated.

Someone once asked Henry Ford some technical aspects of the automobile. He responded he did not know the answer. When quizzed on why he did not know the answer to a question about the production of the automobile, he response was, “I don’t have to know the answers. I have a row of buttons on my phone. If I need to know something, I push one of those buttons and the person on the other end, who is the expert in that area, will tell me the information I need to know about.”

Even if you are a solopreneur, you have people you rely on for services you need in your business. Office supplies, copier support, FedEx or UPS, etc. So you are not alone in these areas. Correct? 

Be like Henry Ford. Surround yourself with people who know more than you in the various areas of your business.

Be sure to subscribe to this podcast so you will be notified when a new episode is published!

For more information, please visit my website at www.bobthibodeau.com

Players, Managers and Leaders pt 4

We have been talking about the different roles in a business or corporate environment that are filled by various people. Specifically, the roles of the team players – those who are tasked with doing the work to accomplish the mission. 

Last time, we talked about the manager. This is the middle of the management team. The manager is responsible for accomplishing the unit mission but also in managing the team players. Taking care of their needs. Motivating them to push through until mission completion.

I discussed some of the pitfalls of management. Mainly, getting too close to those you supervise. This can backfire in so many ways. Imagine if you had to fire your best friend. Because that person took advantage of their relationship with you and failed to do something you assigned them to do. How hard would that be?

That is why you do not allow yourself to get too close to those you supervise.

 Today, I want to talk about the next level on the leadership scale and that is the role of the “Leader.” In some cases, it may the same person as the manager, especially in a small business.

The “Leader” is not only responsible for the overall accomplishment of mission objectives, but also the planning of long term business goals and events. 

The manager may “think” about long term missions, but the leader actually does the planning. The leader will offer guidance to the manager about how to keep short and medium goals on target. But the actual day to day management of the team in that area is left to the manager.

The leader is making contacts and contracts. The leader is the one who sets the VISION of future for the organization. 

Remember, the work is up to the players. The manager is the motivator. The Leader is the planner.

A brief synopsis of my military career as an example...

The reason I share that, is to demonstrate the different roles and how they need to focus.  

That is the difference between “players, managers and leaders.” 

I hope this has opened your eyes to how all of these roles are vital to the accomplishment of the unit mission. Each person in the organization has a vital role to play. Nobody is insignificant. However, it is important to remember, the higher up the food chain you go, the less you think about the current time period and the more you look into the future.

If you have any questions, please reach out and let me know.

Please subscribe to this podcast so you can be notified of when a new episode is published. 

Until we talk again, this is Bob Thibodeau reminding you to “Charge On!”

 Players, Managers and Leaders pt 3

 We have been talking about the roles different people play on the same team. Those roles may be delegated roles. That means titles assigned by virtue of authority. For example, “coach” or “manager,” or “captain” of the team.

Then there are the roles that are earned through respect and demonstrated leadership ability, even though the official “title” is not delegated from above. Players on the team have those peers that are looked up to. That are emulated and admired for their ability, their knowledge and their wisdom.  That is what we talked about last time.

Today, I want to move into the official titles. We will talk about managers today. Although I am using a baseball or sports analogy, this can be used in businesses as well. You can see this being played out in offices, shops, stores, repair shops, etc. on a daily basis.

A manager is in charge of two areas: people and mission. 

On the personnel side, they are responsible for taking care of the people working for them. 

There is the also the job of “accomplishing the mission of the organization.” That is the objective the upper echelon leaders will be evaluating.

If a manager is liked by subordinates and peers, but continually fails to accomplish the organizational mission, they will eventually be replaced. The mission is everything.

While motivating and training the subordinates in completing all of the assigned tasks on time and in a proper manner, the manager must also be cognizant of what is going to happen in the near future.

One thing managers need to be aware of is not getting too personal with the subordinates.  

The manager must, at all times, be cognizant of the the role they play in the leadership structure. Managers that get into trouble in this area are usually the ones who try to best friends with everyone.  

Do not do that.

The hardest part of being promoted from within is breaking off the friendly relationships with those who “you left behind.” It is harder than you think. 

If you are promoted from within, begin the process of extracting yourself from those close, too friendly, relationships. 

You need to be the manager, not their friend. 

You need to be the manager, not their confidant. 

You need to be the manager, not the enemy of your superiors.

Remember, manage the people and accomplish the mission. That is the role of the manager.

Next time, I will talk about the role of the “Leader.” This is different than that of the manager (though the can sometimes by the same person – just different thought patterns.).

Be sure to subscribe to this podcast and be notified of when another episode is published!

Players, Managers and Leaders pt 2

Yesterday, I introduced the topic of different roles people play on a team. They can be classified as “players, managers and leaders.”

Today, I discuss the role of a player.

The player is responsible for performing whatever needs to be accomplished THAT DAY.  They do not, typically, have a role in managing the team. They may use an “informal” chain of command and be able to exert some “peer influence” on others. That is how they begin the process of transitioning into management and leadership.

But that informal type of influence is usually not given, it is earned. It is based on the respect they have gained over the course of time.

My tip for you today, do the absolute BEST that you can do in your job. Do it day in and day out. Never slack off. The time you decide NOT to perform to your best, is when it will be observed by those around you.

Have you ever seen a major league ball player take a full cut at a pitch, only to have it dribble out in front of the plate? Everyone in the ball park and on TV know it is an easy out. But that player runs as fast and as hard as he can to 1stbase.

Most of the time, he is already out “by a mile.” But, the one time a fielder bobbles the ball or makes a bad throw, because he hustled EVERY TIME in that situation, he finds out he is safe or possibly even in a position to make it to second base! He is a hero for hustling!  Even when he knew that, statistically, it was not going to work out.

 Be like that ball player. Hustle in all that you do. The one time you do it and somebody important is watching (maybe the owner of the company just happens to be walking by), you now have made a name for yourself.

Tomorrow, I will take on the role of the manager and how that relates to team success.

Be sure to subscribe to this podcast and be notified of when another episode is published!

Players, Managers and Leaders Part One

Using a baseball team analogy, I share how the different roles all have a hand in the ultimate success (or failure) of the team. 

I also share how some players are leaders. How some leaders are players and how all three levels may be found in the same person! 

This is especially true if you are solo entrepreneur who has to manage all three tasks!

Be sure to subscribe to this podcast down below. That way, you will be notified when we release a new episode.

Common Characteristics of a Good Coach pt 4

This week I have been sharing with you some common characteristics of good coaches. These are tips you should use to evaluate your coach (in whatever area you are being coached in) or to evaluate yourself and become better if you are already a coach.

Quality #9:  Always be positive and upbeat.
Quality #10:  NEVER GIVE ADVICE!  I covered this a little bit in “Quality #2,” but it bears repeating in its own Quality Category! Never tell a client what to do. You job is to help the “discover” what to do.
Quality #11:  Do not be Judgmental.
Quality #12:  Share Other Resources

In the next episode, I will give a recap of the entire training in one episode on the "Friday Wrap Up."

For a more detailed explanation, please read the entire post on my website at:
http://rthibodeau.com/?p=1064

Yesterday, I covered the first four out of twelve common characteristics. They were: A Desire to Help Other People: Become Invested in Your Client's Success; Push Them to Become Better and Do Not Become Emotionally Involved in Your Client's Problems!

Today, I will continue with the next four of these common characteristics.

Quality #5:  Help your clients to discover who they truly are.
Quality #6:  You MUST have good people skills!
Quality #7: Be a role model for your clients.
Quality #8: You need to have compassion.

In the next episode, I will cover the remaining four "Common Characteristics of a Good Coach."

For a more detailed explanation of today's topic, read the entire post on my website at: 
http://rthibodeau.com/?p=1062

Common Characteristics of a Good Coach pt 2

Yesterday, I gave you the overview of this topic. Today, we dive right in!

I will go over the first four of twelve "Common Characteristics" or "Qualities" of Good Coaches. If you are thinking of hiring a coach, you can use this list to analyze, compare and contrast between different coaches. It will help you to pick the best coach for YOU.

If you are currently a coach, take this list and analyze your own business. Find your weak areas and make improvements. This will make you a better coach and will help you to provide better services.

Quality #1:  A desire to help other people.  You have to enjoy helping others!
Quality #2:  Become invested in your client’s success. They have hired you for a reason!
Quality #3:  Push them to become better.  You are not being hired to “be their friend.” 
Quality #4:  Do not become emotionally involved in your client’s problems!

For a more detailed explanation of this topic for today, please read the entire post on my website at:  http://rthibodeau.com/?p=1059