Live it - Lead IT

 

A Master of the Arts

In 1508, Michelangelo would begin his work on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, which he completed in 1512. The masterpiece was created by the hands of the Renaissance painter, who is said to have sketched the whole image out singlehandedly. He created them with micro-tools – brushes, spatulas and the like, tools which he mastered. You want to do some riddles? Check this page www.susannealbers.de

Know your tools!

As a professional, have you mastered the tools at hand for your job? And, do you even know what tools are available to you? Do professionals master their tools? I’m focusing here on the corporate world tools. As such, the most powerful tool I have is my smartphone. The smartphone is one of the most used tools. It holds your calendar. You can do fundamental work with it on the go. It provides you with the worldwide web at your fingertips. (I know lots of people who load social network apps onto their phones, but I’d avoid this with a professional device as you will only burn time with them.) Other fundamental tools include your laptop and the suite of apps you use in your office environment, whether Windows Office or the Apple equivalent.

Being proficient in the use of these devices is critical for anyone in a leadership role. If your staff come to attend a meeting and everyone is waiting while the image is uploading onto the big screen, it doesn’t provide a good example to your employees of being well prepared and organised.

Also, if you’re a leader, you’ll be needing how to develop strong presentation skills, from developing the content to delivering it in person. You get the drift.

So unless you want to be perceived as an old silverback ape, not only must you know your tools but you must master them. Gone are the days when one could hide behind an aversion to technology. It’s your decision, but think about how you want to be perceived by those around you? And what kind of example you want to set as a leader.

The Secret of Success

So, do you want to be successful? Well for those of you who do, I have a little secret to share with you, that all us successful people of the world try to hide from the world. The secret is, read manuals! As ridiculous as it might sound if you want to master the tools you use in the corporate world, that is my advice. Whether to get the most out of your smartphone, or find out about the latest updates on Microsoft Office, keeping up to date with the latest developments pays.

Listen on for the episode to find out more little gems of knowledge that will help you become the leader you want to be by mastering your tools. Remember, no matter how good you are, there’s always room for improvement. Never stop learning!

 

Yours,

Olaf Kapinski

 

 

 

What’s in a leader?

The grandfather of leadership thinking in Germany – Fredmund Malik – used to say that leadership is about transferring resources into results. In this episode, I’m going to be discussing what it means to be a leader and how to become one. So whether you are an aspiring leader, or are already in a leadership role but want to improve your skills, this is for you!

Leadership basics

Imagine you are with a group of friends out in the wilderness and you have to get from A to B. What’s the first thing that needs to happen? Every group needs a leader, and someone will assume the role whether by nomination or by actively taking charge. In either case, one can only become a leader if the others in the group believe in your capabilities enough to entrust you with the role. The group must actively choose to follow their leader; a leader cannot force others to follow.

Unnavigated waters

Now, applying this scenario to the corporate world – you can only successfully lead people if they follow you. People choose to follow others because of their ideas and personality. When leading an organisation, you will have to at times face navigating it through unknown circumstances to you. Imagine what was going on the minds of Nokia employees when they were faced with the first Apple iPhone? They had no clue how to react. And what happens when you find your competitors offering their service at cheaper rates than you? As a leader, you will need to orientate your company through troubled waters.

Let’s think about the pyramids for a second. The architectural achievement would not have been possible if not for the considerable organisation that went into their building. Separating workers into various professions based on skill set, three organisational layers enabled their construction. Employees who worked the job, such as those cutting and carrying the stones. Managers to work on the job, managing the people. And leaders to work on the organisation, setting the vision.

What’s in a day?

Back in the corporate world, the average person who is supposed to be leading sometimes finds themselves managing. Do you know what you are doing with your day? Whether you are managing or leading? Do you know what you achieve each day? If you want to become a leader or a better leader, these are the things you need to know, to make the changes that you need. Start keeping a record and look back on it at the end of the week over the period of a few months. This can help you identify how much of your day you are dedicating to leading – you may find that you are not doing nearly as much of it as you ought to.

If however you’re not a leader yet but want to be, I have a little secret for you. All it takes for you to become a leader is to decide that you are going to lead. Everyone has opportunities in their role to take the initiative within their corporation. It’s not until you step up to the plate that people will start recognising you for your leadership skills.

Listen on to the full episode for my full thoughts on the subject!

 

Yours,

Olaf Kapinski

If you consider for a moment what you find attractive in a person, you likely have quite a precise idea in your mind. The interesting thing about the term ‘attractive’ however is that while everyone understands the meaning of the term, no one can agree on what it means. The person sat next to you is likely to have a very different picture in their mind. Much like the term ‘attractive’, ‘better’ faces the same fate. As such it should never find its way into your organisational goals unless it is not accurately defined. Listen on to this episode of Live It, Lead IT!, for more on the subject!

Just as everyone has a different idea of what is attractive, so everyone understands the words ‘best’ and ‘better’ differently. Take for example your favourite movie. Ask your partner about their favourite and discuss the reasons behind your choices. You’ll soon see both of you have very different criteria for defining quality. Now let us look at how the term becomes problematic in an organisational setting.

 

The job of a leader is to ensure objectives are precise. If X is the starting point and Y is the end point, it creates a much clearer picture of the task that is ahead and how to achieve it. Everyone knows what they need to work on. “Make this process better,” is not an instruction you can give your employees. Your employees will each interpret this differently. The word ‘better’ when only works when you compare it to something in the setting of organisational goals. I’ll give you one example.

 

In my last company, we knew we wanted to be better, but we didn’t know how. We had X amount of calls coming in, and we had some tension on the customer side, so the question came up, ‘How do you increase customer satisfaction’? First, we took a look at the numbers and decided as a first step we wanted to improve satisfaction levels up from last year. But measuring customer satisfaction over the phones was a challenge. However, I did know that I was getting complaints from various heads of departments every couple of weeks. So I defined the objective as the reduction of complaints coming through on a weekly basis. This was the best that I could measure, but it still gave us something concrete by which we could assess our performance.

 

So, always remember, ‘Better’ is not a word for objectives, and if you are going to use it make sure it’s precise and measurable.

 

Yours,

 

Olaf Kapinski [icon name=”smile-o” class=”” unprefixed_class=””]

For those listeners out there that might be new to this podcast, this series is for all those out there aspiring to be great business leaders. I will share with you my experience, techniques, and inspiration, to help you live your life successfully, With a background in professional coaching and a career in IT leadership, it is my firm belief that only once you can lead your own successful life, can you become successful at leading others. 

In this episode of Live It, Lead IT! I will be sharing with you 11 and a half easy to digest points that, should you follow successfully, will enable you to motivate your employees to deliver and achieve their goals, which means you achieve your goals.Additionally I will introduce myself to you, even on video: (more…)

Goals for your employees

As a standard rule of thumb, most goals set in a business context have a terrible reputation. When an employee receives a new ‘objective,’ they immediately think of it as a bureaucratic nightmare devoid of any meaning to them. In this episode of Live It, Lead IT!, the third and final installment of this mini-series on achieving your goals, we’ll cover the foundations to ensuring your success as a business leader by your ability to build a successful and motivated team to support you.

Another item on my ‘to-do’ list

When I observe the objectives that I was given throughout my career, there were always some among them that were in some way meaningful and inspiring to me, and they were a joy to work with. Why was this the case? Well recapping on the previous episode, they were the ones that were in line with my core values. I still completed the other tasks – it was necessary to prove my worth as a leader – but the others I took over as my own.

Now that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t complete those objectives which are not in line with your values. What makes you wanted by an organisation is your ability to goals. What gives you value is your ability to solve problems creatively. But what our concern is here is a question of energy. We have to understand what makes us tick. We all have preferences – we’re all good at some stuff and not so good at others – but the things that we’re good at we will invest with much more of our energy.

Fun, fun, fun!

With my core belief in the need to have fun at work, I believe that we should be doing the things that we like, because then not only are we having a good time, but I believe the tasks will get executed better. Ultimately I think that fun is the best path to success. So it’s up to you as a leader to ensure the right environment for your team.

Lend an ear

So how do you get your team to take on board organisational goals, delivering them in a way that creates value and meaning enough to inspire them into achieving them? Well, I will tell you ahead of the time that the solution is a very simple one! All you need to do is listen to your employees. Listen with intent. Listen and get to know them. If you are a real leader, then you are a people person, and this means taking time out to give the rightful attention to your team. Once you get to know your employees more personally, this can allow you to deliver goals in a language that they can understand, internalize and even, where possible, in line with their values. At its core, it’s about getting the best out of the people around you, and for that you’ve got to know what floats their boat!

Olaf Kapinski [icon name=”smile-o” class=”” unprefixed_class=””]

 

Uncovering your core values for more attainable goals

In today’s edition of Live it – Lead IT! I’ll be discussing how to uncover your core values – which I believe is one of the most crucial jigsaw pieces in the puzzle of achieving what you want to. Too often many of us are not aware of our core values so that when we set out to achieve our goals, we fail to determine whether it is really in line with our belief system. With some simple, practical tips however you can ensure you have the right foundation necessary to live the life you wish.

Linking your core values to your goals

Many people I come across that are failing to achieve their goals, do not understand why. If your goals are not in line with your core values, then you are bound to fail. Take for example Henry Honest – try as he might become an online scammer overnight, his core values won’t allow him to succeed. A simple example for sure, but hopefully it paints a clear picture. The beauty is that once you can align your values and goals, a feedback mechanism will emerge facilitating positive feelings. And conversely, when we do things that are not in line with your core values, we’ll end up feeling bad about ourselves.

Dream big

So how do we uncover our values? Here a few helpful questions can help shed light on the question. What have you, or would you, fight for? What situations made you feel bad? What would you do if you could do anything for one week? Or a month? Or even a year? Or, if you had three wishes from the fairy godmother, what would they be? Let yourself daydream and jot down what comes to mind.

Creating your list

Remember that this exercise if for you and you alone. There should be no judgement and only pure honesty. Keep your values precise and avoid one-word answers. ‘Love’ for example should be elaborated on – with whom? Of what kind? A meaningful concept should emerge. Now – make your list of values 50 long and then prioritise. Once you’ve completed your list, review it regularly over the course of three to four weeks, and amend it as you see fit, based on your mood. By the end of the process, you will have a solid list, with your top ten values prioritised.

This is the consequences check. You can only live a remarkable life is if you know your values. Now that you have your values in place, it will become easier to prioritise your tasks in light of your goals. How can this translate to the business leadership? Listen on for this edition to gain more examples of how uncovering your values can make a meaningful impact on your life and leadership skills.

Yours

Olaf Kapinski [icon name=”smile-o” class=”” unprefixed_class=””]

Grabbing the bull by the horns – how to achieve your goals

Today’s episode of Live It, Lead IT! will be part of a three-episode micro-series on how to achieve your goals.

If you want to be a successful leader, you must first learn how to lead yourself. Seems simple enough but if you can’t achieve your own goals then how can you help others achieve theirs? Ultimately if you’re working in an organisation, you will need to attain certain business goals, or you can wave goodbye to your job.

The making of a millionaire

So what goal do you currently have in mind? I’m often faced with people who say that if I can help them achieve their goals, then they want to become a millionaire. Well – I can’t make one million Euros appear in your bank account overnight – I can, however, help you think and feel like a millionaire!

What does being a millionaire mean to you? It’s unlikely that you are obsessed with the idea of having a million coins in your bank account. More likely you desire the opportunity that money affords – what you could do or buy with that kind of money. Fundamentally it’s about attaining independence, safety and security. That’s what money can buy. You see – that’s not so difficult to achieve. If we translate that into practical terms – say for example – the ability to spend 100 Euros at the drop of a hat without the need to think twice – you’ve set yourself a threshold that will make you feel rich if you can achieve it.

Seven steps to achieving your goals

So how do we achieve our goals? Back to the practical stuff. It’s incredible to think that some people can achieve what others consider impossible. How do they do it? Well in the show I will delve into seven points that will help you on their way. Here’s a quick summary:

1) Think of what you want to achieve in an end state, not in a process. Losing weight, for example, is a process. If this is your starting point, you will inevitably fail. Rather than claiming you want to shed some pounds, create concrete actions in their present achieved state, such as “I will run the half marathon this year”.

2) Use positive statements. Do not say ‘I do not want to be a smoker’ but spin this into a positive – for example ‘I want to be a fresh air breather!’.

3) It has to be self-achievable. It cannot be based on other people’s activities.

4) Aim for big goals and represent them across all five senses! For example, if you’re working toward becoming a better husband, father, leader, visualise in every aspect what this looks like.

5) Make sure your goals are self-achievable and think about the outcome. What consequences are there to achieving your goal? Think about the positives and the negatives. Doing so will permit you to be prepared for everything your goal achieving entails.

6) If you’ve got this far then, it’s time to take the decision! Make a contract with yourself (literally) to ensure you remain committed to your goal.

7) And last but not least – it’s time to start with a plan of activities!

Listen on for more details on the seven steps where I’ll delve deeper into the process, helping you become the leader you strive to be!

Yours

Olaf Kapinski [icon name=”smile-o” class=”” unprefixed_class=””]

Are there limits on our capacity to change?

If your reading this post, or listening to this edition of Live it – Lead IT!, it will come as no surprise to you that change is central to all manner of trainings (including this podcast), which are created with the objective of self-improvement. Change is essential to getting to where we want to be. In this edition I’ll be discussing how, drawing on the methodology of NLP practitioner Robert Dilts, and his six layered pyramid model, you can achieve your goal of becoming a better business leader.

What’s in a phobia?

How do you experience the world? It’s a basic premise that I work off of and you’ll hear me say it time and again – we all live in our own worlds. Our perceptions of the world are shaped by our own unique lenses – based on our individual make-up and experiences. Thus, how we see the same thing can drastically alter from one person to the next.

Take for example a phobia. The spider that someone suffering from arachnophobia see’s is not the same spider I see. I see a harmless small insect. The other person see’s something very different. Their mind plays a trick on them and the spider comes to represent a major threat – of course this phobia is nothing but a collection of thoughts.

This particular way of seeing the world that is unique to us is referred to in NLP as our ‘world map’. The thoughts that we hold in our minds make up this world view, so let us turn to the actual workings of how these thoughts arise.

Dilts’ six layer model

I find Dilts’ six layer model of NLP that gives structure to the different layers of thought in our brain particularly poignant. This consists of:

* Environment

* Thoughts concerning behaviours / how you act

* Capability layer

* Beliefs layer

* Identity

* Spirituality

Let’s take an example to bring the model to light. Consider someone who delivers an excellent speech on stage that really engaged their audience through their expertise and charisma. That person had to have had a belief system that they were able to do exactly that. An individual who on the other hand who considers themselves to be shy and does not hold the conviction that they are good at public speaking, would ultimate fail when put to the test. No amount of capability training could rectify the issue either, unless the ultimate conviction changed. Which brings us to Dilts’ most crucial insight when he created his model – which is that you cannot change the particular layer unless you change the underlying one first.

For new business leaders

This episode will be particularly for you if you’re a newly promoted leader. I’ll delve deeper into the model during this episode and talk about how the belief in your own identity will shape others’ perceptions of you, helping you become recognised for your authentic leadership skills. By fully comprehending the Dilts’ model you can affect as much change in your life as you so desire, giving you the key to achieving your goals.

Yours

Olaf Kapinski [icon name=”smile-o” class=”” unprefixed_class=””]

Getting a grip on behavioural change!

When was the last time someone tried to change your behaviour? Maybe it was a demand made by your spouse or your boss. I wonder, did their demands have the desired effect? Undoubtedly, the answer is no! In this episode of ‘Live It! Lead IT!’ we’ll be discussing change – how do you change the behaviour of others? How do you change your behaviour? With the insights into these questions, I guarantee you can make the changes you need to become a more effective business leader!

Stop that nagging already!

When behavioural demands are made of us, we have two possible options. We can do the minimum of what is required of us at the moment, with little consideration of what will occur the next time we are faced with the same situation, or we can genuinely seek to make the changes requested of us, understanding the negative implications of our on-going, habitual behaviour. It is little surprise however that if these demands are made of us in the form of nagging, the latter outcome will be all the more unlikely.

When applied to the office environment, employees will adopt the same set of attitudes. As a leader, shouting at your employees is unlikely to cause positive behavioural change. Under such circumstances, your team may simply be working in your presence out of fear, only to slack as soon as you are no longer in the building. So how do you motivate your team?

Change who? Change you!

It would be an error to think that you can change your employees. Accepting this fact is critical to becoming a good leader. However there is one person you can change, and that person would, of course, be you! Trying to change others is a waste of your time and effort.

Rewind quickly to episode number two, and if you listened, you’d recall that we spoke about understood and taken goals. Once you have your goals clearly in your mind, you can identify which behaviours you need to change to achieve your goals. Remember it’s just a simple switch in your brain – understand the purpose or need for the changes in your life and you’re on your way.

What about changing my team?

But what about your team? How does this affect your leadership skills? Well once you accept that you cannot change others, but you can change yourself, it’s all about adapting to each employee to bring out the best in them. Good leadership also means identifying the right people for the right job – identifying the strengths and weaknesses of your team members can help you maximise their capabilities. Understanding these dynamics and becoming better at how to deal with people, will enable you to get the best out of your team in the most effective way possible.

In today’s business climate, change is the order of the day. Indeed ‘innovation’ appears to be a buzz word across all organisations. Being change-ready is key! Listen on to unlock the secrets to understanding change to become an effective business leader!

Olaf Kapinski [icon name=”smile-o” class=”” unprefixed_class=””]

 

Finding meaning in life – how to be more joyful

In this edition of Live It, Lead IT, I’m going to be discussing the million dollar question ‘Why are we here?’. But not to worry – there won’t be any religious overtones to the show! I’ll simply be helping you focus on what it means to ‘live it’, in the here and now. Understanding this will help you become not just a better leader, but better all-around.

So, life, what’s it all about?

Well first and foremost let’s start from the basic premise that we only live one life on this planet. If we can agree on this, I would make the bold statement that life is about having fun. Simple as it sounds, living a life full of joy is sadly not as common practice as it ought to be. However, it is an achievable goal. By first and foremost accepting that life is finite, you can take the first and most important step toward living a life of happiness.

Now you may be thinking that life is about more than having fun – that such a statement appears to trivialise why we are here. Consider all those people you know who have committed their life to serving others – the key driver behind their altruism is just the same as the rest of us. They essentially want to feel good about themselves. Whichever way you look at it, or however you want to phrase it, ultimately we want to live a life that makes us feel good. If we can agree on this statement, then we can look to how we can achieve our life’s meaning, with a few fundamental changes.

Managing our moods

Sadly, despite the very privileged lives the vast majority of us in the West lead, joy appears to be in thin supply. And why? Because individuals create their own living hell when, every day, they choose to react to events negatively. Take for instance road rage. You get angry at someone speeding, or a traffic light that seems to take forever to change, or any other occurrence that might happen on the roads that makes you see red.

An angry person is not only an unattractive person, but they are also unable to be an effective leader, since they won’t have their wits about them, preventing them from engaging with those around them in a positive way. With greater introspection we can acknowledge how the outside world is impacting our inner feelings, enabling us to assess our moods and choose how to react to the events that occur from day to day.

Instead of trying to understand why events are impacting us in a particular way, by recognising that there are in fact no connections between the outside world and our inner feelings that we don’t ourselves allow, we can begin to learn how to become a master of ones of own emotions.

Fostering a good and positive mood will enable you to be a better leader. Listen on for the full overview. Enjoy!

Your,

Olaf Kapinski