Thoughtful Kick Start Podcast

In order to support rapid growth or turn-arounds, today’s leaders more than ever can’t be the “bottle neck.” However we still see it almost every day.

People who are smart, personable, able to answer questions and get things done are often promoted into managerial positions. However, they are then stuck with solving all the problems , answer all the questions and getting all the things done that are brought to them. Interruptions that break their focus and an overwhelming amount of fires to put out can make it difficult for that kind of manager to truly accomplish any growth.

Transformation leadership is a way out. Transformational leaders develop other leaders, who in turn also develop other leaders. By empowering people to figure things out, use resources within AND beyond their reach, collaborate and innovate in teams and, of course, get things done, expansion of capacity becomes a true possibility. In fact, if intended, revenue growth and increases in profitability are natural outgrowths of that type of leadership. Listen to the audio below for more insights and to trigger some thinking.

Where have you been focused on being the answer person and managing problems rather than developing people? How will you carve out time for the latter?

Let me know if you’d like to brainstorm a little about this (and be forewarned, I’ll probably challenge you to think rather than give you any answers!) and keep me posted. I love good news!

As we’ve been talking about team management, we’ve been loosely following Bruce Tuckman’s model of team development, which I believe provides an excellent model for understanding how teams interact at various stages of working together. That understanding can go a long way when training and coaching team leaders and team members.

Today we’re talking about the cyclical nature of these stages, which include:

Forming – teams come together for a common goal or purpose.

Storming – teams “wrestle” over roles and ideas

“Norm-ing” – teams get busy, producing expected activity

Performing – teams start “grooving” – producing above average or extraordinary results

Adjourning - added by Mary Ann Jennings in 1977) – teams come to the end of a cycle or deal with a “reforming” or a significant change (not to be confused with a shift back to storming).

The process of reflecting on a team’s experience in a cycle can provide priceless preparation for success during the next one.

As a team leader, team builder or team player, how might you engage in the conversation? Listen below for more thought provoking conversation on the matter.

When you listen to the podcast, consider how you might apply the very basic concepts of teamwork to expand or even explode the efforts you’ve been struggling with to produce the results you’ve been trying to achieve alone or with the same approach you’ve already tried with your team. It’s time to try something new.

If you take some time to reflect on who is on your team, what your team dynamics look like, what’s working that should be celebrated, and what’s missing that should be addressed?

Leadership in business includes being aware of when teams are in transition. A team in transition can mean:

A new team member is added or a whole new team is forming.

When the team is facing a new set of circumstances or challenges, for example around an organization or in a change in the physical environment.

When something dramatic has changed in the marketplace.

During these types of transition, it makes sense to spend some time talking about how teams are working together – how people are being and what must change - in addition to talking about what your plan is and what the team is doing to get the work done.

Well facilitated conversations can bring greater understanding how certain habits of either communication or miscommunication can impact high performance.

The key to productivity, profitability, and having a successful team dynamic is directly related to an appropriate amount of time spent on a regular basis for team building and team communication. Listen here for more insights on this subject.

You actually already have a team around you – but perhaps you don’t have the right people on your team.

Now… I’m not a fan of “right-and-wrong” as words… they are too subjective.

What I’d rather use is the term “aligned.”

For you to have a high-performance team, you would first consider:

What is your mission and vision – what do you intend to accomplish?

What will it take? What are all the possible team positions that need to be filled (and I don’t mean what jobs need to be hired… your “team” extends to how many and what kind of customers you would ideal attract, what kind of vendors you would need to employ, advisors, attitudes from family members, etc…)

Then you may have to ask yourself - and you may have to do this at from time-to-time forever… what relationships do you need to “transform” or “replace” in order to reach your goal?

For now… consider your most important goal and start a document where you organize your thoughts about your team – what’s working, what’s missing and what may need more attention going forward.

What is the distinction between transformation and change.

Making changes can be beneficial for any person who is interested in growth and who is looking to make a particular situation better. Change involves examining something that is not working as well as it could be, identifying options for making it better and choosing a direction and action plan to implement something different.

Transformation however can be classified on a deeper, more powerful and more sustainable level. Transformation involves unraveling limiting beliefs and unleashing limitless new possibilities and potential that is naturally energizing.

I invite you to consider what are some of the limiting thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes you may have about an area of your leadership, your business or your life that might benefit from a change or a transformation? Listen here for more insights that might help your thinking.

To have a workplace and workspace that is energizing, you may need to first get energized about organizing. I remember one of my first coach training courses hearing a quote by Thomas Leonard, the founder of Coach University and co-founder of the International Coach Federation. He said something like, “If you organize your workspace and set it up for success, your workplace will support you and set you up for success.”

We’re not going to cover the techniques of organizing in this post and podcast – you might reference Julie Morgenstern’s “Organizing From The Inside Out.” Instead, we’re going to cover 4 key components to help you get energized for the challenge of getting organized.

Time – make sure to carve out dedicated time to do the work, and set up blocks and breaks.

Music – Rock, Jazz, lyrical or instrumental – take your pick and move your body and your papers!

Purpose and Plan – make sure you are organizing around your priorities, and post them on the wall so you can see them

People – Don’t go it alone – organizing as a small team effort can go a lot more smoothly than trying to get it done alone, especially if you bring in a professional.

Listen to the audio recording below for more insights into each of these areas and you can put it all together in a fun, productive way.

Then consider which area of your workspace you’d be willing to energize and organize this week or this month to make yourself more efficient?

Repairing – This is the 5th Key Ring in the “5 Key Rings of Success” series, but it could also be very well placed as the first Key Ring, thus bringing all 5 Key Rings into a full circle.

This subject which I call “repairing” is about restoring integrity. In the coaching profession, and many successful businesses, we use the word integrity to mean something more fundamental and practical than simply “doing the right thing.” The most successful businesses have integrity as a core value because it is the foundation upon which all peak performance rests.

To keep it in simple terms, one of the key dictionary definitions of integrity is “whole and complete – nothing missing.” In communication, relationships, leadership and team dynamics, integrity occurs in following and restoring these three keys.

1. Keep your word

2. Honor your word.

3. Integrity can also mean “be true to yourself…”

So listen here for more about repairing and how you can make a list and a plan to repair anything broken –promises and resources … and get back to daring - having guts to pursue an idea that makes a difference – and keep me posted to your success as you pursue the game plan to bring that idea to fruition.

This 4th "key ring" in the "5 Key-Rings of Success" series is focused on fearlessly, shamelessly putting ourselves "out there" to interact with people and nurture relationships that make a difference.

What do we share that makes a difference:

Compelling things we have to say from our experiences...

Resources including articles, tools, pictures, personal stories, etc...

Connections we can make for each other.

New possibilities and visions we have for ourselves and others...

Listen for more insights on the subject, and think for yourself about ways you can make a difference by sharing more boldly and powerfully in your business and personal relationships.

All great accomplishments are accomplished with great teams.

All great teams, even a team of two, are great by virtue of great relationships.

All great relationships start with caring… taking an interest in other people before you try to get them interested (sharing) or involved in what you care about.

So today, I’d simply like to focus on what’s important to you?

What are you seeking to achieve, how’s it going, and what new possibility could you engage in this week to move it forward?

Send me a note if you have any questions, challenges or news – I especially love good news!