First, ask yourself...
Do you have important tasks to get done that you never seem to get around to doing?
We have all done it before. We look at our to-do list on Monday, identify something important that we have been meaning to get done for a while (ex: "spend 3 hours to research and find an effective customer feedback survey"). We then realize the 8 million other things we HAVE to get done today, and automatically transfer the survey research task to Tuesday's to-do list. And what happens? You guessed it! Tuesday comes (this time 9 million things to do) and we transfer it to Wednesday, and so on, and so on.
For many reasons, it can be difficult to make time for those important activities. The problem is, it is those activities that will ultimately help us free up MORE time in the future (using the above example, if we could spend the time now to find a way to get useful feedback from customers, we could reduce the time spent each week handling customer complaints). What we need to do, as leaders, is start thinking more proactively about how we are spending our time each day/week/month, and how what we do today will affect us down the road.
So how do we get ourselves out of this time-wasting, reactive cycle? It's called "backfilling your schedule." We should block off chunks of time (even months in advance) for those important tasks that are likely to get pushed aside for something more urgent - and then hold ourselves accountable to keep to that schedule! By doing this, we will ensure those important tasks are completed, which will free up MORE time in the future!
This post was made by Jeff Rosset, President of Compass Coaching & Development. Visit us at www.Compass-CD.com to learn more about our leadership development services.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
Communication & Leadership Development
First, ask yourself...
Do I ever feel that I don't fully understand the true meaning behind what others tell me?
True communication only happens when message sent equals message received. If the listener does not fully understand the meaning, feeling and thoughts behind the speaker's words, then true communication did not really take place. Words might have been exchanged but the real message was not understood by the listener.
A common problem we ALL have is that in an attempt to interpret what someone tells us, we filter it through our OWN paradigm. We reference OUR past experiences, OUR feelings, and OUR perceptions, but the person sending the message usually doesn't share any of these things with us. It is this typical reaction on the part of the listener that most often causes miscommunication.
Make it a point to ask clarifying questions and draw out as much information from the other person as you can. Do everything you can to get to know how THEY feel, and what THEY really mean. Doing this will help you see things from their paradigm, thus allowing message sent to finally equal message received.
This post was made by Jeff Rosset, President of Compass Coaching & Development which is a firm that helps companies in Chicago, Naperville, Schaumburg, Oak Brook, Deerfield and the surrounding areas increase employee engagement by providing leadership, organizational and employee training and development services. We focus on skill sets such as change management, communication, attitude, coaching & mentoring, empowerment, time management, customer service, trust, and accountability. Learn more at http://www.Compass-CD.com
Do I ever feel that I don't fully understand the true meaning behind what others tell me?
True communication only happens when message sent equals message received. If the listener does not fully understand the meaning, feeling and thoughts behind the speaker's words, then true communication did not really take place. Words might have been exchanged but the real message was not understood by the listener.
A common problem we ALL have is that in an attempt to interpret what someone tells us, we filter it through our OWN paradigm. We reference OUR past experiences, OUR feelings, and OUR perceptions, but the person sending the message usually doesn't share any of these things with us. It is this typical reaction on the part of the listener that most often causes miscommunication.
Make it a point to ask clarifying questions and draw out as much information from the other person as you can. Do everything you can to get to know how THEY feel, and what THEY really mean. Doing this will help you see things from their paradigm, thus allowing message sent to finally equal message received.
This post was made by Jeff Rosset, President of Compass Coaching & Development which is a firm that helps companies in Chicago, Naperville, Schaumburg, Oak Brook, Deerfield and the surrounding areas increase employee engagement by providing leadership, organizational and employee training and development services. We focus on skill sets such as change management, communication, attitude, coaching & mentoring, empowerment, time management, customer service, trust, and accountability. Learn more at http://www.Compass-CD.com
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Employee Teamwork
First, ask yourself...
Does my team consistently fail at solving problems right, the first time?
Imagine going to the doctor because you have developed a rash on your arm. The doctor says that you must have rubbed up against some poison ivy, and gives you some ointment. But strangely, 2 months go by and it has gotten worse. You go to another doctor, and come to find out that the reason for your rash is due to you being allergic to a food you have been eating for lunch lately! The first doctor obviously tried to solve the problem without first making sure to identify the root cause.
Of course, this sort of situation is one none of us ever want to be in. But why is it that at work (especially when working as a team) we are always so quick to think we "know the answer" to a problem, and begin to "solve" it without first spending the proper amount of time to be 100% sure? This results in feelings of frustration and helplessness, and anger.
Perhaps the most important step to being able to truly SOLVE problems as a team is to make sure we take the proper time to find the true root cause. This simple act will make the team more efficient, and can also increase the level of buy-in the team members have towards solving the problem. Spending 5-10 minutes as a team to brainstorm possible causes is time very well spent, in comparison to spending weeks (or even months) failing to solve the issue because the team is focused on the WRONG root cause!
This post was made by Jeff Rosset, Pesident of Compass Coaching & Development which is a firm that helps clients around the Chicago area increase employee engagement by providing leadership and organizational training and development services. Learn more at http://www.Compass-CD.com
Does my team consistently fail at solving problems right, the first time?
Imagine going to the doctor because you have developed a rash on your arm. The doctor says that you must have rubbed up against some poison ivy, and gives you some ointment. But strangely, 2 months go by and it has gotten worse. You go to another doctor, and come to find out that the reason for your rash is due to you being allergic to a food you have been eating for lunch lately! The first doctor obviously tried to solve the problem without first making sure to identify the root cause.
Of course, this sort of situation is one none of us ever want to be in. But why is it that at work (especially when working as a team) we are always so quick to think we "know the answer" to a problem, and begin to "solve" it without first spending the proper amount of time to be 100% sure? This results in feelings of frustration and helplessness, and anger.
Perhaps the most important step to being able to truly SOLVE problems as a team is to make sure we take the proper time to find the true root cause. This simple act will make the team more efficient, and can also increase the level of buy-in the team members have towards solving the problem. Spending 5-10 minutes as a team to brainstorm possible causes is time very well spent, in comparison to spending weeks (or even months) failing to solve the issue because the team is focused on the WRONG root cause!
This post was made by Jeff Rosset, Pesident of Compass Coaching & Development which is a firm that helps clients around the Chicago area increase employee engagement by providing leadership and organizational training and development services. Learn more at http://www.Compass-CD.com
Great Customer Service
First, ask yourself...
Is there a disconnect between the level of service you provide, and what your customer expects?
In today's highly competitive marketplace, your customers have many choices and options. One of the key reasons that they will choose to work with you (or your competition) comes down to the level of service they receive. But average service simply is not good enough anymore; you need to provide outstanding, above-and-beyond service every single time - and the ONLY way to do that is to shift your paradigm so that you can evaluate the service you provide, from the eyes of your customer.
You should ask yourself questions like: What do they experience? How do they feel about our service? What do they really want? What else can we be doing to make things even better for them?
Just because YOU feel you did a great job doesn't mean they feel the same way, and their opinion is the only one that really matters. In order to make sure your customers have an A+ experience every time, you should evaluate every aspect of your service (from their eyes) and decide if there are any parts that could be fixed, changed, eliminated or improved to enhance their experience.
This post was made by Jeff Rosset, Pesident of Compass Coaching & Development which is a firm that helps clients around the Chicago area increase employee engagement by providing leadership and organizational training and development services. Learn more at http://www.Compass-CD.com
Is there a disconnect between the level of service you provide, and what your customer expects?
In today's highly competitive marketplace, your customers have many choices and options. One of the key reasons that they will choose to work with you (or your competition) comes down to the level of service they receive. But average service simply is not good enough anymore; you need to provide outstanding, above-and-beyond service every single time - and the ONLY way to do that is to shift your paradigm so that you can evaluate the service you provide, from the eyes of your customer.
You should ask yourself questions like: What do they experience? How do they feel about our service? What do they really want? What else can we be doing to make things even better for them?
Just because YOU feel you did a great job doesn't mean they feel the same way, and their opinion is the only one that really matters. In order to make sure your customers have an A+ experience every time, you should evaluate every aspect of your service (from their eyes) and decide if there are any parts that could be fixed, changed, eliminated or improved to enhance their experience.
This post was made by Jeff Rosset, Pesident of Compass Coaching & Development which is a firm that helps clients around the Chicago area increase employee engagement by providing leadership and organizational training and development services. Learn more at http://www.Compass-CD.com
Coaching, Mentoring Employees
First, ask yourself...
Are you confident that you can successfully coach each of your employees individually?
Today, more and more companies are attempting to build an "environment of learning." For this to occur, leaders must first understand that coaching everyone in the exact same way, with a broad brush, is not effective or acceptable. A successful coach/coachee relationship is completely reliant on the coach first knowing as much about the individual coachee as possible.
To successfully coach an employee - to help them learn and produce better results - there are many questions about the coachee you should be able to answer. A few of them are: What are THEIR strengths and weaknesses? How do THEY prefer feedback, and how often do they prefer it? What motivates THEM? What are THEIR personal and professional goals? Do THEY desire to be promoted? What skills would THEY like to learn and develop for themselves?
Knowing the answers to these questions will not only strengthen your relationship, but will set the foundation for you to lead/coach them as an individual. Doing so will also help you to align their goals to your goals and the goals of the organization- creating a strong level of synergy and commitment between all parties.
This post was made by Jeff Rosset, Pesident of Compass Coaching & Development which is a firm that helps clients around the Chicago area increase employee engagement by providing leadership and organizational training and development services. Learn more at http://www.Compass-CD.com
Are you confident that you can successfully coach each of your employees individually?
Today, more and more companies are attempting to build an "environment of learning." For this to occur, leaders must first understand that coaching everyone in the exact same way, with a broad brush, is not effective or acceptable. A successful coach/coachee relationship is completely reliant on the coach first knowing as much about the individual coachee as possible.
To successfully coach an employee - to help them learn and produce better results - there are many questions about the coachee you should be able to answer. A few of them are: What are THEIR strengths and weaknesses? How do THEY prefer feedback, and how often do they prefer it? What motivates THEM? What are THEIR personal and professional goals? Do THEY desire to be promoted? What skills would THEY like to learn and develop for themselves?
Knowing the answers to these questions will not only strengthen your relationship, but will set the foundation for you to lead/coach them as an individual. Doing so will also help you to align their goals to your goals and the goals of the organization- creating a strong level of synergy and commitment between all parties.
This post was made by Jeff Rosset, Pesident of Compass Coaching & Development which is a firm that helps clients around the Chicago area increase employee engagement by providing leadership and organizational training and development services. Learn more at http://www.Compass-CD.com
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Being Positive & Resilient
First, ask yourself...
Do you ever wish that you had more control over certain things in your life?
In today's business world, people who are proactive are the ones who experience the most success. Constant change is necessary in order to improve ourselves, others around us, and our companies. It is important to remember, however, that we cannot change things that we are unaware of or refuse to admit.
The ability to change, be proactive, have a positive attitude, grow, and ultimately achieve success first starts with our mental state. Without being aware and really taking control, we are conceding to the idea of being a victim in life, simply allowing life to "happen to us." If we ever find ourselves in this state, we need to pause, take a step back, and evaluate what is going on. We should ask ourselves questions, like: How is what is happening right now affecting me? What do I really want to achieve in this situation? What are all of the potential outcomes - both positive and negative?
When we are fully aware, we are conscious, awake, and paying attention to the things that are happening all around us. We are able to put ourselves in a position where we can proactively live our lives, rather than having to react to them.
This tip written by Jeff Rosset, President of Compass Coaching & Development. To learn more about Compass C&D, visit http://www.Compass-CD.com.
Do you ever wish that you had more control over certain things in your life?
In today's business world, people who are proactive are the ones who experience the most success. Constant change is necessary in order to improve ourselves, others around us, and our companies. It is important to remember, however, that we cannot change things that we are unaware of or refuse to admit.
The ability to change, be proactive, have a positive attitude, grow, and ultimately achieve success first starts with our mental state. Without being aware and really taking control, we are conceding to the idea of being a victim in life, simply allowing life to "happen to us." If we ever find ourselves in this state, we need to pause, take a step back, and evaluate what is going on. We should ask ourselves questions, like: How is what is happening right now affecting me? What do I really want to achieve in this situation? What are all of the potential outcomes - both positive and negative?
When we are fully aware, we are conscious, awake, and paying attention to the things that are happening all around us. We are able to put ourselves in a position where we can proactively live our lives, rather than having to react to them.
This tip written by Jeff Rosset, President of Compass Coaching & Development. To learn more about Compass C&D, visit http://www.Compass-CD.com.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Tip of the Week 7/14/09
Tip of the Week
First, ask yourself...
Do you ever find that conflicts you are in escalate too quickly, from a small issue to a big problem?
One of the major causes of conflict in the workplace is lack of communication. The unfortunate thing is that most of the time, the conflict could (and should) have been avoided in the first place. Unfortunately too often one or both parties involved are either too angry, in too much of a hurry to get it resolved, or too convinced that they are 100% right - and an effective dialogue is inevitably skipped.
If you look closely, many "conflicts" are not conflicts at all - they are misunderstandings or perceived conflicts because people had different information and saw only isolated pieces of the whole situation.
If both sides will take time to sit down and share what they know about the situation, their feelings, and what they feel the issues to be, they will often find the problem is not as big as they thought and there is a logical solution available- therefore avoiding a full-blown conflict.
This tip was taken from Resolving Conflict Successfully which is the September session of The Compass Program. Click Here to view the schedule of all 12 sessions for The Compass Program.
First, ask yourself...
Do you ever find that conflicts you are in escalate too quickly, from a small issue to a big problem?
One of the major causes of conflict in the workplace is lack of communication. The unfortunate thing is that most of the time, the conflict could (and should) have been avoided in the first place. Unfortunately too often one or both parties involved are either too angry, in too much of a hurry to get it resolved, or too convinced that they are 100% right - and an effective dialogue is inevitably skipped.
If you look closely, many "conflicts" are not conflicts at all - they are misunderstandings or perceived conflicts because people had different information and saw only isolated pieces of the whole situation.
If both sides will take time to sit down and share what they know about the situation, their feelings, and what they feel the issues to be, they will often find the problem is not as big as they thought and there is a logical solution available- therefore avoiding a full-blown conflict.
This tip was taken from Resolving Conflict Successfully which is the September session of The Compass Program. Click Here to view the schedule of all 12 sessions for The Compass Program.
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