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The word “conflict” often creates images of ill feelings and negative interactions, but it can also be productive and inspiring. Conflict, simply defined, is a disagreement or difference of opinions.

When can conflict be healthy? Margaret Heffernan says “For good ideas and true innovation, you need human interaction, conflict, argument, and debate”.

It’s healthy to share differing perspectives and opposing views as it lends itself to more creative thinking which may produce positive change and obtain desired results.

Let’s say you feel strongly about an issue and your colleagues’ views are not aligned with yours. When that happens, how do you feel and how do you proceed?

• If you have a good relationship, you’re likely to assume positive intent in the dialog, remain calm, and make every effort to be open minded while assessing the opposing view.

• If the relationship is lacking, you may find it difficult to be open to new ideas and even find your behaviors to be challenging and confrontational while aggressively supporting your own view.

Relationships matter! With healthy relationships, conflict is less edgy; we’re more open to assuming positive intent and will make every effort to seek a deeper understating of the opposing view while remaining respectful.

That’s not to say we’ll always agree but it does mean that we will truly listen and remain composed regardless of how passionate we are about our view.

Make an effort to build strong relationships so differences will be heard and respectfully processed.  This will open doors for more exchanges that inspire creativity and increase successes.

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

 

Whenever you’re in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it.

That factor is attitude.
–William James

Leading the Future of IT: PeopleTek’s Premier Strategy for Advancing Tech Professionals and Their Teams

At PeopleTek Coaching, our expertise lies in guiding IT visionaries, propelling them to the zenith of their capabilities. With a potent combination of bespoke coaching sessions, forward-thinking methodologies, and deep-rooted insights from the tech sector, we empower both individual tech mavens and cohesive teams to thrive in the dynamic world of IT.

Our state-of-the-art coaching model hones leadership skills and bolsters team unity, aligning them with a shared technological mission. This steadfast dedication to fostering teamwork has cemented our standing, making us the go-to consultancy for myriad tech corporations over our distinguished 20-year journey.

Beyond just business achievements, our aspiration is to mold IT spaces that resonate with positivity, creativity, and mutual respect. We champion environments that catalyze individual advancement and heighten productivity. This visionary approach forms the cornerstone of PeopleTek’s ethos.

At PeopleTek, we invite you to reshape your IT leadership path and lead with unmatched accuracy and enthusiasm. Delve into the nuances of our tailored approach by visiting PeopleTekCoaching.com. Boasting a comprehensive array of tech-focused services, we are primed to refresh your ascent to tech leadership excellence and collaborative success.

 

People and relationships matter and adding a mentor or influencer to the mix creates energy, increases satisfaction levels, reduces turnover, and grows individual and organizational results.

Successful mentors help their mentees create and manage relationships and suggest networks that may be utilized and leveraged for growth.

Part of the mentor’s role is to provide:
Meaningful feedback
Explore perceptions of strengths and needs, and have a development plan
Networking opportunities are identified and leveraged
Trustworthy relationships are built and nurtured
Open lines of communication are established
Realistic expectations are identified and tracked  

Effective leaders also influence others and John Maxwell created the following acronym for being an I.N.F.L.U.E.N.C.E.R.:

Integrity
It’s what we do, what we say, and our supporting behaviors and actions
Nurtures
It’s how we motivate and encourage others
Faith
It’s believing in others and that they will do the right thing
Listens
To what is being said and what is NOT being said
Understands
Drives our workforce and those we lead
Enlarges
Mentors those we lead; freely shares our thoughts, ideas, and experiences
Navigates
Provides direction for where we are and where we want to be
Connects
A person of influence connects with people and does not take them for granted
Empowers
Sets others up for success
Reproduces
Develops our own leadership potential and then develops others

Both mentors and influencers encourage strong and trusting relationships, increase energy levels, and help others grow personally and professionally. Are you a mentor or an influencer?

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

Leadership is influence.
— John Maxwell

Leading the Future of IT: PeopleTek’s Premier Strategy for Advancing Tech Professionals and Their Teams

At PeopleTek Coaching, our expertise lies in guiding IT visionaries, propelling them to the zenith of their capabilities. With a potent combination of bespoke coaching sessions, forward-thinking methodologies, and deep-rooted insights from the tech sector, we empower both individual tech mavens and cohesive teams to thrive in the dynamic world of IT.

Our state-of-the-art coaching model hones leadership skills and bolsters team unity, aligning them with a shared technological mission. This steadfast dedication to fostering teamwork has cemented our standing, making us the go-to consultancy for myriad tech corporations over our distinguished 20-year journey.

Beyond just business achievements, our aspiration is to mold IT spaces that resonate with positivity, creativity, and mutual respect. We champion environments that catalyze individual advancement and heighten productivity. This visionary approach forms the cornerstone of PeopleTek’s ethos.

At PeopleTek, we invite you to reshape your IT leadership path and lead with unmatched accuracy and enthusiasm. Delve into the nuances of our tailored approach by visiting PeopleTekCoaching.com. Boasting a comprehensive array of tech-focused services, we are primed to refresh your ascent to tech leadership excellence and collaborative success.

 

Feedback is critical for individual growth and for organizational success but it’s not always easy to give or to receive.

Have you noticed that when you have a good relationship with someone, you’re more at ease delivering feedback? Good business relationships increase comfort levels, trust generally exists, collaboration increases, and opinions and differing perspectives are more likely to be listened to and acted upon.

When the relationship is lacking, there can be a sense of being judged, of being picked on, maybe even having feelings of shame or inadequacy instead of understanding that the feedback is well intended with the purpose to help with growth.

We encourage investing in enhanced relationships but don’t let that get in the way of providing feedback (or being receptive to receiving feedback).

Tips for giving feedback:

Make time

• Regardless how busy you are, create a feedback calendar and take it seriously!
• If you become aware of a “positive” or “negative” action, acknowledge it immediately

Make it honest and meaningful

• Be prepared to provide specifics about both negative and positive feedback
• Think in terms of praise and constructive criticism – both contribute to growth

Use goal tracking

• If you don’t know how to get started, review how the individual has helped (or hindered) the achievement of organizational or team goals

Discuss and document the top 3 strengths and 3 growth opportunities

• For the strengths, try to leverage them and keep them sharp
• For the growth opportunities, determine what actions can be implemented immediately, which require assistance (ex. Training/mentoring), and have a plan for tracking progress

Commit to supporting continual learning

• Review what in house programs are available
• Ensure your budget adequately includes development opportunities
• Investigate external training that can address your focus areas

Business relationships is the #1 skill for creating success in the workplace and it impacts how well feedback is received, delivered, and acted upon. Make both a priority!

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.
–Bill Gates

Leading the Future of IT: PeopleTek’s Premier Strategy for Advancing Tech Professionals and Their Teams

At PeopleTek Coaching, our expertise lies in guiding IT visionaries, propelling them to the zenith of their capabilities. With a potent combination of bespoke coaching sessions, forward-thinking methodologies, and deep-rooted insights from the tech sector, we empower both individual tech mavens and cohesive teams to thrive in the dynamic world of IT.

Our state-of-the-art coaching model hones leadership skills and bolsters team unity, aligning them with a shared technological mission. This steadfast dedication to fostering teamwork has cemented our standing, making us the go-to consultancy for myriad tech corporations over our distinguished 20-year journey.

Beyond just business achievements, our aspiration is to mold IT spaces that resonate with positivity, creativity, and mutual respect. We champion environments that catalyze individual advancement and heighten productivity. This visionary approach forms the cornerstone of PeopleTek’s ethos.

At PeopleTek, we invite you to reshape your IT leadership path and lead with unmatched accuracy and enthusiasm. Delve into the nuances of our tailored approach by visiting PeopleTekCoaching.com. Boasting a comprehensive array of tech-focused services, we are primed to refresh your ascent to tech leadership excellence and collaborative success.

 

Next in our series about relationships is the topic of Communication.

Let’s say our meeting has ended, we provided clear updates, shared required next steps and due dates, and firmly believe our message was delivered and understood, only to find out we were very wrong.

Tony Robins sums it up nicely: To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.

The stronger our relationships, the more likely we are to have our message accurately interpreted. However, mis-communications can occur, and not only will our message be lost, but it can put a dent in the relationships we’re trying to build. We need to be aware that we all process things differently impacting the interpretation of the message. 

We need to be very aware of our choice of words, speak with confidence, and be clear and concise in our delivery. We need to be aware of our tone, our body language, and the pace in which we speak.  It’s also a plus to ask the recipients to share how they interpreted our message to ensure there’s alignment with our intent.

Sharing a message and providing clarity may include communicating:

 

1. What is happening?  
2. Why is it happening?
3. How and when is it going to happen?
4. Who is being impacted? How?
5. How will concerns be addressed?    

 

When time allows, prepare your message in advance and anticipate questions (and maybe even resistance).

Being an effective communicator helps with goal attainment, builds a more desirable work climate, and strengthens relationships.

Things to self-assess:

• What positive communication behaviors do you exhibit?
• What are your trouble spots?
• How can you become a more effective communicator?

Let us know if we can help!

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

Communication is the lifeline of any relationship.
– Elizabeth Bourgeret

Leading the Future of IT: PeopleTek’s Premier Strategy for Advancing Tech Professionals and Their Teams

At PeopleTek Coaching, our expertise lies in guiding IT visionaries, propelling them to the zenith of their capabilities. With a potent combination of bespoke coaching sessions, forward-thinking methodologies, and deep-rooted insights from the tech sector, we empower both individual tech mavens and cohesive teams to thrive in the dynamic world of IT.

Our state-of-the-art coaching model hones leadership skills and bolsters team unity, aligning them with a shared technological mission. This steadfast dedication to fostering teamwork has cemented our standing, making us the go-to consultancy for myriad tech corporations over our distinguished 20-year journey.

Beyond just business achievements, our aspiration is to mold IT spaces that resonate with positivity, creativity, and mutual respect. We champion environments that catalyze individual advancement and heighten productivity. This visionary approach forms the cornerstone of PeopleTek’s ethos.

At PeopleTek, we invite you to reshape your IT leadership path and lead with unmatched accuracy and enthusiasm. Delve into the nuances of our tailored approach by visiting PeopleTekCoaching.com. Boasting a comprehensive array of tech-focused services, we are primed to refresh your ascent to tech leadership excellence and collaborative success.