10 Nov
PeopleTek Coaching Change

Habits – Good vs. Detrimental

“Habits are either the best of servants or the worst of masters”.
 –Nathaniel Emmons

Our habits impact our lives and careers both negatively and positively.  We need to objectively assess which are impeding our ability to succeed, from those which keep us on track for realizing our goals and dreams.

If you’ve graduated from PeopleTek’s Leadership Journey™ program, you know that once you identify a habit or behavior that is not working for you, you must replace it with one that will provide you with positive results.  (This keeps us from regressing back to what is familiar to us, even when we know it’s counterproductive!).

Habits allow us to save time; we don’t need to think about what we’re doing, we merely “do it”.  But does this serve us well?  Not always. As a result we need to consciously decide what to change to become more disciplined and focused, and not be on “automatic pilot”.

Some common unproductive habits include:

  • Procrastination
  • Ignoring conflict
  • Consistently being late
  • Interrupting instead of listening
  • Multi-tasking when full focus is required
  • Ignoring life / work balance
  • Failure to set goals (or not making them your priority)
  • Allowing phone calls and emails to divert your attention
  • Not returning phone calls
  • Disregarding commitments
  • Not sleeping enough

So what can you do?  Start replacing your non productive behaviors with those that will help you achieve the results you desire.

If you’re consistently late for meetings set an alarm on your laptop, watch, phone, etc.

Post notes in your office reminding you of what TO do.

Block out time in your daily calendar and use that time to return phone calls and emails.

Use your goals to set priorities.

Organize your day; determine what must get done and abide by your task list.

Add your personal tasks to your calendar.   Ex. Gym time, calls home, family events, dinner appointments, volunteer commitments, etc

Ultimately what you need to do is identify which habits work for you, replace those that aren’t working, and commit to making positive changes that will position you for success!

27 Oct
PeopleTek Coaching Leadership

Overusing A Strength

Successful Leaders Understand, Value and  Leverage What Energizes Them, and what energizes others. They also understand that over-using a strength results in a weakness.

The Negative Side to Overusing a Strength

In Myers Briggs, these inherent strengths are called preferences for Extraversion and Introversion. Both preferences are wonderful; there is no right/wrong, or good/bad preference. We have however determined that leaders sometimes get into trouble, not because of their weaknesses, but because they are overusing a strength.

If you have a preference for extraversion (E) you might tend to think out loud, be first to jump in with an idea, get energized by being in a brainstorming session, etc. If you have a preference for introversion (I) you probably like to think through your ideas before speaking, don’t like to fight for airtime within a group, need time after a brainstorming session to recharge your batteries, etc.

So what happens if the “E” over-uses his/her strength? They may be perceived as annoying, grandstanding, or overbearing. They turn their natural strength into an Achilles heel. If the “I” over-uses his/her strength they may be perceived as arrogant, not contributing, and worse yet, their ideas might not get heard.

It’s important as leaders that we manage our own strengths and not over-use them, as well as provide open, honest feedback to others who are over-using a strength.

Do you recognize and honor differences? And, do you provide feedback to help others become stronger leaders?

24 Oct
PeopleTek Coaching Decision Making

A Carrot, an Egg, or Coffee

The happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes their way.
–Author Unknown

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her.  She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up.  She was tired of fighting and struggling.  It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen.  She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire.  Soon the pots came to boil.  In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans.  She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners.  She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl.  She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl.  Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.  Turning to her daughter, she asked, “Tell me what you see”.

“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots.  She did and noted that they were soft.  The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it.  After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.  Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee.  The daughter smiled, as she tasted its rich aroma the daughter then asked, “What does it mean, mother?”

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water.  Each reacted differently.

The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting.  However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.  The egg had been fragile.  Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its insides became hardened.  The ground coffee beans were unique, however.  After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

“Which are you?” she asked her daughter. ”  When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond?  Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?”

Think of this: Which am I?  Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?  Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat?  Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?  Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain.  When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor.

If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.  When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level?  How do you handle adversity?  Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.  The happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.  The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can’t go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so at the end, you’re the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.
–Author Unknown

17 Oct
PeopleTek Coaching Change

Change Is A Given

Leadership does not involve changing the mindset of the group, but the cultivation of an environment that brings out the best and inspires the individuals in that group to do what needs to be done.
–Arthur F. Carmazzi

Turn change into an advantage . . .

To be successful, you (and if applicable, your organization) must embrace change and know how to adapt in a fashion that aligns with your revised mission and strengths.

Is your organization going through change? We can give a speech for your team or organization to inspire them to accept and turn those changes into strategic advantages. To learn more, read about the Leveraging Change For Strategic Advantage.

13 Oct
PeopleTek Coaching Blog

PeopleTek – The “i” Leader

The only way to do great work is to love what you do…Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.”
–Steve Jobs

The “i” Leader – Steve Jobs . . .

In 1998 Mr. Jobs introduced the iMac and said the “i” represented “internet, individual, instruct, inform and inspire.” The last 4 certainly represent his role as a leader, but you can also add passion and vulnerability to his leadership style.

He openly shared that he was not a college graduate, that he was given up for adoption, that money was an issue, and that he felt that he was a public failure when he was fired from Apple at the age of 30. After being fired, he took a few months to regroup, and decided to trust in life and destiny and regained his confidence.

Although not a college graduate, he did attend a wide range of classes that supported his vision and his dream. He signed up for a calligraphy class because it sounded interesting, and believed that his exposure to fonts, spacing, and sizing was the influence for the MAC (and he also said for Windows!).

He loved technology and wanted his products to enrich the lives of others. He felt his creativity grew after being fired, and that his love for his work kept him moving forward. This led to the creation of NEXT and PIXAR, and ultimately his return to Apple.

His belief was to never settle, love what you do, don’t live someone else’s dream, and don’t lose faith. He certainly lived his beliefs! Are you?

Bill Gates says:

Steve Jobs moved industries, companies, and most importantly, people. His thoughtful stubbornness and insanely high standards have inspired and will continue to inspire entrepreneurs, leaders, and innovators the world over.

10 Oct
PeopleTek Coaching Leadership

Using the 12 Steps For Courageous Leadership

A courageous leadership style is built upon a bedrock of confidence and skilled behaviors.

  • Provides the critical dimensions for becoming a courageous leader.
  • It’s understanding that being a leader is not easy.
  • It’s knowing what you’re capable of and knowing how to execute and inspire.
  • Leadership is taking and empowering yourself and others to go where you or they have never gone before.

12 Steps For Courageous Leadership

Courage is the single most important attribute any leader must have in order to be effective and successful. It takes courage to achieve your life’s ambitions, and even more courage to be a strong leader.

In our book, 12 Steps For Courageous Leadership, we identified 12 factors that are essential to be successful:

1.    The passion to have a dream and live it.
2.    Document your goals.
3.    Commit to your goals.
4.    Understand your strengths and the strengths of others.
5.    Communicate with confidence and clarity.
6.    Understand and manage conflict with a purpose.
7.    Develop others.
8.    Delegate.
9.    Develop a skill.
10.  Remain controlled.
11.  Reward and Recognize.
12.  Succeed and learn from failure.

Let us know which steps you find easiest to exhibit daily, those you find most challenging, and one that you commit to strengthening.

29 Sep
PeopleTek Coaching Change

Managing Change Effectively

Are You Equipped to Accept & Deal With Change?

The rate of change is not going to slow down anytime soon. If anything, competition in most industries will probably speed up even more in the next few decades.
–John P. Kotter

How do you feel when you are told that there will be changes in the workplace?  We’ve worked with a lot of individuals and teams and have been told that managing change is one of their biggest issues.

Matter of fact, in a recent survey we conducted, only 11% of the responders felt they managed change effectively.

Given the times, we need to expect that change will continue to occur at a rapid pace, and we should anticipate and prepare for discomfort and uncertainty.

So, how can we prepare and help ourselves and our teams adjust?

8 Thoughts For Managing Change Effectively

  1. We need to understand and clearly communicate all changes and associated impacts.
  2. We need to ensure team members are clear about any changes to their roles and responsibilities.
  3. We need to re-validate or perhaps update our vision, mission, and goals and communicate the changes.
  4. We must identify all challenges our teams are facing. Do you know? Have you asked? During uncertain times, we need to increase our level of awareness and communicate more than ever.
  5. We need to re-build team synergy, and invest in and re-skill our top performers.
  6. We also need to “sell” our teams by publicizing their successes and the value provided.
  7. We need to realize that change impacts us differently. Some may be energized and flourish while others become almost immobilized; try to have one on ones with individuals. They don’t need to be formal; engage team members around the coffee pot or in the break room. For offsite teams and team members, call them.  ASK how they are feeling!
  8. Watch for diminishing productivity levels and changes to morale.

Let us know your tips for effectively managing change!

Change is an Ongoing Process

Change is continual and requires us to be adaptable. We need to understand and identify our productive and nonproductive change behaviors, and commit to minimizing and even eliminating those behaviors that are not serving us well.

Most importantly, communication is key. As leaders we need to communicate more than ever; it’s critical we provide information and impacts, and it’s equally important that we listen and sense how others are feeling.

PeopleTek provides solutions for helping you better understand and embrace change, and will work with you to identify your change opportunities.

Check out our custom programs for more information or contact us.

22 Sep
PeopleTek Coaching Team

Required Roles For An Optimal Team

The strength of the team is each individual member…the strength of each member is the team.
—Coach Phil Jackson, Chicago Bulls

We know successful teams consist of team members that have a common purpose, shared goals and the desire for their team to flourish. They also need to trust one another, hold one another accountable, and maximize individual strengths to make the team even stronger.

Inscape Publishing believes that four critical roles must also be filled for a team to be highly successful. They expanded a study conducted by Fahden and Namakkal, which found that optimal teams are not only comprised of individuals with differing styles and behaviors but that key roles must be filled.

Four Roles Required For a Successful Team

CREATOR

Generates the concepts and ideas. Looks for solutions that may be unusual or unique; goes beyond the obvious. Creators generate fresh, creative and original ideas, recognizes alternatives and sees the “big picture”. Once the idea is generated it gets passed to an Advancer.

ADVANCER

Recognizes ideas and new directions early on and develops ways to promote them. Advancers plan based on past experiences and successful methods, prefer familiar ideas and but are open to new concepts and will not be discouraged by rules and boundaries. Once there is structure toward implementation the idea is passed to a Refiner.

REFINER

Concepts are challenged and a methodical process is used to analyze, apply order, and look for flaws or possible problems with the concept or idea. Refiners are good at reviewing ideas and implementation plans, at modifying and coming up with new ideas, and rationally reviewing them to ensure success. The final pass off is to the Executor. If the concept or idea is not ready for implementation, the Advancer and Creator may get re-engaged, execute their role and then re-pass it to the Refiner.

EXECUTOR

Team objectives are followed up on and ideas and solutions are implemented. The Executor focuses on ensuring the implementation plan is orderly and has been well thought out and strives for high-quality results. They enjoy their tasks and the responsibility of final implementation but prefer that others take the lead.

One other role is critical to the success of a team; the FLEXER. The Flexer objectively monitors the contributions of the team members, keeps them moving in the right direction, and steps in as needed.

The combination of these roles promotes innovation and teamwork and provides teams with a competitive edge.  Do you have the optimal team?

Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.
–Henry Ford

20 Sep
PeopleTek Coaching Blog

Maximize Your Team

When a team outgrows individual performance and learns team confidence, excellence becomes a reality.
—Joe Paterno

Maximize Your Team

True teams work together to maximize individual strengths, obtain buy-in, and inspire and motivate one another for the good of the team.

Team = Together Everyone Achieves More

PeopleTek provides comprehensive, interactive, team development programs that bring team members together. The programs focus on building trust, dealing with differences in healthy ways, and learning to hold one another accountable while improving results.

PeopleTek provides leadership solutions for building motivated teams, maximizing team synergy, and growing the bottom line.

15 Sep
PeopleTek Coaching News

Leading With Laughter

“Funny as it may sound, humor is absolutely essential to the success of any organization.”
 Randall Munson (website 2004) 

Think about a team, a project, or an initiative you were part of that was successful and that you have fond memories of.  Do you recall if humor was experienced? Chances are, the answer is yes.

Studies have found that humor promotes teamwork, builds relationships, and improves results.

Humor has also been linked with our emotional intelligence competencies. According to Daniel Goleman,(EQ author/expert) “Research on humor at work reveals that a well-timed joke or playful laughter can stimulate creativity, open lines of communication, enhance a sense of connection and trust, and, of course make work more fun”.

Allan Filipowicz, Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior found that humor, used both proactively and reactively in small group situations, could greatly facilitate communication in what could be difficult interpersonal situations.

Bryan Lattimore states that humor can be used:

  • As a way to break the ice in stiff or uncomfortable business situations
  • As an effective bonding technique – a wonderful way to build common ground with other employees
  • As a way to break down resistance
  • As a much-needed way to improve the content, enjoyment, and ultimately the productivity of meetings
  • As a way to assign work when people can’t take any more
  • As a wonderful way to ease and control tension

Herb Kelleher, (former CEO of Southwest Airlines) wanted the company to focus on fun and profit. He encouraged a corporate culture where employees were serious about their jobs, but took themselves lightly and shared laughter with their customers. Coincidentally, Southwest Airlines is consistently ranked high in “Best Company To Work” and “Most Admired” company.

Laughter is an outlet, a stress reducer, is energizing, and builds morale. And, it’s been found that workers and leaders with a good sense of humor do a better job and are more successful than those that don’t.

Are you using humor and laughter to improve results?

12 Sep
PeopleTek Coaching Blog

Coaching For Excellence

“When it comes to providing the tools and coaching to improve one’s leadership skills, no one surpasses Michael Kublin and PeopleTek! Michael and his team will not only help you understand your current situation in a more meaningful way, they will help you develop strategies for taking your business where you want it to go.”
Brooks Hogg

CREATING LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE . . .

Leadership Development

PeopleTek shows individuals and teams how to apply their skills in ways that leverage leadership strengths.  Through group Journey programs as well as one on one coaching, leaders are provided the tools and secrets required for becoming even more successful.

Understanding and appreciating the strengths that one has relied upon for success to date, as well as the competencies that haven’t yet been fully developed, and appreciating the differences and strengths that others provide, are some of the secrets explored.

Personal Excellence

PeopleTek helps individuals build critical competencies and raise their peak performance level. Individuals at any stage of their career learn how to overcome hurdles standing in the way of their progress and overcome new challenges they may be facing in a new role or with a new team or organization.

Team  Synergy

PeopleTek provides comprehensive, hands-on programs for teams that brings team members together and solves critical issues. Teams learn how to work together in a way that maximizes their individual strengths and heightens individual buy-in and motivation.

Let us help you enhance your leadership skills, obtain heightened levels of success, and grow your bottom line!

08 Sep
PeopleTek Coaching Leadership, Success

Passion Drives Results

Passionate People = a Profitable company.
—Ann Rhoades

Knowing what you’re passionate about and making the time to experience your passion is critical for success both personally and professionally. Even when well-intended, making the time, and having balance, can be difficult.

Doug Gray, coach, speaker, and author of Passionate Action – 5 Steps To Creating Extraordinary Success In Life and Work, created a balance wheel designed to achieve success.

He suggests our “wheel” consist of 8 parts:

  1. Personal Growth
  2. Significant Other
  3. Health
  4. Friends/Family
  5. Recreation
  6. Money
  7. Career
  8. Other (something critical and personal to you)

Using a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being extremely happy and satisfied with each category, how balanced are you? What categories are you satisfied with?  Are there any you’re dissatisfied with?

Your categories may not be balanced and don’t necessarily need to be.  What’s important is that you recognize all imbalances and decide if you’d like to change the balance.

Here are some questions which may help:

What will this cost me if I do not change?  Compared against:
If I make this change how might it improve my life?

What will I regret if I do not make a change?  Compared against:
How might this change make me feel?

How are my familiar habits limiting me physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually?  Compared against:
What else could I accomplish if I made this change?

What are my beliefs preventing me from doing physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually?   Compared against:
How will my family and friends (and co-workers) feel towards me if I make this change?

What is lost if I don’t make this change now?  Compared against:
What is gained if I don’t make this change now?

These questions are worth investing the time to realistically assess where you are now and where you want to be.   Re-visit your areas of dissatisfaction – were you just having a bad day when you rated each category or are there areas in your balance wheel you’d like to change?

You’re in control! What can YOU do to increase your passion, have a better-balanced wheel, and obtain desired results?

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