5 tips from Tom Peters on how to make change management programmes work

5 tips from Tom Peters on how to make change management programmes work – extracts from article from Leon Getler of Acuity Magazine April 2015 edition

Tom Peters book “in search of excellence” has placed him as one of the worlds most influential management thinkers. The book identified the traits that set successful companies apart.

AT 72 , he is a prolific blogger and tweeter and has 5 tips to make change management work

• 1.     WANT IT!! You have to want to change so much that you are prepared to take the shit that goes along with the change – Change does not happen smoothly!!

• 2.     Build alliances and build TRUST with them - and don’t spend time fighting enemies. Recruit them, spend time with them, respect them, get their trust … Trust is a simple formula - T = C+R+I over S

• 3.     Don’t sweat the little things – focus on the end game.

• 4.     Take action – and roll with the punches… what you think the change will look like rarely does. Give the team the kudos… make them feel important, let them own the process.

• 5.     Be persistant , tenacious and resilient… as Churchill said – to succeed is the ability to go from screw up to screw up without loss of nerve! Churchill had 60 years of problems and 4 good years!

What bosses talk about - and its personal

Jeff Haden - inc mag 

On my lunch break, I took the only open seat at a small three-person table. After quick greetings the two ladies already seated continued their conversation. Since we sat so closely I couldn't help but overhear.

At first I felt awkward; it's no fun trying to pretend you're not listening when you can't help but overhear. But they immediately noticed my discomfort and smiled and nodded at me to make me feel included.

So I listened and was fascinated.

They talked about how they felt a huge responsibility to their employees, not just financially but also in terms of training, development, and personal fulfillment. They talked about how a contract may start a business relationship but ensuring both parties succeed is the only way to keep a business relationship from ending all too soon.

Most of all, though, they talked about themselves -- but in a way I never hear.

"I feel like I'm failing one of my managers," one said. "He does a good job, but the way he does it is so different from the way I I would. So I wind up critiquing his 'style' instead of just focusing on the results he achieves."

"I know exactly what you mean," the other said. "But I have the opposite problem. I have an employee I know has potential, but I can't seem to reach him. No matter how hard I try I can't find a way to see things from his perspective. It's like we're constantly butting heads."

"Will you have to let him go?" she was asked.

"I should, but I just can't do it," she answered. "At least not yet. How do I fire someone when I think it's my fault they aren't performing well?"

And they kept talking. They talked about how they felt guilty they weren't developing their employees more, but resources were just too tight. They talked about how they felt guilty for not spending more time with certain members of their staffs, yet the need to fight fires always got in the way. They talked about constantly trying to balance business with family, and how, no matter what they did, they could never escape feeling they were letting both sides down.

To say I was stunned was an understatement. It was clear these two women had just met, yet there they were admitting to weaknesses -- not in a faux self-deprecating way, but openly and honestly.

How many people do you know that readily admit to falling short where leadership and professional relationships are concerned? (And when someone does admit that, how many people respond thoughtfully, compassionately, and without judgment?)

Instead practicality tends to dominate our business discussions. We talk, especially with people we don't know particularly well, almost exclusively about strategies and technologies, metrics and analytics, big data and big ideas.

Practicality is everything -- in not only our public conversations but often also in our private thoughts.

My lunch companions appreciated a different kind of discussion. They clearly felt the fundamentals of business are found not in data, or strategy, or finance but in the emotions, the experiences, the skills and faults and strengths and weaknesses of people.

Business, to them, was all about leading, following, and working with people... something that is all too easy to forget.

Hats off to them.

And hats off to all of you who work so hard to make the lives of other people better -- since, after all, that's what great leaders do best.

We are no better or worse than anyone else we are just different!

 I was speaking to my Coach, Leonard Whittaker, and we were talking about how I build businesses… what I said was that I will develop a business and then partner with someone who is better than me, and allow him (or her) to build and run  that business.

Leonard really took offence to that comment – and said that no one is better or worse than anyone else – they are just different, and  that people should celebrate their differences.

You are not competing with anyone – just striving for your personal best.

The only person who is better than you is the person who you are about to become.

Leonard mentioned the analogy of 4 animals in a class being taught to climb a wall ... the monkey and tiger could easily do it... but no matter how hard he tried, the elephant couldnt climb that wall.... does that mean the elephant is worse that the monkey... no, just different!! 

We then chatted about the importance of having a balanced team, and suggested that each member do a Kolby Profile, and ensure that the team has a balance – or else it will not sustain.

(when I find out more about this – will let you know)

He talked about Mills view on “Liberty” where with vigorous and violent collision of opinions do we get to the truth! – people have different strengths and viewpoints – which should be celebrated , respected, vigorously discussed and nurtured.

I am really looking forward to our first 10X Foundations at the end of November!!

Burnout Crazy p.1

For me, burnout crazy feels as if I am on a moving walkway at an airport. The world is moving in one direction and resistance is futile - jumping the barrier with my metaphorical baggage is just too hard.

Burnout in its many forms can affect anyone at any time. It is not a sign of weakness, or failure it shows that you are human.  Small enterprise owners and business leaders need to be especially aware of the causes, symptoms and how to step away from the crazy - even if it means jumping a barrier or two. In this article, you will learn what it looks like, why it can be useful and how to deal with burnout crazy when it comes to call.

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?

Technically burnout is a psychological term. Physically it looks like long-term exhaustion and diminished interest life. The chemical reaction starts when the Amygdala or lizard brain produces both cortisol and norepinephrine (the Amygdala is both the oldest part of the human brain and found at the top of the brainstem it is the first part of the brain to develop in the womb) These chemicals work together to create the Palaeolithic fight or flight response, and prolonged production can lead to heart disease and mental health problems.

What burnout looks like differs from person to person. Some people can’t get to sleep, some can’t wake up, some overeat or stop eating, other’s anaesthetise themselves through addictive behaviours. 

HOW DOES IT GET THAT BAD?

Burnout is often created by the perfect storm of three key behaviours. On their own and in the right context these behaviours are not only admirable; they are invaluable when starting up a new venture. This is why everyone needs to remember that burnout happens, even to the best of us. The trick is to know how to get yourself out of the ‘Burnout Crazy Zone’ and identify the warning signs next time.

3 key burnout behaviours are:

1. Self-Sacrifice: Understanding that you made a choice to sacrifice certain activities now to succeed in the future is healthy. Constantly putting others needs before your own, and sacrificing your physical wellbeing is not.  Every time I fly and the “please put your own mask before assisting children” comes up in the safety briefing, I am reminded of the need to “rescue myself first”.

2. Ambition: Wanting to make a difference and contribute to the world on your own terms is a good thing. When this is linked to an ego feeding frenzy entitled “It’s all about me” your world view shrinks very quickly. It’s a lot like a hot air balloon ride. When you are flying high and feeling good you have perspective on life and can see where you want to go. If you have been ‘sandbagged’ by perfectionism, the need to be right and dominate all, all you can see is the tops of the trees and the ground coming up fast. 

3. Working Hard: Working smarter not harder by prioritising your workload and effective time management is important behaviour for any successful business leader.  However, an inability to delegate because you are a team of one or you come from the “it’s easier if I just do it myself” school creates the “there’s not enough hours in the day” panic paradigm.

In Part 2 of this article, we will look at why the Burnout Zone is useful, and what you can do when you’re in it!

By Sarah Bond

www.employmenow.co.nz

Something Stinks – and it's Sitting in Your Office

If someone has bad breath, body odour or severe flatulence, the compassionate thing to do is talk to them about it, especially if their smell is holding them back. However, if you approach the issue in the wrong way, you can flip the lid on a stinky can of worms.