The art of effective leadership

Did you ever see an engineer rushing?  No, I haven’t either, from the pits in a Formula one race to the construction of an astonishing multi level skyscraper.

Someone recalled a well-worn statement, yet nevertheless true, to a colleague earlier in the week.  You can choose how you behave or what thoughts will define your day, if you really want to.  He went on to say, it’s a bit like choosing what to wear in the morning.  It’s a cognitive choice, wallowing in whatever current upset or perceived disaster that may or may not be around the corner or just taking the day in hand, what comes with it and with an open heart. 

Uh oh  - I realize, I may have just left a few readers cold.  With an open heart, at work, in my professional environment, at a tough board meeting, in a challenging sales negotiation, on an oil rig, in the desert under fire.  Yes, is the short answer.  Having had the privilege to work with individuals that run oil rigs, race teams, engineers, those the boards of Fortune 100, FTSE 250 companies and decorated servicemen amongst others, I’ve observed first hand that the most effective leaders are very aware of their people ( and of course themselves) and have an ‘open heart’ and an ‘open mind’. 

So, what do I mean by this: -

Anyone who gets to a leadership position has not made it  (yet!).  It is only the beginning.  Being a leader doesn’t make you one, however by doing the things that great leaders do and influencing and encouraging your teams behaviour you’ll be 9/10’s of the way there. 

Effective leaders establish values, model behaviour, encourage, nurture and support, reward, are firm when necessary and give feedback. Great leaders will foster self-leadership in individuals, teams and the wider organization. 

One very good way of measuring a leader’s success is by measuring the success of his or her people.  A strong leader will facilitate the self-leadership in others.  After all, the first step is self-leadership and if there’s none of that, the leadership of others is going to be mighty difficult. 

Set the vision:-

·      Face reality  - how are your thoughts going to command today

·      Focus on the future

·      See change as an opportunity

Be who you are:-

·      Live & breathe your values, lead by example

·      Create a positive self-image and believe in it

·      Display integrity and openness to learning and discovery

Build capability:-

·      Build infrastructure

·      Leverage diversity

·      Leverage skills

·      Build teams

·      Enable change to happen

·      Allow people to think, challenge and experiment

Enable individuals:-

·      Believe in people especially when you don’t agree

·      Allow emotions and listen in the moment

·      Manage attention, pay attention

·      Share power and authority

·      Build collaborative relationships

And ……..enjoy!

And as for the rushing……we all have to sometimes, even engineers I’m reliably informed(but it’s rare?!)

When the going gets tough.........

A well functioning team can be a powerful force for your company's success. A team in disarray, on the other hand, can be a distraction, causing missed opportunities and creating liabilities for the organisation.

‘When the going gets tough; the tough get going’ – as those of us, of a certain age, will remember Billy Ocean singing out. It was a favourite of my first real business mentor, a senior exec at M&S, at the annual bash…….it’s stayed with me!

Never more so than in a challenging market is ‘the tough getting going’ important. But what does tough actually mean - for us as individuals, as teams, as boards? Tough can have negative connotations such as insensitivity or even aggression however to have mental rigour and be tough in action can surely only be a good thing?

In my role as an executive coach in the current climate, the attitude to risk, perhaps ‘fear of’ is a common theme in conversations. Making ‘tough’ decisions that impact on both business and the people within can have some difficult consequences. Not insurmountable but certainly requires some mental ‘toughness’.

Lately, I’ve been observing various teams and boards behaviour - working with some who are operating very effectively and successfully together and others, shall we say, on the journey towards. The teams that have found their level, have animated, heated debates and discussion and I observe many things going on around the board table that could be described as ‘tough’, amongst many other descriptors! However, where it works is when there is a sort of unwritten code of conduct/ ethics if you will, which is all about ‘how we behave towards each other’; respect, trust, candour to name a few and it doesn’t get personal. Thereby keeping the agenda for the board or team (and company) on track and therefore being much more likely to succeed.

At the end of last year, one of my clients recently said to me’ I’ve sanctioned something that maybe I shouldn’t have - it instinctively feels right and I believe in my team but I think I may have burnt my bridges with the board’. This was my clients’, first board appointment. ‘What have you sanctioned?’ I asked, intrigued…..

‘One of my team has proposed a new product that she thinks will enhance the company's sales and profitability. It’s really interesting, doesn’t appear to be anything quite like it out there on the market and she’s great at what she does. If she says she can do it, I believe her. However, the first reaction I got from the board was quite dismissive. The CEO told me that not only would it never work but would also take four years of man-hours to even bring it to the testing stage. Then, it most likely won’t pass that phase.’

‘Not the most positive or open-minded response then.’ I replied.

‘Undeterred, I pleaded with the board to give us six months to prove the point. The board reluctantly went along and allowed me to give her a leave of absence from her regular job and devote her time solely to this new idea.’

Now fast forward a few months. The upshot of all of this is that he came back to the board within four months with a software project that was unique, exciting and eminently doable.

This lady on his team had succeeded well beyond the board's expectations. The product is now being sold - and sold profitably. Additionally, it has made quite a positive difference in the company's bottom line.

There’s a mental toughness! This guy risked losing his credibility and senior position (not to mention first board appointment) within the company; he got out of his comfort zone and intentionally put himself at risk; but most importantly, he thought differently, dared to be different, utterly believed in a member of his team and took a risk despite the consequences ‘if’ it failed.

Equally, the board, as a group, demonstrated some toughness, took a risk, backed him and the software developer and supported the decision. A tough call for those who weren’t sure and indeed those that were!

All boards and teams need at least one member who is some sort of a maverick. He or she should be an independent thinker and be willing to risk derision when introducing new ideas to the board. A person of this type is indispensable during these extremely competitive and trying times.

Strategic thinking, trust and collectively agreeing to something is not always an easy task. I know for sure that two members of the board patently disagreed with supporting this new idea however they collectively agreed and therefore as a board, they supported and encouraged the decision (outwardly anyway!). When the going gets tough for boards and teams, fresh thinking is essential. A team usually has nothing to lose when adding a new ‘mind’ to their members. The addition of a fresh vitality and robustness is rarely a bad thing.

For thought:-

Are you agreeing collectively and then standing by that decision even if you personally don’t agree?

What are your behaviours displaying to the rest of the organization? Do you collaborate, trust and commit as a group?

Do you trust your instincts?

Do you build consensus - finding the balance between active listening and active participation.

Can you cut to the core issue and identify how to move forward, how to bring discussions back to action?

Do you actively pursue outside relationships with board or team members?

Have you a mentor?

Treat team and board meetings as seriously as your job in terms of preparation, participation, and follow-through: do your homework, show up and contribute. The team meeting and/ or boardroom is the place for collaboration, not competition.

Competitive skills may very well have enabled you to get to your position of leadership, they’re less helpful when bringing a team or board together to achieve great things.

Are you getting going?

Have a great summer.

Kate Tojeiro works with boards and teams across a variety of businesses from FTSE 250 and Fortune 500 to small venture backed businesses. She is an Executive Coach and MD of X fusion.

'Bee' aware.......

Whilst my office is in a small busy town, this morning a huge bumblebee has been bumping on the window with tenacity. There is a large vase of startlingly yellow daffodils on the windowsill and they have all just come out. I think that must be what he (or she) is after!

I’ve been thinking about bees this week following a fascinating program that documented why bees ‘CAN’ fly. Their body shape, lack of aerodynamics and little wings have been baffling scientists for years because at face value - it appears an impossibility that they be able to fly at all! With the recent rapid development in sophisticated photographic technology it is now possible to ‘see’ that bees in fact flap their wings forwards and backwards, as opposed to up and down, which means that by a clever little manouevre of their wings the bee thereby creates lift on both strokes. Hence, it’s ability to fly.

And that I’m afraid is about the limit of my apiology, so why the observation?

I observed to one of my clients recently that people see, hear or sense what we put out there for them to see, hear or sense. “That’s nonsense” he confidently commented back. “People observe us but what they observe might be different to the ‘real’ us”, he said. “True”, I ventured sensing an interesting conversation in the making. “Mostly, though people see what we put out for them to see”.

Generally speaking if we are to achieve what we set out to and be successful in whatever that is - sometimes we need to ensure that our body language or non-verbal communication is in check. I.e. if we project confidence - others will identify with it, if we are unhappy and hunched people will identify with it, if we are anxious or nervous - there’s a pattern forming……...

“OK – give me an example” he said.

“A client who runs a very successful PR agency was having a somewhat ‘thin’ period a few years back.

She had a pitch meeting to go to - knew that she was one of four agencies participating in the beauty parade; two were large global agencies, one a medium sized UK based agency and her small boutique consultancy.

She decided that if she had any chance at getting this contract - she was going to have to use everything she had. Best outfit, hair & nails looking good – and of course her pitch! She knew that she had the talent, credentials and ability to do the project however felt very much like the minnow against the whales. She believed that if she was self-assured, confident and demonstrated the pride she has in what she does in the meeting she’d be in with a chance. So, how does self-assured, confident and a sense of pride ‘look’ and ‘feel’ for you, I asked. Well……..she responded, shoulders back for a start, breathing deeply, not fidgeting and being myself. She is erudite, capable, funny and charming. When did you last feel like that I ventured. When I delivered a talk at an Industry Conference two years ago (two years ago! I exclaimed – that’s another story) – we talked some more about this, the talk, the audience participation, the questions – the pleasant ones and the difficult. My client now had a reference point and through discussing it had also had a mini-rehearsal. (Little piece of neuro-science - when we recall an event and think it through, good or bad, we reinforce the neural pathways in our brains which therefore make it more likely for us to repeat the behaviour again – a bit like practicing a golf swing or a tennis serve).

After the meeting, she returned to her office and her PA was the first person she saw when she walked in. “How did it go?” she said. “I got it!” she replied. “Wow - did they tell you today”. “No, I just know I got it!”

A week later, the call came to say she had got it! She did get the business, a huge global contract and it was the first of many, many more after that lean period.

When I asked her about the meeting, I could see the confidence, self-assuredness and relaxed demeanour shining through.

So, when inwardly we are thinking that something is an impossibility what are the little ‘wing manoeuvre’s that we have to employ to make a difference?

Can you think of a time when the characteristics that you want to display were shining through to complement your skills and talents. Whilst many people profess not to care what others think – said client above included - we are, like it or not, creatures who want and need to fit into a social universe. Humans are psychologically suited to interdependence.

The ability to intuit how people see us is what enables us to truly and authentically connect to others and experience the deep satisfaction that comes with those ties. With that comes the ability to understand others better be a better leader.

The bottom line: It comes down to what you think about yourself

Your ideas about what others think of you hinge on your self-concept—your own beliefs about who you are. We filter the cues that we get from other people through our own self-concept. As a baby scans his mother's face he absorbs clues to who he is; as adults we continue to search for our reflections in others' eyes. People rely on others' impressions to nurture their views about themselves, says William Swann, professor of psychology at the University of Texas, Austin. His research reveals that people with negative self-concepts goad others to evaluate them harshly, especially if they suspect the person likes them—they would rather be right than be admired.

So, you get what you give?

The top line: You probably do know what people think of you

You can choose whether this is working for you or not or more importantly whether you want to do something about it or not.

There is another benefit to doing this and taking pride in what we do and demonstrating it or to put it another way: demonstrating excellence in all we do. There is something infectious and contagious about excellence and confidence. The more one produces it, the more others want to produce. You may have heard the Biblical reference, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

It is true. Often the more we observe some one we admire, the more motivated we become - not always but more often that not.

So, for the next few days try being mindful of what you are projecting with regards to how others see you. Are you confident, self-assured, calm, anxious, worried, uninterested. If you’re not sure – ask around, trusted colleagues, friends, family or your executive coach/ mentor.

How did I come across? – ask for x 3 characteristics.

Then ask yourself - was that how you wished to come across? If so, fantastic! If not, what could you do to change that.

‘Have a springy week!’ was the sign off in an email I received earlier this week which made me smile and I speculated if it was a typo.

Either way it did put a spring in my step and a client later in the day commented that I seemed bright and breezy? What came first I wondered?

Have a great spring and should you be interested in working with an executive coach/ mentor to identify your ‘wing manoeuvres’ – you know where I am!

My warmest regards,

Kate

Can't stop change...

Being an Activist!
Be really honest, are there a few days in your life when you want to hide in your office and ignore the world? Hope that no-one will come and find you, or ask you for anything, be it an opinion, a signature, a decision, an agreement to get a new photocopier? Whatever – it is called being human and happens to us all.

Being the leader of an organisation, regardless of its size, does take a huge amount of energy, and responsibility and requires you to be active – either physically or mentally - whether you like it or not.

Now here’s the thing. That is why you are in the position of leadership right now. That is why you are in the top 2% of the population. That is why people want to follow you and be guided by you. You have already shown your tenacity and energy in order to have got into the position that you are in. So feel good about that! A very few percentage of the population are willing to be brave enough, active enough or maybe responsible enough to take on a leadership role – to set up and drive a company, to head up a group of people, to turn an idea into a business.

Here’s the catch.
Unfortunately you are only as good as your last action. What I mean by that is that now that you have made it to the ‘top’ or somewhere close, you cannot revert to a passive way of life and stay being successful. It just doesn’t work. I am sure that we have all known those managers of the past who have got to the position that they think they deserve(!) and then sit back on their laurels using power and status alone to remain in position. Do they add value to the business? Probably little. They might do enough to keep the status quo, but not a lot more. They know how to work the system, and stay out of the firing line. In the end, neither the company or they feel good about the situation. It doesn’t work for anyone.

As a successful leader you find that you have to remain ACTIVE in all that you do. Talk passionately, question the status quo, find out what the competition is doing, employ another great asset, think beyond tomorrow. The list is literally endless, which is inspiring but can be quite scary too. However, how do you feel at the end of the day when you have been active throughout? I would hope that words spring to mind such as achievement, higher self esteem and satisfaction. It must be worth it as you will go back and do it all over again tomorrow. Won’t you?

Please do recognise that there are some days you need to re-group, we just don’t have all that energy required – that is normal! The trick is to recognise this – and allow yourself to have a day of ‘re-grouping’. Just don’t make the big decisions on this day!

So – how do you find ways to continue to be an Activist, without completely wearing yourselves out? Here are some thoughts.

Firstly, enjoy what you do. I am sure that we can think about something you have been hugely involved in, whether it is mending a motorbike, working out a puzzle, painting a picture or a house, and the time has just disappeared. It is wonderful to be so involved that you give it your all without stopping, or even feeling tired (until afterwards at least!). Does work still do that for you?

Secondly, you don’t have to go it alone. Employing some people who are like minded and can be just as active as you, enables you to pass on the gauntlet without doing it all by yourself. Having used your passion to bring them on board will pass on that energy and away they go.

It does get easier too. Luckily, we humans do learn as we go along, so that the tremendous amount of energy we employ in doing something for the first time, requires slight less each time that we do it. So being active actually increases our comfort zone. That’s a relief isn’t it?

Don’t waste your energy on valueless things. So many of us sit through meetings where there is so much potential talent sitting around the table, and none of it gets used. Look in your diary and highlight the events where your passion and your energy are required and make them a priority, minimising the energy-sapping appointments.

Look at yourself at times – and make sure that you are not doing the ‘power – status’ thing – you may feel good for a day, but not sure that it adds value to you or your company!

Finally – a thought, in the words of Carmel McConnell, an inspiring activist and author – ‘You have loads of talent. Let’s face it, most days it just sits waiting inside you.’ So what are you waiting for?

Until next week

Kate Tojeiro is an Executive Performance Coach at www.the-x-fusion.co.uk

‘CEO with multiple personalities – please apply’

“I have a dream….” Heard that before? The most quoted speeches about leadership around the globe are those that have provided inspiration and significant change– inspiring groups of people, workers even nations in some cases. Whether it be Martin Luther King, Churchill, or Mandela, they are all recognised for outstanding leadership. Many of us aspire to being half as talented at articulating, mesmerising and leading I am sure! However, for you CEOs and equivalents out there, you realise being a leader is not just about make fantastic speeches, in fact a significant part of your role and day requires a completely different form of leadership.

Myles Downey, a coaching guru of our time, neatly articulates that in order to be a successful CEO, you need to be a leader, a manager AND a coach, regardless of your business being 2 or 2000 employees.

Stop for a moment and cast your mind across your diary. Think through your day and the different, varied facets of your role. Typically it may include speaking at a conference or team event (Leader), a one-to-one with your Marketing Director (Coach) and then checking on progress of your latest product (Manager). Are you beginning to recognise the need for the split personality now?! I am not encouraging you all to be schizophrenic, but I do want you to recognise that it does not take just one type of behaviour to succeed at the top. This is what we have to work on (unless you are naturally schizophrenic that is). In my experience working with CEOs, you will naturally have one of the three personalities as a natural strength. The knack is being aware of the need for the other two when certain situations occur. Do not expect to shine in all three, but ensure that you do have the skills to vary your style to create the best outcome for all events.

Those most successful in the role of CEOs tend to be those that are sensitive to recognising the different roles needed at different times in the organisation.

Let us look at the three styles required:
Leader – This is the person that inspires the team, the troops, by articulating a clear message for everyone to get behind. They will be continuously and tirelessly talking about their vision, how to get to success and driving people to do so. Behaviours will include clarity of thought and communication, together with ability to make tough decisions.

Manager – Here is the person that makes things happen. They ensure that the vision becomes reality through getting teams set up and working with them to continually progress. They will be creative in getting people to move from ‘what’ to ‘how’, in making dreams reality They will be able to prioritise and keeping the momentum going, removing obstacles as they go. They will also be a good team player.

Coach – Here is the person that listens and creates a culture where everyone takes responsibility for the success and progress of the organisation. They will continually create situations for people to express their thoughts, enthusiasms and even worries in order to get responsibility spread throughout the organisation. They will listen and watch and encourage others to move forward and will be continually positive in outlook, having put status to one side.

So – firstly, identify which is your forte? Which of the three do you instantly recognise is your natural behaviour? Incidentally, many of you may instantly think it is Leader, although this is often not the case. You may HAVE to frequently take on this role based on your responsibilities, but that does not mean you are not a natural coach underneath that.

Secondly – recognise when the other two personalities would be better at different events, such as a one-to-one, or a review meeting. What is important to identify what different behaviours are best at these events in order to get the greatest outcome.

Thirdly – practise all three in order for you to seamlessly move from one to another as the need arises. A suggestion for you - Write down two or three words that clarify for you what Leader, Manager and Coach is. For example
Leader – inspiring, consistent, tough
Manager – team player, obstacle remover
Coach – even playing field, listener
And carry this with you in your diary/PDA.

Before you go to an event, pick which ever of the styles you see as appropriate and consciously try to take on that persona – give yourself feedback after the event, so that you continually improve as you go. The greater diversity you have as a CEO, you create greater opportunity for success.

I would like to leave you with a quote that may inspire you to try these techniques out, from one of the great leaders of our time:

“Personally, I’m always ready to learn, though I do not always like being taught.” - Winston Churchill


Until next week,



Kate Tojeiro is an Executive Performance Coach at www.the-x-fusion.co.uk

The choices we make....

This week maybe I (or more appropriately my friends) have got to that ‘certain age’.

Two of my close friends have just decided to pack in their very highly skilled, senior professional jobs; one to go travelling, the other to do something different, not knowing what that is quite yet! One was a Partner in a law firm, the other on the Board of an international pharmaceutical company. Both of them had been very focused about climbing the corporate ladder and had achieved much during their 15 or so years at work. However, they both said independently, that the decision to pack it all in without knowing where they would go next was amazingly easy. Considering both the individuals had always taken any decisions to date very seriously and analytically, I was amazed that they both were comfortable to ‘abandon ship’ and just see what happens.

To dramatically change their life and lifestyle at this stage takes considerable courage, and some of you may say that they are bonkers in doing so. Maybe so in some eyes! However, it does highlight that however important you may be in business, however deep your responsibilities are (which are likely to be considerable as a Leader), you DO have a choice in terms of your life. Yes – you really do, as these two have shown me at least!

Now, I am not encouraging all of you out there to abandon your careers, companies and even families just for the hell of it! However, there are some interesting things that are worth considering, as a result of their decisions.

What assumptions are you making?
Both friends said that they never really gave themselves the chance to stop and think about what they really wanted when caught up in corporate life. What was interesting was that they often thought that they did – when on holiday, or talking to their Coach or family. But in reality, this was always within the confines of certain given parameters; incidentally parameters that they had given themselves, sometimes unconsciously. Things like mortgage, children’s education, business dependency are the obvious ones that burst forth initially. Can you think what assumptions, or parameters that you have set yourself in business and at home? Are they real, relevant, or are they just there from habit? For example, Nick (one of the friends) always assumed that he ‘had’ to work to pay for his life, house, family etc. An obvious one I know! However, when he did sit down with pen, paper and a smart Accountant, he realised that he could manage a year of considerably smaller income without doing real damage to his pension, or lifestyle. The same goes for business – are there some assumptions that you are making about your competition, your costs, your revenues that actually could be challenged, without being detrimental to the business? Try to list all those assumptions you are making – you may be surprised at how extensive the list is, when you dig beyond the obvious ones.
Take Courage
The amazing Karren Brady says in her book ‘Playing to win’ that “Courage stems from confidence but stands alone as a tremendous asset”. She is so right. Courage is so often driven by a very strong goal or ambition, and easily taken away from us by our very own actions. Sometimes, it seems easier to hide behind some self-authored parameters that encourage us to say ‘Well I would love to do that, but I just can’t’. There is no such thing as ‘can’t’ when driven by your desire to do something – so look for that ambition that you really, really want. What is getting in the way? Is that your choice – really?
Look into the Future
When you are 80 and sitting in your chair, looking back over your life to date – what will you like to have said that you have achieved? Is it too late now to change your life to do it? Probably not! Every week, we all read amazing stories of octogenarians running Marathons, Pensioners setting up Charities in India, retired folk returning to business to set up a multi million pound Vodka business – so never think it is too late if you have the desire! So as not to be ‘age-ist’, you may think you are too young in some areas, but then consider the 18 year old American Girl who has just completed her final ascent up Everest, and is now the Youngest Human to have completed the Seven Summits – what next!
Do it for the right reasons
A word of caution. Being stuck on the M25 on a rainy, dark Friday night is probably not the most sensible time to consider changing your life! Going back to my two friends, they had both made the decision to change when things were going WELL for them. Doing so enables you to think through various options in a much more objective frame of mind. Again, from a business perspective, when you lose out to a competitor, it is probably not sensible to completely throw out your product or service that night, or sack the team for that matter. Look for when times are good to review where you are.

Lastly – if you are happy doing what you are doing – that is GREAT! Every now and then, it is worth giving yourself time to reflect on your choices in how you live life and do business. It may just help you realise how lucky you are – or is it luck, given the choices that you have made?!

Until next week…
Kate Tojeiro is an Executive Performance Coach at www.the-x-fusion.co.uk

Start with yourself............

‘Hello – is that me in there?’
Recently, I received a frantic call from a guy that had been a client for many years, Mark. “Look – I have read all the books that are on the shelf about being Creative and Entrepreneurial, and done all the things that it said – but see – I am still just ME’ My temptation was to ask “So what is the problem?”, but restrained myself, to listen further. Mark was so frustrated, based on the assumption that by reading several books, anyone can change – and it just was not happening for him. Well, was it really a problem?

As we all know, there is so much information out there in the world of communication and media, to encourage us to be something that we are not, nor will ever be. (This is probably because we don’t really want to be, but daren’t admit it!). Books that attempt to motivate us to be better business people, thinkers, entrepreneurs, even dressers; DVDs to make us into athletes, or Mr Universe. You could miss your plane by two hours just by looking at the possibilities in any airport shop! Just pick up the book/video etc. and away we go to change…. Or your money back?!

Well not quite! One of the key factors that is often forgotten in the furore of transforming ourselves and/or lives is the starting point. ‘Who am I to start with?’

If you are a woman, I am pretty sure that you can relate to the ‘Model’ look. You cram yourself into a new dress in Kate Moss’s new collection in Top Shop, and then feel desperate, as you just don’t look like anything like her, even though you have all her stuff on from top to toe! Let’s be honest, unless you happen to be size 6 (UK) already – you are never going to look like her – sorry! However, you can improve and enhance your natural look by buying some clothes that maybe make you more slim lined, with a long tunic etc., if that is what you are really hoping for. Now that will work!

That goes for the same message in business. If you are an introvert, you are not going to become extrovert by reading one book. However, that book can help you to discover what it is about extroverts that you admire, and what behaviours could you enhance of your own, to move towards that feeling? Now that is worthwhile!

As I did with Mark, my client, ask yourself a simple but critically important question,. Simply, ‘What makes me Me?’ For the answer, get some feedback from a variety of sources, not just your latest discussion in the board room. Personalities have been developing since birth, so even your school reports will unlock some interesting features. Feedback from colleagues, family, different friends. Get a feeling and picture of who you are and feel comfortable with that, as a starting point.

Then think about the specific attributes you admire from reading the articles, books etc. Which of those really resonate with you? When you read or watch, your body will let you know the important factors. You should feel something in your stomach or maybe neck, some form of internal light will go on. For example, when reading about Mountain climbers, it is their ability to focus, or to be patient to wait for the right moment to climb, or to be able to work on their own? Focus in on that one thing, and recognise that this is the key factor you are interested in.

Going back to Mark – his feedback had highlighted that he was excellent at making things happen, and working with others. Even at school, he was often Form Captain and headed up the Debate Society, recognising his ability to take actions forward. He had already realised that he was not a natural at coming up with ideas. Did he really want to do this? After a little soul searching, he admitted that it wasn’t that which inspired him. It was more about being courageous in taking ideas and making them happen. This is something that he really could see himself doing. So, his plan was to go and find people in the organisation that had some great ideas, listen more intently to them and work with them to make things happen. This REALLY fired him up and gave him the courage to change. However, this change was enhancing his skills and behaviours and not making him into something that he was not.

Please recognise that these books, dresses, DVDs are excellent at inspiring us and motivating us to make changes, which is a good thing! However, be realistic with your starting point. Don’t set yourself up to fail – set yourself up to be a winner, by working out who you really are on the starting blocks.


Until next week,

Kate Tojeiro is an Executive Performance Coach at www.the-x-fusion.co.uk

‘Practise makes perfect’

I don’t know about you, but I was thrown that phrase endlessly as a child, as I attempted (rather badly) to play the piano. I clearly was not a natural, but nevertheless enjoyed the gradual improvement over the (many) years. My Grandmother had been a professional in the musical world and was so keen for one of her family to follow suit. It was not to be. However, in the many patient hours that she spent with me I am left with a vivid and important lesson in life, rather than just music. She made me realise that however good you are at something, you still need to practise continually in order to improve. I was fascinated by the hours and hours that she would dedicate to sitting in front of her beloved Bechstein, playing again and again a phrase of music until she was happy with it. She would head off to the recording studios just in order to record, hear and re-record tunes in order to continually improve. Her dedication was awesome from a child’s point of view!

Everyday we see this with current musicians, elite sports people, actors and comedians. I have recently been working with a national rugby team and again that ‘awesome’ amount of time into practising their skills is admirable – and what is more – they know it will make the difference between them and their competition. We all know that there are many other things that going into the hat when excelling at any skill, such as natural talent, technique etc., but there is still masses of room for practise. Why do you think Johnny Wilkinson spends many hours every day kicking for goal? Why do you think Helen Mirren spent hours practicing her vocal range as the Queen? Why do you think international rowers get up in the dark and cold to skiff up and down the Thames? All for the same reason – to continually improve towards their goal.

So, let’s equate this to the business world. As a leader in any size organisation, you have surely got to your position due to dedication as well as talent and skill. Everyday I have the joy of working with many very successful people and realise the hours that they put into their jobs in order to for the company and/or themselves to be more successful. BUT – how much do you actually practise your skills?

Working with both leaders in sports and business, there is one difference that continues to intrigue and amaze me. In simple terms, sports people practise their moves, techniques etc., before they let themselves lose on their competition. Do we do the same in business?

Let’s just think about an important meeting coming up – it may be with a key customer, supplier, an appraisal, a board meeting, the AGM. What do you practise before the event and how? In many cases, particularly if it is a conference, you may have written out and practised your speech. However, have you practised your technique in answering? What about practising your rapport building with your clients? When did you last practise running a board meeting? Have you practised ‘passing’ between your colleagues?

Last year, I was working with an interesting guy who has wanted to improve his relationship with fellow board members. He did not have a real business issue with them, but wanted to feel more natural with them, and build greater rapport. I therefore observed him conduct several meetings of different styles and then, upon his request, gave him feedback on specific areas that he had highlighted. Over the next two weeks he literally practised the techniques, with the help of his colleagues. Much to their surprise, he asked them for very specific feedback, and acted upon it through the following meetings. He admitted that it felt very strange to begin with, but was delighted with the results of a dramatically different and closer team. ‘Practising’ is a now a way of live in their board room, as they continue to reap the benefits.

So, if you want to continually improve, can you think of a specific area that you can practise? This may be you, the team, or you as an individual. If you know that you have a difficult meeting with a client coming up, don’t just talk about it, actually re-enact the meeting and practice all the techniques that you will need to get a positive outcome. Give each other very specific feedback and go through it again, until you feel that you have improved your technique. Practise building rapport with different people and see what impact it has. Practise motivating your kids at the weekend, just like you will practise your skills in golf or tennis. Give your brain a good workout, as it will respond as positively as a body workout!

One of the great learnings that we can take from the elite sports world is their ability to scrutinise everything that they do, learn from it, and practise it again, and again. In business, we tend to analyse our outcomes (revenues, costs, profit, processes etc), but we seem to shy away from scrutinising our behaviours and actions, in the same way. There is a business culture which often does not allow practise, as this almost admitting that things will go wrong. Let’s get real – things DO go wrong all the time! That is how we learn. The important lesson is to let things to go wrong when it is not critical to the business. So get practising, try things out, learn and try again. As Clive Woodward said during England’s glory days at Rugby, “Winning doesn’t happen in a straight line”.

Enjoy the art of practising and the game of winning!

Until next week,

Claire Norman is an Executive Performance Coach at www.the-x-fusion.co.uk

Balanced Decisions

As you start to read this article, just quickly think about how many other bits of paper, articles, emails, spreadsheets you have seen or been thrust at you today? Given the position that you are in, probably hundreds if not thousands. As a leader and someone in a senior position, you are likely to have to digest literally thousands of bits of data and information every day, in order to disseminate and make decisions; some of which may be critical to your business, job or life, or even someone’s else’s.

So – given the importance of some of this information, how do you ensure that it is accurate, or high quality and/or even useful for your purpose? In short, how do you sort the ‘wheat from the chaff’ in terms of information?

Due to the way our brain handles information, we can glean very different results from the same information – quite scary really! Let me give you an example. Many years ago, I used to work with a delightful but ruthlessly straight-talking Australian. When something ‘displeased’ her, however, rather than use her usual plain speaking she would generally say something like ‘oh how wonderful’ or ‘that’s fantastic’ with not a trace of sarcasm! Therefore the odd situation that she found herself in would be confused to say the least - especially as we were also seconded abroad at the time! Now, although some of the individuals she conversed with were given the same information – the opinions and decisions that people were making were literally poles apart! Often, we really don’t know whether or not we have been given complete, sufficient or indeed accurate information! But just like at work, we can choose to make a decision without the complete facts in front of us; in fact that is one of your great assets, as a Leader in all probability. We all use our values, experience, intuition and assumptions about people, about situations, about the countries we are seconded to and anything else we may deem relevant, to cast an opinion. In your working situation, it would be highly unusual to say that you have never made a decision, without the full facts in front of you, wouldn’t it? However, we all do it – sometimes successfully and sometimes not so. Be that as it may, the important lesson is to be AWARE of that judgement call. Ensure that you are fully cogniscent of how you arrived at your decision.

There are several pointers that can help;

Ask for the right information in the first place
Sounds very obvious, but as CEO or similar you are often the one that creates the need for information. This may be to back up some initiative, find out about new products, suppliers or competition, information about internal processes, systems or people etc. and often something to support a change somewhere. However, more often than not, your request will be taken literally as you are the boss. So, ask yourself – “have I asked for some balanced and open information, or data that will support my hunch/argument?”. As we know in politics seen in the daily papers, any amount of information can be produced to support a point of view! However, there are times when we genuinely want to understand different view points or information, so ensure that the question that you ask is sufficiently open enough to be valuable to your decision making.
Trust – how much do you trust the information source?
This is not meant to sound dark and sinister! However, it is likely that whoever you have asked to produce some information will have a certain viewpoint. It is extremely hard for them not to be biased towards their point of view when producing information. For example, asking both the Marketing Director and the Finance Director, what percentage increase will be needed next year in the Marketing Budget, will provide you with significantly different ‘data’ I would suggest! For balanced information, maybe pick them both.
Presentation of data and information
When you are given information to look at or listen to – really do tune in your senses in doing so. What I mean by that is look beyond the words, the information, to understand it further, as this is also where some clues are hidden. There are some phrases that you can spot that identify the difference between facts and viewpoints. Phrases such as ‘I believe’, and ‘it is obvious’, or ‘I think’ are all indications that you are getting more than just straight data. To practise, listen or watch the news today and see how much information you are given is straight fact in comparison to points of view – you may be surprised! Body language will also indicate their emotional involvement in their presentation, so watch and listen for these clues also.

Your own thinking process
As we have discussed before, your subconscious brain does a great job at filtering information in a way that it thinks it is going to be useful for you. Before you know it consciously, masses on information is deleted, distorted or generalised before you make a conscious note of it. However, as this is your brain, it is possible to ‘tee-up’ your subconscious and check that your filters are doing a good job! For example, you may well be presented with the monthly revenue figures on a regular basis and you will skim to the data that is of most interest to you. Your brain will be noting this and spot a trend – a path of least resistance to make it easier for you next time. However, this may mean you miss something very obvious! So – practise looking somewhere different each month to keep you attuned and able to notice anomalies more easily.

In summary, just like any mechanical part, our brain’s filtering system can always do with a service! There may not be a need to change anything, but taking it apart, giving it a shake up and oiling it so that it is fully operable can only help it be more effective and efficient. It also may also last longer too, which can only be a good thing!

Until next week


Kate Tojeiro is an Executive Performance Coach at www.the-x-fusion.co.uk