BLOG: Top Tips on Productivity

A client who leads a local office is facing a new organizational structure and regional leader.  We’ve been strategizing on the new regime.  The result:  Smashing Success!  The leader has been hugely complimentary and they’ve established an outstanding rapport. Here’s how:

Avoid Top 3 Traps:

Assuming the Worst  - Lack of information automatically triggers negative assumptions.  In psychology we call this Negative Closure.  When there’s a gap we fill in with negatives.  For example, when you expect a loved one at 10PM and they’re still missing at 2AM, we imagine the worst! When the future is unclear this is the automatic reflex.  Unless you actively work against it, Negative Closure will rule.

Rumor Epidemic - Rumors are a mass infection of Negative Closure exacerbated by fear and half-truths.  Rumor toxicity is highly contagious! Unless you protect yourself and your team, you will be infected.

Jacked-up & Jumpy  - If we don’t guard against the first two traps, we’re set up for the Fight or Flight Response. We start prepping for a fight, building our defensives or both.  The more we get ready for battle, the more we reinforce the negative closure and succumb to the rumor virus.  This leads to shoot first and ask questions later defensiveness.

Seize the Moment Positively:

Focus on Strengths & Opportunities - Review your strengths and the opportunities.  No change can take away your successes and there’s always opportunities.  Fill in the gap with positives.  Keep doing it.  Negative Closure is the default unless you keep hitting the positive reset button.

Quarantine! - Do everything you can to avoid the rumor mill.  Make a personal and team commitment to re-direct conversations back to your strengths and the opportunities.  Somebody’s else’s worry or complaint is their nasty virus, don’t infect yourself or team with it.

Be the Welcome Wagon - People hate change and they greet it with fear and loathing.  New leaders often face resistant or even hostile crowds.  Put yourself in their position.  How would you feel when greeted repeatedly with suspicion or hostility? Not so good!  Instead, show optimism and enthusiasm. 

Ask How to Support the Vision - We naturally focus on “What will this mean for me?” leading to all sorts of questions and conversation about “Me”.  Instead, learn about the leader, the vision and how to support the vision.  Show interest in the individual and their goals.  Like dating, a self-absorbed date is really unappealing.  Showing genuine interest is attractive and sets the relationship on a positive path.

My client did all of the above techniques.  Having an enthusiastic and welcoming approach made a huge difference.  The leader was highly complimentary of the local manager and the office.  Even more, expressed how refreshing it was to have a positive and encouraging conversation!

They’re off to a great start and the client has made a hugely positive impression and clearly standing out above the crowd.

Dealing with change, restructuring and new leadership is a challenge.  The basic disciplines are a great start.  For more check out the below resource.

Resource of the Day: Contact me Ask for the book The Top Performer’s Guide to Change

Coaching gives me a unique window into the challenges of professionals. Clients can say anything to me……and they do.

I’ve heard stories of lost opportunities, squashed growth, stunted development, conflict and heartache.  All of this caused by an insidious and destructive force:

Selfishness

Selfishness is the source of greed, arrogance, control and contempt.  It’s devoid of generosity, humility, freedom and compassion.

We rarely speak openly of vices and virtues, but they matter.  The vice of selfishness costs teams and organizations talent, productivity and revenue.  We’ve all experienced it and seen it.  Here’s a sampling from the coaching confessional:

Partners tired of inequity leaving, shrinking the business & the future.

Top quality staff fleeing after being worked to exhaustion.

Young professionals going to competitors after broken promises.

Good team-members demoralized when careless leaders placate slackers & divas.

Rising extraordinary talent squashed so the boss can look good.

Initially, selfish people get what they want (money, control, power, status, accolades, etc…).  But in the long term they lose.  When top people can’t stand the selfish patterns anymore, they leave taking their productivity and talent with them. I’ve seen this over and over, as have you.

Building the “anti-selfish” disciplines of humility, generosity and compassion in yourself and on your team is the secret to greatness.  These are the source of all good energy, innovation, creativity, courage and achievement.

Speaking of humility, let me share quite honestly:

I have a long way to go!  

Thank you to all who’ve put up with my lapses, I’m grateful for your generosity and compassion.

Resource of the Day:

For more on the power of these virtues in business, watch Brené Brown renowned research professor at the University of Houston and author of several books including: Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead (2012).

Brené Brown, 2010 TEDx talk, Houston TX :  The Power of Vulnerability

Brené Brown, 2012 TED conference, Long Beach CA:  Listening to Shame

PS.  This week is Holy Week and Passover, a good week for reflecting on the transforming power of virtue.

Several clients recently reported results from coaching.  I’m completely thrilled and celebrate their success!  I can’t mention names in a public forum, but these are real results.

1. Revenue up 30% since last year
2. Planned & executed consistent quarterly client events
3. A streamlined client service model to be more consistent & effective
4. Eliminated excess tasks and increased efficiency
5. Increased client service and staff support to clients
6. Developed & executed proactive client communication plan
7. Successful women client events with 90% of prospects requesting a meeting
8. Instituted productive & consistent staff meetings
9. Increased sales 6x over last year
10. Increased recurring revenue over 1500% in 2 years (yes-over 1500%)

Some results are easily measured in dollars.  Others are disciplines which result in higher dollars.  We work on whatever is most important to each client and keep growing with every new level of achievement.

One client shared that coaching to streamline the practice has given the advisor lot more time and renewed energy to tackle new goals.  Yippeee!  We’re moving to new levels of growth with enthusiasm and energy!

Another client wanted to increase a specific sale.  We coached together on a new targeted sales plan.  The result, 6 times more sales in the first month, than all of last year.  Even better, the client loves the plan and is happy to execute.

That’s why coaching is so personal and custom.   The secret sauce is different for everyone.  Developing and executing the strategies that work and work for you is thrilling!

I’m so grateful for the support of my clients.  Custom coaching is highly individualized.  The results are unique for each person.  Whenever someone wants a reference, my clients are eager to talk about their results and enthusiastically share their achievements.  Thank you!

Tip of the Day:

It’s goal-setting time!  Below are 5 probing questions to consider as you pursue 2013 goals:

1. What’s making me successful?
2. What’s holding me back?
3. What do I want to do more of?
4. What do I want to do less of?
5. Looking at the answers for #1 – #4, how am I going to do less of #2 and #4 more of #1 and #3?

Resource of the Day:

I talk with advisors all around the country about productivity.  Over the years,  I’ve noticed certain challenges are common.  Below is a link to the Top Ten Productivity Pitfalls with tips to overcome each one.

Top Ten Productivity Pitfalls & How to Avoid Them

If you’re wishing for renewed energy and more growth, reach out.  Every coaching client has achieved significant results.  It’s like having a personal trainer for professional growth.