2009 Fall Newsletter
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Archive for year: 2009
Clearly Communicate Expectations
I must be easily amazed.
Two posts ago I wrote about how amazed I was at leaders who put up with poor performers. In this post, I want to express my amazement at how many leaders think their employees know what is expected of them.
Whenever I’m faced with an employee performance issue, the first question I ask a leader is, “Does the employee know what is expected of them?”
The answer is usually, “Of course!”
I then ask, “Have you specifically communicated that expectation to the employee?”
The reply is usually, “They should know that!”
Let’s be frank here, employees are not mind readers (well, most are not). Unless you tell an employee in clear specific terms what you expect from them, you should expect a gap in performance.
What should be included when communicating your expectations? Think of the questions a reporter is trained to ask:
- Who? Who is involved, who is doing what, who has authority or responsibility for the task.
- What? what exactly do you expect in terms of an output or completed task. Include qualitative and quantitative measures. For qualitative measures, use a Lipert scale of expected output.
- When? When should the task be completed, what is the deadline. Include milestone deliverables with dates AND times.
- Where? Where should the employee turn for help, resources…
- Why? You might forget this but it’s important to help tie the task to the larger departmental or organizational impact.
- How? Leave this one to the employee, providing only required spending or other operational (or moral/ethical) guidelines. Give too much “how” and you become a micro-manager.
Before you take progressive or disciplinary action on an employee for poor performance, ask yourself, “Have I truly communicated my performance expectations in clear and specific terms?”
Then ask yourself, “Did I give them an opportunity to restate to me their understanding of and commitment to those expectations?”
If you’re not sure of the answer to either of these questions, write down your expectations and schedule a meeting with the employee.
Perhaps the issue facing you is one of communication and not poor performance.
Why Are You Putting Up with Poor Performers?!?!
I’m simply amazed at leaders, managers and business owners who put up with poor performers (I’m not talking about you, of course).
Maybe I can reframe the situation and see if I can help those leaders think any differently about it.
Imagine it’s not a poor performer working for your company but instead a person, we’ll call him Henry*, dating your daughter (play along with me).
Would you allow Henry:
Enjoy Engage Extend
I tweeted recently about one way to look at (and create) happiness that employs three pieces:
1. Enjoyment – this has to do with pleasure and doing things we enjoy (eating chicken wings, watching a movie…)
2. Engagement – this involves doing what we’re good at; using our talents (singing, playing drums, making people laugh…)
3. Meaning – this is about reaching beyond ourselves and our own pleasure and fulfillment and sharing our gifts with our extended community (charity, volunteering, philanthropy…)
A personal example:
2009 Summer Newsletter
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Taking time to step away from tactical decisions and check-in on your goals and strategies is critically valuable time. Stephen Covey calls it Quadrant 2 time. Some people think it’s a waste of time, sitting around and thinking. Let me ask you, if your actions were taking you off-track from your goals, wouldn’t you want to know sooner rather than later? Here’s a few more questions to think about for your mid-year review:
“Have a plan. Follow the plan, and you’ll be surprised how successful you can be. Most people don’t have a plan. That’s why it’s easy to beat most folks,” ~ Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant
Response-Able Consulting | 527 Forest Ave | Massapequa | NY | 11758 |
2009 Spring Newsletter
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An article appeared on a sales and marketing 
“Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting.” ~Edmund BurkeClarity about Coaching
Even though coaching has been around for many years (the first reference to coaching in the academic press was back in 1937), there still seems to be a lot of confusion involving “what is a coach” and “what does a coach do.” I thought I’d take some time to clarify that and to offer you some pointers about selecting a coach, if that’s something you think would help you reach your goals.
There are many definitions of coaching (and we’re not talking sports coaching here!). I use a simple definition: facilitating positive change in a client’s life. I think of it as helping you get from where you are to where you want to be more quickly and powerfully. I work with clients to help them think new thoughts, which (literally) creates new wiring, which generates new habits, which leads to new/better/long-lasting results.
When you work with a coach, you create a consistent level of accountability and stretch in your life that normally does not exist in any other relationship you have. The coaching relationship is also based on your agenda and your thinking (though some coaches act more like consultants or experts or mentors).
My particular method of coaching uses the latest findings in neuro-science to help me work with the way your brain works–and every person’s brain is completely unique and different.
In addition to the generic definition of coaching, there are many types of coaches. They fall into three primary categories and many sub-categories or niches. The main three are:
- Life coaching
- Business coaching
- Executive coaching (sometimes called Workplace Coaching)
About Paul
Paul enjoyed a successful 20-year career in corporate America and currently serves as Master Facilitator for the NeuroLeadership Institute-North America (formerly Director, Training & Delivery-NA) and owns and operates Response-Able Consulting LLC.
During the course of his corporate career, he managed a 100+ rep service department for one of the nation’s top 10 newspapers and revamped a subsidiary’s service department; managed a multi-million dollar sales operation for the nation’s largest independent yellow pages publisher; created, from the ground up, a training department for Time Warner Book Group (now Hachette Book Group USA); and launched and managed the first employee “career” initiative as Director of (People) Development at Time Inc.
Paul is currently a leadership and human performance consultant, executive coach, and master facilitator and has a significant management and people development background. As a human performance consultant, the focus of his work is on helping leaders create new thinking, reengage their employees, jumpstart performance, and maximize their results. In his work with corporate clients, Paul uses neuroscience-based models, relevant coaching structures, and appropriate strategic planning tools and assessments to help his clients identify, clarify, and move towards their mission-critical goals. Paul is known for his unique blend of integrity, intelligence, and humor. He quickly establishes rapport and a trusting environment with clients. Paul’s experience, knowledge, and natural passion for connecting with people provide clients with a comfortably challenging yet powerful working relationship and learning experience.
Paul has worked on a variety of projects across a variety of industries with clients including Accenture, American Express, Coca Cola, CVS Caremark, DE Shaw, eBay, FedEx, Genentech, John Deere, Ericsson, Humana, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia Siemens Network, Northrop Grumman, Pfizer, Prudential Inc., Stanford University, Starbucks, Time Warner, and The Walt Disney Company and has spoken at numerous conferences as keynote or presenter.
Paul holds a Masters degree in Human Resources Management & Labor Relations; completed a Certificate in the Neuroscience of Leadership (2012); is an ICF Professional Certified Coach (applying for his ICF Master Certified Coach credential); served as President (2008, 2009) and Past President (2010-2011) of the Long Island Coaching Alliance-ICF Chapter; is a Results Professional Certified Coach (RPCC); a NeuroLeadership Group Coach Trainer, Mentor Coach, and Coach Assessor; was selected NLG Trainer of the Year (2011-2012); is a TAB-certified Strategic Business Leadership® Coach; a former business blogger for the NY Enterprise Report; and sits on the Advisory Board of Long Island University’s Paralegal Studies program.
Paul is a published writer, marathon runner, triathlete, proud uncle, and lives outside New York City on Long Island with his wife, Tricia, and their son, Christopher (and Pedro the cat).
What’s Your Focus?!
I recently offered a workshop based on the Law of Attraction. I was motivated (you might even say, compelled) to offer the workshop by a personal sense to do something positive in the midst of so much negative news.
Several responses to my offering were along the lines of, “I didn’t know you were going in that direction.”
I thought, “What direction?!”
In hindsight, I can understand any confusion I may have caused.
You see, as a business owner, I am not moving in any new direction. My focus is and has always been helping people to identify — focus on — their most important goals (in life or at work) and to create a space in which to do the work necessary to bring those goals to fruition. It is not easy work for the client (or sometimes for me), but it is extremely rewarding work.
One of the inherent beliefs at work in my coaching is the belief that each client has untapped potential. I look for this potential from the very first call or meeting. I believe 100% in the possibilities that exist within my clients. This belief is predicated on great faith and on the practically unlimited thinking power of our individual and unique brains.
The workshop was simply an extension of my business approach and values.
If you’re interested in the workshop or finding out more about how you can use coaching in your personal or professional life, call me at 516.216.4233 or send me an email and I’ll be happy to answer your questions or discuss your current challenges.
B Obama 1
"The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness." ~Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States of America