Leadership Session Follow-up – April

LEADERSHIP-THE BOTTOM LINE

Monthly Leadership Session Follow-up April

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Team Building & Accelerated Learning

Saturday

April 18, 2009

We would like to thank you once again for your participation in one of our monthly leadership development sessions during the month of April, 2009. Each one of our sessions around the country went off ‘without a hitch’ and proved to be not only productive but also very enjoyable as well. As you know, our two topics this month focused on the mechanics of team building and also finding ways to make it as easy as possible for our people to learn and process new information through the effective use of some pretty basic accelerated learning skills. While we covered quite a bit in our actual sessions, I at least wanted to take a few moments to review and comment on some of the main points we covered in our two segments.

Team Building

In our first segment this month we focused on the importance of team building and the mechanics of building a truly successful one. Did you know that more times then not, people will often work ‘harder’ for their ‘team’ than they will for themselves? It’s a proven fact; and I think that truth was evidenced in the video presentation this month that featured Coach Lou Holtz. The presentation was actually filmed about ten years ago but the truths, the principles, the Coach shared are still as valid today as they were when he was in the midst of achieving the success he did while at Notre Dame. By the way, you may remember me mentioning just prior to starting the presentation that the names of the Notre Dame players were ‘not’ on their jerseys as they typically are with most college and pro teams. This was a demonstration of the principle that says teams are much more successful when no one is concerned with who gets the credit.

Coach’s Seven Essentials!

You will remember in the Coach’s presentation, as he outlined his formula for team success, that it included seven important essentials. This formula is essentially the ‘template’ for team success that he applied where ever he coached. It’s probably because the one thing all of the teams he coached had in common was the fact that each of those teams were made up of ‘people’; and people everywhere have the same basic wants and needs.

Let’s take a few moments to review each the Coach’s seven essentials together.

1. Have a Clearly Defined Plan!

It’s important that you have a plan and that it’s believed in, understood and followed exclusively by every member of the team.  When it comes to getting ‘buy-in’ and also everyone’s commitment to the success of the plan, do your best to get your team members ‘involved’ in the formulation of the plan. It will make a big difference when it comes to both the execution and also the outcome of the implementation process.

2. Perfect the Fundamentals!

It’s very important that both you and each one of your team members know exactly what they are going to need to know, and what they are going to need to be good at, in order for them to be able to make the contribution they are going to need to make in order for their team to succeed. These fundamentals need to be trained and coached until they’re perfected by each member of the team. Remember, a team is only as strong as its weakest contributor. It will always come down to preparation and execution; so be sure and set your people up to succeed! Both you and each individual member of your team will be really glad you did! (Remember the 7 P’s!)

3. Set Specific Goals!

One of my early mentors (Zig Ziglar) was fond of saying that you can’t hit a target you don’t have. Clearly defined goals are extremely important if your commitment is to winning the big game!

Again, team goals need to be identified as well as personal goals. ‘Everyone’ needs to participate in defining both, and be committed to the achievement of them. They become the very reasons why we show up day after day, and do what we do. The coach also emphasized the importance of making sure that everyone knows how everyone will benefit when the goals are achieved – how the team benefits and how each contributor benefits. Goals are best reviewed everyday if they are to remain a continual source of motivation and dedication.

4. Develop the Right Attitude!

He reminded us that ultimately, our attitude is the only thing we ‘can’ control. If you have someone who doesn’t seem to be very good at it – ask them what they are good at, and how they became good at it, and they will tell you that it was through practice. Get them to start practicing what it means to have a great attitude. Help them get as good at maintaining a good attitude as they already are at succeeding in other areas of their life and performance. They will succeed at it if you will set the example, sell them on the benefits of it, and coach them along the way!!

5. Really Care About Each Other!

In this area, you want to remember that the secret to causing people to begin really caring about each other is for you to find ways to get them involved in who you are as a team and what you are committed to doing. Let them know that they are an important part of the team. Do you remember how the coach said he ended all of his meetings? It was by him asking the team “who had a problem” and then allowing other team members to help the one who needed help. Remember, what goes around will eventually come back around!

6. Commitment to Teamwork!

Teamwork is when everyone on the team begins to really care about each other’s genuine success. The previous step naturally will lead the team on into this step. In addition, team members need to be excited about ‘why’ they are there, what they are working for as a team and how each person will truly benefit individually when they succeed as a team. Remember leaders, a big part of your function as a leader is to influence your team members’ perspectives on a daily basis. You should start each day off by asking yourself, “What influence is my team going to need from me today to succeed?”

7. Development of Self-Image!

I kind of liked the fact that this essential was on the bottom of the list; not implying that it was the least important on the list by any means, but that it is kind of like the foundation upon which all the others are built. Remember, in past sessions we have stressed the fact that people develop from the inside – out, so a major part of our job is to cause people to be able to really see themselves as valuable contributors; to see themselves as winners.

We need to encourage them to think and conduct themselves in ways that will be conducent to their continued growth in this important area of their life because that’s where true success really starts. The coach suggested that we encourage (if not hold them accountable) to doing three things. Do you remember what they are? Always do what’s right! Do everything you do to the best of your ability! (and) Sincerely care about others!

When your people are faced with difficulties, challenges, etc, stop and ask them if they really applied all three of these guidelines with respect to their involvement in whatever the situation was. Remember, for people to succeed, they must have confidence in themselves and in their future. Consider the triangle diagram we referred to in our last two sessions, (February and March), and also the poem that the coach ended his presentation with. I will include a copy of it in your printed materials next month.

Remember, success is all about understanding that . . . “Coming together is a beginning; remaining together is progress; working together is success; and none of us is as smart as all of us.”

Improving Communication Effectiveness

In our second segment together, we discussed the fact that as leaders and managers, it’s important that we understand how each of our people ‘learn’ and ‘process information’. As a matter of fact, we said that if you want people to be able to really hear you, also to fully understand what you are communicating, and then be motivated enough to really want to accomplish what you are asking of them, you need to learn to communicate with them on both a conscious and on a sub-conscious level, or in ways that will make it as easy as possible for them to understand and identify with what you are saying to them.

We began our discussion by emphasizing the fact that basic communication can be broken into three parts, which includes ’physiology’, ‘tonality’ and the ‘words’ we use, and that those you are communicating with are being impacted on both a conscious and on a sub-conscious level by all three ‘parts’ of your communication during a typical conversation with you.

We discussed the fact that people are being impacted by all three when they are listening and/or participating in an important discussion with you. And with that being the case, it will be to your advantage, and theirs, for you to learn how to use all three parts effectively when you are communicating with them.

We also discussed the importance of establishing ’rapport’ with whoever you are communicating with to make it possible for them to relax when they are in your presence. When that happens, they begin to see you as being more credible and believable. Remember, we said that “when people are like each other – they like each other.” We said that you can cause people to relax when they are in your presence by you ‘mirroring’ them during your communication process, as outlined on page 4-23.

We discussed the fact that people have what’s referred to as a ‘preferred representational system’ – or a particular way they find it easier to ‘process’ new information. Some people are visual, some auditory, some kinesthetic and still others are what we referred to as ‘auditory digital’. You can see each of the characteristics defined in depth on page 4-25.

Most people don’t really know what their tendencies (or preferences) are, but you can easily recognize them and then adapt to their preferred method of processing information to increase the effectiveness and impact of your communication. We talked about how to go about determining what another’s preferred method of processing information was – which included paying attention to their ‘eye patters’ as illustrated on the chart on page 4-26, and also how they use specific words and phrases.

In essence, we discussed the fact that if your goal is to increase your effectiveness as a communicator, you’re going to want to consider the following steps when interacting with others:

Step One: Watch Their Eyes!

Where do they typically look when accessing information; (Page 4-26)

Step Two: Listen To Their Words!

Are they using visual words, auditory words, feeling words, etc; (Pages 4-29 & 30)

Step Three: Understand Their Perspective!

What things are most important to them - and why; (Page 1-5b)

Step Four: Communicate From Their Perspective!

Include references to ‘what’s in it for them’ in your presentation.

Step Five: Use Words That Match Their ‘Rep System’!

Consider the examples on pages 4-29 and 4-30.

Step Six: Remember to Mirror Their Physiology, Tonality & Words!

Consider the examples on page 4-23.

The bottom line on the matter is remembering that when people are like each other – they like each other. And when that becomes their experience when they are in your presence, your influence increases and you are able to make it so much more easy for them to understand and process what you are communicating to them.

You accomplish this by mirroring in all three areas: their physiology, the ways they are using their voice, and the words and phrases they are using. The more of themselves they are experiencing in you, the more powerful your communication will become. It is a very simple but powerful truth. It’s all part of understanding human nature and becoming even more effective in the people business. And by the way, as we discussed in the session, this ability can’t be mastered in its totality over night; just practice and master a little bit at a time, and be sure to keep it fun!

Here is a fundamental leadership truth: Your ability to achieve genuine success in any area of life will be based on your ability to achieve long-lasting, love-motivated, productive relationships with others; and it begins with you taking an interest in the other person, understanding who they are and what’s most important to them; making it possible for them to relax in your presence and like who they are when they’re around you; by being flexible and adapting your communication to the manner in which they process information and then remembering that you can accomplish your goals by helping them accomplish what’s most important to them. It works every time!!

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As a Team . . .

You really can achieve anything!

Individual commitment to a group effort, that’s what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work. In order to have and enjoy consistent success, the team must experience a feeling of real unity; every contributor must put the team first – ahead of a desire for personal recognition or merely personal gain. It is truly amazing what can be accomplished when nobody cares about who gets the credit.

True teamwork requires true leadership – yours!!

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Application Projects!

Team Building:

Turn in your manual to page 4-16. You will see the application project page for the first segment. This one’s going to be really easy for you to complete as you slow down and actually think through the very simple but important seven essentials listed on page 4-6.

As a matter of fact, you might start by reviewing your notes from this segment first and then go to pages 4-8 through 4-14. These pages will provide you with a set of prompts to guide you through the process of thinking about how you might apply the principles to the development and/or the strengthening of your own team. Once you have thought through the application of the seven principles to your own personality and style, and to your own team, you will then be ready to complete your Application Project.

The Application Project is on page 4-16.  You will notice that it will ask you to provide insight regarding the steps you will take (or already are taking) to solidify and strengthen your own team through the application of the principles and methods we discussed in our session. The more specific you are in your responses, the more both you and your team will benefit from the exercise.

Communication – Processing Information:

Turn in your manual to page 4-32.  You will see the Application Project page for the second segment. This one is also going to be really easy for you to complete. The goal with this one is to simply have some fun with it. The challenge with this one is to get you to simply start paying attention to the ways that people use their eyes, their words, and how they carry themselves physically. In addition, begin paying attention to not only what people are saying to you, but also to how they are saying it – and most importantly, why they are saying it the way they are. As you become more aware of people, then it will become much easier for you to adapt to them and then cause them to begin to relax and feel more empowered when they are in your presence – which is ultimately what it’s all about in the people business!

Remember . . .

When people are like each other – they like each other – even more!

Again, the Application Project is on page 4-32. Be sure and have some fun with this one!

Let me know if you need any assistance with either of your projects this month!

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Great Idea!!

Why don’t you go ahead and follow through and complete the related application projects now while the content and concepts are still fresh in your mind?  As a matter of fact, once you get started, you’ll really enjoy thinking through the processes and succeeding!

Remember . . .

Please feel free to email or you can give us a call if you would like any personal assistance and/or coaching when it comes to completing your two application projects.

You can call or email! (See Below!)

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Coaching!

Let me remind you once again to plan to take full advantage of your opportunity for individual ‘on-site’ coaching in any of the areas that pertain to the application of the concepts, principles and processes we are covering in our monthly sessions.  In addition, we are also happy to assist you in any areas pertaining to everyday ‘people’ issues. We can assist you by phone or meet with you at your location. Just give us a call and we will schedule a convenient time for us to get together.

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Next Month . . .

Make sure you join us again next month!

How to deal productively with Stress!

How to turn negative attitudes into positive, productive attitudes!

I’ll tell you more about what to expect in the next newsletter and monthly reminder during the first week of May.

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One Last Thing . . .

Would you take a minute to click on ’Comment’ below (or just send a private email) and give us some feedback regarding this month’s leadership session at your location. We always appreciate and enjoy hearing from you after each month’s leadership session.

Thanks!

Have a great month and remember . . . .

“The will to win is worth nothing unless you have the will to prepare.”

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“Leaders will not experience long-term success unless a lot of people want them to.”

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Contact Information . . .

Jim Abbondante
President, Director of Training
Direct Line: (817) 304-2225

Leadership Institute
Main Number: (817) 405-0012

Student Services Number:    1-800-955-0109
(Personal and/or Executive Coaching, Misc. Needs, etc.)

E-Mail:    Leadership.Team@LeadershipInstituteUSA.com

Web-Site:    www.LeadershipInstituteUSA.com