Managing the Human Being Behind the Business
It's a common problem and we've all seen it - business owners that are just 'too busy' all of the time, and as a result, do not enjoy the success in business they had hoped for. Let's not kid ourselves, there is a lot to focus on: technology, employees, sales, marketing and so on. These functions are essential and need to be well organised and managed.
But there is a second aspect to business success that is often overlooked - the effectiveness of the person running the show. Businesses are a reflection of the people who run them. If those people are 'too busy', stressed, or poorly organised, then these characteristics are reflected back in the business. The underlying behaviour and values of the business owner drive how much control they need, how they will delegate and how they use their time.
Growth of the business and the business owner need to match up
If the business is to grow, then the owner has to take the necessary time to learn the new roles and skills that a growing business will demand. Imagine for one moment where you would like your business to be in 5 years time. Then ask yourself: "Is it possible that I can be exactly the same person in 5 years that I am today and fulfil that growth strategy for my business? The answer has to be no.
Business owners need to be prepared for new learning and taking on new, different, and bigger responsibilities - without fear or hesitation. The reality is that the owner is usually the limiting factor in growth - the business can only grow to the extent to which the owner grows.
When owners feel out of sorts, overworked, and like they are running on a treadmill, it is almost always because they have fallen victim to the reactive "let's go faster" management approach. They are forced to live from problem to problem, and may fail to see their own (lack of) self-management as part of the problem.
So why aren't we better at managing ourselves?
There's really four reasons:
Being comfortable - we all do what we are comfortable with - it's human nature. So we keep doing what we have always done
Not knowing what else is possible
Not knowing that there are other ways to do what they are doing
Actually getting energy (and maybe some identity) from being stressed and overworked
There are 5 steps to take on the road to better self-management:
1. Clarify personal goals for the future.
Many business owners lose sight of these as they get immersed in the day-to-day running of the business. Articulating your personal goals can reveal any issues about whether these support or conflict with their business goals. These goals need to cover both the immediate and future plans. What do you want to achieve personally in the next 1 to 2 years. And where do you want to be in ten years time?
2. Clarify the business goals.
Having spent some time expressing personal goals for the future, take a look at your business goals and rethink them. Are your personal and business goals working together, or are they working against each other? If they do seem to be mutually exclusive, what choices will you make next? Putting the business goals ahead of your personal ones will inevitably lead to stress and feelings of overwhelm. Determine instead whether the business goals can be re-oriented or modified to support what you would like to achieve personally.
3. Identify the owner's ideal role 3 years from now.
Think about who you want to be - what role you want to have in the business - in 3 years time. Will you still be doing the majority of work? Will you have others doing the work and your capacity is more advisory? Or perhaps you would like to remove yourself completely from the operational parts of the business and focus on product or business development?
Thinking about what you want as an owner in the future can give you great insights into what strategies you may need to put in place now.
4. Conduct a detailed personal time analysis for a one-week period.
This is where the rubber hits the road. If you really are true to yourself when you do this exercise you will learn a lot about where the potential lies for making changes. How are you really spending your time? Break your day down into at least half hour slots and write down exactly what you do in each 30 minutes.
5. Create a plan of action for the next 30 days.
Based on the data from steps 1-4, create an action plan to cover the next 30 days. Your plan should include:
steps to align personal and business goals
strategy for moving to the role the owner wants to play in the business in the future
analysis of the results of the one-week detailed monitoring exercise
deciding which activities add the most value and planning to spend time on those
identify how much time is spent on low value activity and planning to delegate or stop doing those things
There is never a better time than right now for planning to do things differently. Take charge of yourself and your business by choosing a direction that allows you to meet both your personal and business goals, and still retain your sanity!
Megan Tough, Director of Action Plus, is passionate about helping people enjoy their businesses. She works internationally with business owners to systematically remove the stress points from their business, giving them more time and space for - well -whatever they want! Visit her at http://www.megantough.com for more information on taking the stress out of your business.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Great Hires: Avoid Costly Mistakes
Picking people for a job is like going to the store to buy apples. Before you go, you ought to know whether the apples are to be eaten fresh, make into applesauce, baked into a pie or made into juice. Then, you can make the appropriate choices. This is also true for hiring winners.
The goal of selection interviews, buying apples, is to make the most appropriate choices...to hire the right people for the job. The goal is to match applicants with openings. More specifically to match applicant's qualifications with the job requirements. The interview is a subjective tool that attempts to forecast a candidate's performance.
No selection tool can predict future performance with absolute certainty. But, if you understand the job requirements, examine the applicant's past performance and use good interviewing techniques, you're more likely to avoid bad hires. These are people who turn out to be a round pegs in square holes; people who you train and then leave; and people who just aren't motivated to give their best.
So how can you avoid such costly hiring mistakes?
According to Roger Staubach, "In business or in football, it takes a lot of unspectacular preparation to produce spectacular results." Therefore, the first step to successful hiring is preparation. If you really want to know if that person you're interviewing has the requisite qualifications, you'll have to do more than a 30-second scan of the resume and "shoot from the hip" questions. A thorough, accurate, and focused job description is essential for effective interviewing. You may think it's a bureaucratic nuisance but it can be a valuable tool in deciding who is the best person for the position.
A job description is an outline of the primary responsibilities of the job. It should list the major task in order of importance. You need to have as complete a knowledge of the job as possible, not only the present "must have's" but the future needs of the position as well. Then you need to determine the skills required to perform the job. Job skills include technical skills and performance skills. Both are equally important.
Technical skills are typically learned through education, training, or on-the-job experience. For example, typing, computer programming, machine operation, financial analysis, and graphic design are all technical skills. You might think of technical skills as what a person "can do".
Performance skills are how a person will do the particular job. These are more like work habits and personal characteristics and are transferred from job to job. Flexibility, assertiveness, paying attention to details, ability to cope under pressure are all examples of performance skills. They are as important as technical skills.
Research has shown that many "bad hires" are due not for technical reasons but because of motivation, energy, values, or interpersonal skills. If you do not explore these skills, you may get a highly qualified person who is not able to work in a particular atmosphere or group of people.
Example:
In a recent conversation with a manager, who had just finished formulating a job description for the head of a growing information systems department, I was told: "Initially, I thought I needed someone who had technical mastery. But when I defined the job in terms of its objective, what I realized was that I needed someone who could develop the department and determine what the rest of the company required of it. I needed a communicator and negotiator, not an inspired computer wizard".
Three basic questions:
Remember, in any selection interview you need to know:
Can this person do the job that they are interviewing for? That's the technical fit - the basic skills to do the job.
Does she have the traits and desire to effectively do the job? That's the motivation fit - the basic personal attributes to do the job.
Does she fit into the culture? You know what works and what does not within your company, and this is a very important barometer of success.
Get The Edge: Start Hiring Winners!
Marcia Zidle, the 'people smarts' coach, works with business leaders to quickly solve their people management headaches so they can concentrate on their #1 job to grow and increase profits. She offers free help through Leadership Briefing, a weekly e-newsletter with practical tips on leadership style, employee motivation, recruitment and retention and relationship management. Subscribe by going to http://leadershiphooks.com/ and get the bonus report "61 Leadership Time Savers and Life Savers". Marcia is the author of the What Really Works Handbooks resources for managers on the front line and the Power-by-the-Hour programs fast, convenient, real life, affordable courses for leadership and staff development. She is available for media interviews, conference presentations and panel discussions on the hottest issues affecting the workplace today. Contact Marcia at 800-971-7619.
The goal of selection interviews, buying apples, is to make the most appropriate choices...to hire the right people for the job. The goal is to match applicants with openings. More specifically to match applicant's qualifications with the job requirements. The interview is a subjective tool that attempts to forecast a candidate's performance.
No selection tool can predict future performance with absolute certainty. But, if you understand the job requirements, examine the applicant's past performance and use good interviewing techniques, you're more likely to avoid bad hires. These are people who turn out to be a round pegs in square holes; people who you train and then leave; and people who just aren't motivated to give their best.
So how can you avoid such costly hiring mistakes?
According to Roger Staubach, "In business or in football, it takes a lot of unspectacular preparation to produce spectacular results." Therefore, the first step to successful hiring is preparation. If you really want to know if that person you're interviewing has the requisite qualifications, you'll have to do more than a 30-second scan of the resume and "shoot from the hip" questions. A thorough, accurate, and focused job description is essential for effective interviewing. You may think it's a bureaucratic nuisance but it can be a valuable tool in deciding who is the best person for the position.
A job description is an outline of the primary responsibilities of the job. It should list the major task in order of importance. You need to have as complete a knowledge of the job as possible, not only the present "must have's" but the future needs of the position as well. Then you need to determine the skills required to perform the job. Job skills include technical skills and performance skills. Both are equally important.
Technical skills are typically learned through education, training, or on-the-job experience. For example, typing, computer programming, machine operation, financial analysis, and graphic design are all technical skills. You might think of technical skills as what a person "can do".
Performance skills are how a person will do the particular job. These are more like work habits and personal characteristics and are transferred from job to job. Flexibility, assertiveness, paying attention to details, ability to cope under pressure are all examples of performance skills. They are as important as technical skills.
Research has shown that many "bad hires" are due not for technical reasons but because of motivation, energy, values, or interpersonal skills. If you do not explore these skills, you may get a highly qualified person who is not able to work in a particular atmosphere or group of people.
Example:
In a recent conversation with a manager, who had just finished formulating a job description for the head of a growing information systems department, I was told: "Initially, I thought I needed someone who had technical mastery. But when I defined the job in terms of its objective, what I realized was that I needed someone who could develop the department and determine what the rest of the company required of it. I needed a communicator and negotiator, not an inspired computer wizard".
Three basic questions:
Remember, in any selection interview you need to know:
Can this person do the job that they are interviewing for? That's the technical fit - the basic skills to do the job.
Does she have the traits and desire to effectively do the job? That's the motivation fit - the basic personal attributes to do the job.
Does she fit into the culture? You know what works and what does not within your company, and this is a very important barometer of success.
Get The Edge: Start Hiring Winners!
Marcia Zidle, the 'people smarts' coach, works with business leaders to quickly solve their people management headaches so they can concentrate on their #1 job to grow and increase profits. She offers free help through Leadership Briefing, a weekly e-newsletter with practical tips on leadership style, employee motivation, recruitment and retention and relationship management. Subscribe by going to http://leadershiphooks.com/ and get the bonus report "61 Leadership Time Savers and Life Savers". Marcia is the author of the What Really Works Handbooks resources for managers on the front line and the Power-by-the-Hour programs fast, convenient, real life, affordable courses for leadership and staff development. She is available for media interviews, conference presentations and panel discussions on the hottest issues affecting the workplace today. Contact Marcia at 800-971-7619.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Five Key Strategies for Making Your Nonprofit Business More Effective
I love tennis both as a spectator and a weekend player. I also believe that effective nonprofit organizations are an essential part of vibrant, engaged communities. As I was watching The Championships - Wimbledon this year, I realized there are lessons from Wimbledon (both from the players and the tournament itself) that can help your nonprofit achieve attention-getting results. What are these lessons?
Have a game plan
Successful players know their own strengths and weaknesses and the strengths and weaknesses of their opponents. They develop game plans designed to take advantage of their best weapons and to capitalize on opportunities provided by their opponents. Successful nonprofits know their external environment, know what they do well, stay flexible so they can capitalize on opportunities and use strategies based on their strengths.
Don't play a clay court game on grass
Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam event played on grass. Grass is a fast, slick surface and the ball bounces in strange ways. Players must be able to adapt their game to compete effectively. The nonprofit environment is constantly changing and effective organizations are able to anticipate and adapt to these changes.
Stand out from the crowd
Grass courts. All white tennis attire. The green backstops and stands. Turn on a televised tennis match and these images let you know immediately that you are watching The Championships-Wimbledon. From the distinctive crossed rackets of the Wimbledon logo to the familiar Wimbledon colors of green and purple, the Wimbledon brand is well-defined. Like it or not, nonprofits must develop an identity and consistently communicate their values and mission.
You can't play doubles alone
Although not as popular as singles, doubles is an integral part of tennis. Doubles teams are partnerships that take advantage of the strengths of each player. It is not uncommon to see competitors in singles form successful doubles teams. In the nonprofit world, effective partnerships can enhance the ability of each organization to meet community needs and often result in more effective use of each organization's resources.
Take advantage of rain delays
Wimbledon is famous for its rain delays. These delays often turn out to be opportunities. Time and again I've watched players raise the level of their game or successfully use new tactics after unplanned time in the locker room. All of us get caught up in day-to-day activities and feel we can't take time out. The reality is that taking time away often leads to new ideas and new strategies for advancing your mission.
Consistently applying these strategies will help you achieve attention-getting results. Give it a try and track your progress.
Judith Rothbaum helps talented nonprofit professionals and volunteers use information to build their business and think more boldly about who they are and the changes they create in their communities. Visit www.datafordecisionmaking.com for tips, information and helpful tools.
Have a game plan
Successful players know their own strengths and weaknesses and the strengths and weaknesses of their opponents. They develop game plans designed to take advantage of their best weapons and to capitalize on opportunities provided by their opponents. Successful nonprofits know their external environment, know what they do well, stay flexible so they can capitalize on opportunities and use strategies based on their strengths.
Don't play a clay court game on grass
Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam event played on grass. Grass is a fast, slick surface and the ball bounces in strange ways. Players must be able to adapt their game to compete effectively. The nonprofit environment is constantly changing and effective organizations are able to anticipate and adapt to these changes.
Stand out from the crowd
Grass courts. All white tennis attire. The green backstops and stands. Turn on a televised tennis match and these images let you know immediately that you are watching The Championships-Wimbledon. From the distinctive crossed rackets of the Wimbledon logo to the familiar Wimbledon colors of green and purple, the Wimbledon brand is well-defined. Like it or not, nonprofits must develop an identity and consistently communicate their values and mission.
You can't play doubles alone
Although not as popular as singles, doubles is an integral part of tennis. Doubles teams are partnerships that take advantage of the strengths of each player. It is not uncommon to see competitors in singles form successful doubles teams. In the nonprofit world, effective partnerships can enhance the ability of each organization to meet community needs and often result in more effective use of each organization's resources.
Take advantage of rain delays
Wimbledon is famous for its rain delays. These delays often turn out to be opportunities. Time and again I've watched players raise the level of their game or successfully use new tactics after unplanned time in the locker room. All of us get caught up in day-to-day activities and feel we can't take time out. The reality is that taking time away often leads to new ideas and new strategies for advancing your mission.
Consistently applying these strategies will help you achieve attention-getting results. Give it a try and track your progress.
Judith Rothbaum helps talented nonprofit professionals and volunteers use information to build their business and think more boldly about who they are and the changes they create in their communities. Visit www.datafordecisionmaking.com for tips, information and helpful tools.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Leaders Versus Cheerleaders
Everyone wants to describe themselves as a leader. Everyday, new books on leadership come out on the market. Leaders are seen everywhere - business, society, and, of course, politics. Yet, in our culture where greatness is often measured by noise rather than accomplishment, I thought it would be helpful to define the factors that differentiate the true leader from the notorious "cheerleader."
* Cheerleaders are thermometers, while true leaders are thermostats. Where thermometers measure the weather, thermostats change it. This is the perfect analogy in my opinion. While thermometers stick their fingers in the wind to see what direction the wind (or crowd) is going, the true leader determines his or her course and follows it. They do that which they believe is best for everyone involved. Often true leaders have to change opinion before they can be recognized as a leader. They are willing to do this in order to make a true difference.
* Cheerleaders are often victims, while true leaders are always owners. Cheerleaders will often blame anyone or thing other than themselves if something goes wrong under their leadership. With true leaders, in the words of Harry Truman, "the buck stops here." True leaders want responsibility for the decisions they make, apologize for their mistakes, and will look to share honor with others when things go well.
* Cheerleaders focus on themselves, while leaders focus on the cause. There is nothing more dangerous than getting between a cheerleader and a microphone, TV camera, or photo op. Such people are interested in themselves and very little else. True leaders are concerned about the cause or the project. "Who" gets the credit is not nearly as important as the project getting done! This is one of the biggest differences between cheerleaders and true leaders.
So how does one become a true leader? You become goal oriented, know what you are going to do before you set out to do it. You become a person of principal, so you are not tossed flippantly from project to project. You build those around as much you do yourself, creating a strong and integrated network of people working on the same cause and all on the same page. These are the steps one takes to become a true leader and to avoid the temptation of being a mere wannabe.
Kevin J. Price
Principal
HoustonBusiness.com
* Cheerleaders are thermometers, while true leaders are thermostats. Where thermometers measure the weather, thermostats change it. This is the perfect analogy in my opinion. While thermometers stick their fingers in the wind to see what direction the wind (or crowd) is going, the true leader determines his or her course and follows it. They do that which they believe is best for everyone involved. Often true leaders have to change opinion before they can be recognized as a leader. They are willing to do this in order to make a true difference.
* Cheerleaders are often victims, while true leaders are always owners. Cheerleaders will often blame anyone or thing other than themselves if something goes wrong under their leadership. With true leaders, in the words of Harry Truman, "the buck stops here." True leaders want responsibility for the decisions they make, apologize for their mistakes, and will look to share honor with others when things go well.
* Cheerleaders focus on themselves, while leaders focus on the cause. There is nothing more dangerous than getting between a cheerleader and a microphone, TV camera, or photo op. Such people are interested in themselves and very little else. True leaders are concerned about the cause or the project. "Who" gets the credit is not nearly as important as the project getting done! This is one of the biggest differences between cheerleaders and true leaders.
So how does one become a true leader? You become goal oriented, know what you are going to do before you set out to do it. You become a person of principal, so you are not tossed flippantly from project to project. You build those around as much you do yourself, creating a strong and integrated network of people working on the same cause and all on the same page. These are the steps one takes to become a true leader and to avoid the temptation of being a mere wannabe.
Kevin J. Price
Principal
HoustonBusiness.com
Monday, October 5, 2009
Nine Steps to Help You Develop Your Potential
Go into any bookstore and you will find a big selection of self-help and personal improvement products. Most everyone (and I'll bet everyone reading this) wants to improve. We know we need to get better, and we want to get better. We may want to improve our personal relationships, our business capabilities, our ability to be disciplined, our desire to juggle four chain saws, or any of hundreds of other things. In that book store you can find books to help you do any of those things!
In many cases though, those books start half way through the process. After writing the last chapter about identifying our potential I realized that identification of our potential, while critical, isn't the complete answer. It is only the first step.
If we want to reach our potential, we must start by identifying our greatest areas of potential. With that knowledge, we must take a step-by-step approach to making that potential reality in our lives.
It is no different than a business identifying its core strengths in order to best capitalize on the opportunities they see. When we start our personal improvement program with identified strengths or potential, we ignite our personal rocket - and begin our trip to greater heights and achievements.
Here then is a step-by-step process that you can use to convert your potential into results!
1. Identify it. I've already helped you do that. Whether you have followed those steps in the last chapter or are just aware of a skill you want to develop, this is a necessary first step.
2. Claim it. You must believe in your heart that you have untapped skill and ability in this area. Once you have claimed it, you must proclaim it by telling yourself (preferably out loud) that you ARE assertive, you ARE a swimmer, you ARE supportive of others. (Fill in your own skills and potentials!)
3. Scope it. Next you need to think about what part(s) of you life you want to apply this new skill or ability in. Take time to determine the areas of your life where you will use this enhanced skill.
4. Target it. Why do you want to develop this potential? How will you and/or those around you benefit from the development of this potential? What is your goal? Answering these questions will help you stay the course when you get discouraged. Write these reasons and your ultimate goal down and read them often.
5. Plan it. A plan will help us achieve most anything more rapidly. Wouldn't you like to reach your potential sooner than later? Then make a plan! Determine what you need to know and how you will learn it. Schedule time on your calendar. Think about the situations you want to practice in. Write your plan down and remember to include timelines. This is a real plan. While it may not be as elaborate as a business plan, it is every bit as important. This is your plan!
6. Start it. Get started already. You might actually start as early as step 2, but I include it here because the scoping, targeting and planning is important too. Whatever you are trying to develop will require time and effort. The toughest step though is often the first one, so get started!
7. Support it. You may need to find support from many people and in many places. One way is to have a mentor. If you know someone who excels at what you are trying to develop, ask them to mentor you. You can also get mentoring from people indirectly, by reading about their approaches, thought processes and ideas. (This is one great reason to read biographies and autobiographies.) Get support around you too. Find people close to you who will support your efforts and encourage, not discourage you. Identifying your support system early on helps you get started. Having the support will help you get past the toughest times during your process.
8. Practice it. You won't reach your potential in one try or in a week. I recently read a page on the web that was promoting a workshop called Building a Million Dollar Practice. The tagline is what was memorable. It read "Hint - it isn't about the Million Dollars." That tagline tells the story - it is about the practice! Practice builds our skills. Practice broadens our experience. Practice creates new habits. Practice makes permanent. Perhaps that greatest key of all to developing our potential, is disciplining ourselves to practice.
9. Be grateful for it. When you receive a gift from someone you likely send a thank you note. Being grateful for the gifts of our potential is just as important. By being grateful we begin to unlock even greater opportunities to use the potential we have nursed into skill, experience, and habit. It isn't too late to start. Reaching our potential has nothing to do with our age, situation or past. Using this process will help you to unleash the potential you identify to help you reach your professional and personal goals and objectives.
© 2004, All Rights Reserved, Kevin Eikenberry. Kevin publishes Unleash Your Potential, a free weekly ezine designed to provide ideas, tools, techniques and inspiration to enhance your professional skills. Go to http://www.kevineikenberry.com/uypw/current.asp to read the current issue and subscribe. Kevin is also President of The Kevin Eikenberry Group, a learning consulting company that helps Clients reach their potential through a variety of training, consulting and speaking services. You may contact Kevin at toll free 888.LEARNER.
In many cases though, those books start half way through the process. After writing the last chapter about identifying our potential I realized that identification of our potential, while critical, isn't the complete answer. It is only the first step.
If we want to reach our potential, we must start by identifying our greatest areas of potential. With that knowledge, we must take a step-by-step approach to making that potential reality in our lives.
It is no different than a business identifying its core strengths in order to best capitalize on the opportunities they see. When we start our personal improvement program with identified strengths or potential, we ignite our personal rocket - and begin our trip to greater heights and achievements.
Here then is a step-by-step process that you can use to convert your potential into results!
1. Identify it. I've already helped you do that. Whether you have followed those steps in the last chapter or are just aware of a skill you want to develop, this is a necessary first step.
2. Claim it. You must believe in your heart that you have untapped skill and ability in this area. Once you have claimed it, you must proclaim it by telling yourself (preferably out loud) that you ARE assertive, you ARE a swimmer, you ARE supportive of others. (Fill in your own skills and potentials!)
3. Scope it. Next you need to think about what part(s) of you life you want to apply this new skill or ability in. Take time to determine the areas of your life where you will use this enhanced skill.
4. Target it. Why do you want to develop this potential? How will you and/or those around you benefit from the development of this potential? What is your goal? Answering these questions will help you stay the course when you get discouraged. Write these reasons and your ultimate goal down and read them often.
5. Plan it. A plan will help us achieve most anything more rapidly. Wouldn't you like to reach your potential sooner than later? Then make a plan! Determine what you need to know and how you will learn it. Schedule time on your calendar. Think about the situations you want to practice in. Write your plan down and remember to include timelines. This is a real plan. While it may not be as elaborate as a business plan, it is every bit as important. This is your plan!
6. Start it. Get started already. You might actually start as early as step 2, but I include it here because the scoping, targeting and planning is important too. Whatever you are trying to develop will require time and effort. The toughest step though is often the first one, so get started!
7. Support it. You may need to find support from many people and in many places. One way is to have a mentor. If you know someone who excels at what you are trying to develop, ask them to mentor you. You can also get mentoring from people indirectly, by reading about their approaches, thought processes and ideas. (This is one great reason to read biographies and autobiographies.) Get support around you too. Find people close to you who will support your efforts and encourage, not discourage you. Identifying your support system early on helps you get started. Having the support will help you get past the toughest times during your process.
8. Practice it. You won't reach your potential in one try or in a week. I recently read a page on the web that was promoting a workshop called Building a Million Dollar Practice. The tagline is what was memorable. It read "Hint - it isn't about the Million Dollars." That tagline tells the story - it is about the practice! Practice builds our skills. Practice broadens our experience. Practice creates new habits. Practice makes permanent. Perhaps that greatest key of all to developing our potential, is disciplining ourselves to practice.
9. Be grateful for it. When you receive a gift from someone you likely send a thank you note. Being grateful for the gifts of our potential is just as important. By being grateful we begin to unlock even greater opportunities to use the potential we have nursed into skill, experience, and habit. It isn't too late to start. Reaching our potential has nothing to do with our age, situation or past. Using this process will help you to unleash the potential you identify to help you reach your professional and personal goals and objectives.
© 2004, All Rights Reserved, Kevin Eikenberry. Kevin publishes Unleash Your Potential, a free weekly ezine designed to provide ideas, tools, techniques and inspiration to enhance your professional skills. Go to http://www.kevineikenberry.com/uypw/current.asp to read the current issue and subscribe. Kevin is also President of The Kevin Eikenberry Group, a learning consulting company that helps Clients reach their potential through a variety of training, consulting and speaking services. You may contact Kevin at toll free 888.LEARNER.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Identifying Potential in Ourselves and Others
If there is someone nearby as you read this look in their eyes. Look closely and you will see great potential inside this person regardless of how "successful" or accomplished they are. If you are alone, get up, find a mirror, and look in your own eyes. There is great potential there too!
If you don't believe this premise - that great potential is inside each of us - there is no reason to continue reading. Why? Because this article will give you concrete steps to help you recognize and find that potential in yourself and others.
If you don't believe it is there, it will be pretty hard to find it.
(Ok, I'm glad you are still reading!)
Identifying Our Own Potential
I know you may be reading this thinking about how you can coach, mentor and lead others - and you really are more interested in focusing on others. This is admirable and we'll get there in a few minutes, however in order to help others most effectively, we need to know how it works ourselves, and by working on ourselves we are in an even better position to help others.
1. Be introspective. Spend time alone with your thoughts. Consider these questions and use them as a starting point. You are trying to open your mind and find your strengths, passions and goals. By thinking about these things and making some notes in a journal you will be opening your mind to your own potential.
? What are the things you most enjoy doing and why?
? When do you feel most satisfied and productive?
? Think about your childhood dreams - what were they?
? What are your goals and dreams now - not those others have put on you - but yours?
? What have you always wanted to try?
2. Look for patterns. While you will find clues in the specifics you have thought about and written down, take a higher level look. What kinds of trends and patterns do you see? The goal is to find specific skills, aptitudes, and situations that you can develop and nurture. Write down your observations.
3. Ask others. Ask others for their input. Who you pick to help you can be critical to your success here. Ask people who will be supportive and care enough about you and your success to provide some insight and ideas to you. You might consider a family member, a peer, a mentor, your boss; it could be anyone. Just make sure they have enough experience and exposure to you to offer a balanced and informed opinion. Rather than sharing what you've come up with, ask them from a clean slate. Use the following questions as a way to start the conversation - the discussion will flow naturally from there. Make sure that you take notes on all of the insights they share.
? What do you see as my biggest strengths?
? What kinds of things do you think I could excel at, even if you haven't seen me do them?
? In what situations have you seen me shine?
? What do you see as my biggest area of potential?
4. Look again. Review all of your notes again - Now you can look at both your thoughts and the ideas and insights you received from others. Look for more trends. Perhaps some things pop out at you and there is agreement. Or, perhaps others have identified things you never thought of (which is one of the reasons you ask them in the first place!) Make more notes of your observations and ideas.
5. Potential identified! Congratulations! After going through this exercise you will likely have identified more things and ideas than you can take advantage of right away.
Identifying Potential in Others
The process for helping others is the same, except the order of the steps might change a little and your role is different. If you have completed the steps above and now want to help others, you have to start with sales.
Think about it. You completed the exercise because you looked in the mirror, and said, in effect, "I have potential, and I'm worth the effort to find it." Now you are looking at someone who may have never had that internal conversation with themselves.
At the start of this article I said, if you don't believe you will find something (in our case potential) you won't likely go searching for it. So, the first thing you have to do to help others identify their potential is help them believe it is there. Let's look at the steps now:
1. Help them see. First you need to motivate them to want find their potential. You might see it, but if they don't you have some work to do! People may be cynical or have a poor self image, so you might have to start slow. Encourage them and convince them to try the exercise with you. If you can get them just beyond skeptical, you can help them be successful.
2. Share your reasons. Perhaps you are a supervisor, manager, parent or in some other position of "power" over the people you are trying to help. If so it is especially important to let the person know that your intentions are pure. You just want to help them reach their potential. Help them see that this is all about them (not about the bottom line, or them getting A's so you can be proud, etc.). Making this clear may remove other barriers in the way of success with this process.
3. Share some of your thoughts. You've influenced them, and gotten them on board. Now you may need to "prime the pump". Share with them a couple of things that you see in them - things that you see as being areas of great potential. This isn't the time to give them everything, just enough to engage them and encourage them to follow the process.
4. Get them involved. Now share the process with them. Give them a list of the steps you used to identify your own potential (Go ahead - cut and paste the steps above and give it to them.) Encourage them to start with introspection and advise them to take notes.
5. Coach them through. Encourage them to stay with the process. They will likely ask you to be one of the people to share with them - after all you influenced and encouraged them to do this to start with! Whether they ask you or not, continue to encourage them and help them in any way you can.
6. Congratulate them! When they have identified some areas of potential, make sure you congratulate them. Let them know how excited you are for them, and let them know that you will do all you can to help them develop those potential skills and aptitudes.
The first step towards releasing potential is to identify, name and recognize that potential. There is more to be done, but you can't do any of that until the potential is identified. That leaves you plenty to do right now anyway, right?
©2004, All Rights Reserved, Kevin Eikenberry. Kevin publishes Unleash Your Potential, a free weekly ezine designed to provide ideas, tools, techniques and inspiration to enhance your professional skills. Go to http://www.kevineikenberry.com/uypw/current.asp to read the current issue and subscribe. Kevin is also President of The Kevin Eikenberry Group, a learning consulting company that helps Clients reach their potential through a variety of training, consulting and speaking services. You may contact Kevin at toll free 888.LEARNER.
If you don't believe this premise - that great potential is inside each of us - there is no reason to continue reading. Why? Because this article will give you concrete steps to help you recognize and find that potential in yourself and others.
If you don't believe it is there, it will be pretty hard to find it.
(Ok, I'm glad you are still reading!)
Identifying Our Own Potential
I know you may be reading this thinking about how you can coach, mentor and lead others - and you really are more interested in focusing on others. This is admirable and we'll get there in a few minutes, however in order to help others most effectively, we need to know how it works ourselves, and by working on ourselves we are in an even better position to help others.
1. Be introspective. Spend time alone with your thoughts. Consider these questions and use them as a starting point. You are trying to open your mind and find your strengths, passions and goals. By thinking about these things and making some notes in a journal you will be opening your mind to your own potential.
? What are the things you most enjoy doing and why?
? When do you feel most satisfied and productive?
? Think about your childhood dreams - what were they?
? What are your goals and dreams now - not those others have put on you - but yours?
? What have you always wanted to try?
2. Look for patterns. While you will find clues in the specifics you have thought about and written down, take a higher level look. What kinds of trends and patterns do you see? The goal is to find specific skills, aptitudes, and situations that you can develop and nurture. Write down your observations.
3. Ask others. Ask others for their input. Who you pick to help you can be critical to your success here. Ask people who will be supportive and care enough about you and your success to provide some insight and ideas to you. You might consider a family member, a peer, a mentor, your boss; it could be anyone. Just make sure they have enough experience and exposure to you to offer a balanced and informed opinion. Rather than sharing what you've come up with, ask them from a clean slate. Use the following questions as a way to start the conversation - the discussion will flow naturally from there. Make sure that you take notes on all of the insights they share.
? What do you see as my biggest strengths?
? What kinds of things do you think I could excel at, even if you haven't seen me do them?
? In what situations have you seen me shine?
? What do you see as my biggest area of potential?
4. Look again. Review all of your notes again - Now you can look at both your thoughts and the ideas and insights you received from others. Look for more trends. Perhaps some things pop out at you and there is agreement. Or, perhaps others have identified things you never thought of (which is one of the reasons you ask them in the first place!) Make more notes of your observations and ideas.
5. Potential identified! Congratulations! After going through this exercise you will likely have identified more things and ideas than you can take advantage of right away.
Identifying Potential in Others
The process for helping others is the same, except the order of the steps might change a little and your role is different. If you have completed the steps above and now want to help others, you have to start with sales.
Think about it. You completed the exercise because you looked in the mirror, and said, in effect, "I have potential, and I'm worth the effort to find it." Now you are looking at someone who may have never had that internal conversation with themselves.
At the start of this article I said, if you don't believe you will find something (in our case potential) you won't likely go searching for it. So, the first thing you have to do to help others identify their potential is help them believe it is there. Let's look at the steps now:
1. Help them see. First you need to motivate them to want find their potential. You might see it, but if they don't you have some work to do! People may be cynical or have a poor self image, so you might have to start slow. Encourage them and convince them to try the exercise with you. If you can get them just beyond skeptical, you can help them be successful.
2. Share your reasons. Perhaps you are a supervisor, manager, parent or in some other position of "power" over the people you are trying to help. If so it is especially important to let the person know that your intentions are pure. You just want to help them reach their potential. Help them see that this is all about them (not about the bottom line, or them getting A's so you can be proud, etc.). Making this clear may remove other barriers in the way of success with this process.
3. Share some of your thoughts. You've influenced them, and gotten them on board. Now you may need to "prime the pump". Share with them a couple of things that you see in them - things that you see as being areas of great potential. This isn't the time to give them everything, just enough to engage them and encourage them to follow the process.
4. Get them involved. Now share the process with them. Give them a list of the steps you used to identify your own potential (Go ahead - cut and paste the steps above and give it to them.) Encourage them to start with introspection and advise them to take notes.
5. Coach them through. Encourage them to stay with the process. They will likely ask you to be one of the people to share with them - after all you influenced and encouraged them to do this to start with! Whether they ask you or not, continue to encourage them and help them in any way you can.
6. Congratulate them! When they have identified some areas of potential, make sure you congratulate them. Let them know how excited you are for them, and let them know that you will do all you can to help them develop those potential skills and aptitudes.
The first step towards releasing potential is to identify, name and recognize that potential. There is more to be done, but you can't do any of that until the potential is identified. That leaves you plenty to do right now anyway, right?
©2004, All Rights Reserved, Kevin Eikenberry. Kevin publishes Unleash Your Potential, a free weekly ezine designed to provide ideas, tools, techniques and inspiration to enhance your professional skills. Go to http://www.kevineikenberry.com/uypw/current.asp to read the current issue and subscribe. Kevin is also President of The Kevin Eikenberry Group, a learning consulting company that helps Clients reach their potential through a variety of training, consulting and speaking services. You may contact Kevin at toll free 888.LEARNER.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)