Archive for September, 2009

As a leader or manager you can be sure that there will be difficult situations to deal with from time to time.  These difficult situations might include:

• Dealing with poor individual or team performance

• Trying to improve an organisation that is perceived to be failing

• A process that it is not working

• Staff or other resource shortages

• Adverse media coverage

So as a manager or leader what are the key tips for dealing with difficult situations?

Tip 1: Establish facts first

When difficult situations arise, it is all too easy to jump to solution mode too quickly.  While there may be a limited amount of times when fast action is absolutely necessary, your first step to successful resolution it to establish facts.  Remember that facts as opposed to hearsay or opinion are verifiable.

Tip 2: Ask lots of questions

Questions, especially the short powerful variety are a great way of getting to the core issue rather than all the detail that someone is trying to provide to you.  Think of it a bit like peeling an onion, each layer is getting you closer to the core.

Tip 3: Actively listen

There is little point in asking great questions if you are not actively listening to what is being said.  Resist the temptation to jump in before you have properly listened to the different points of view.

Tip 4: Avoid pre-judgement

We all, if we are honest will form some judgements immediately.  While these might be right at the end of the day, don’t let pre-judgement get in the way of establishing the real issues.

Tip 5: Act professionally

The challenge for you is to remain professional at all times.  A good test of this is to ask yourself how you would like to be treated if you were not the manager or leader but an aggrieved party.

Tip 6: Aim for win-win

While this is not always possible, you should aim to find solutions that don’t result in a feeling from one party that they have lost while another has won.  This might require some careful negotiation around what would constitute a good outcome for all those involved.

Tip 7: Remember there is no one size fits all approach

Each situation is different.  While there might be some common ground, remember there is unlikely to a one size fits all approach to difficult situations.   Adapt your approach depending on the situation.

Bottom Line – Handling difficult situations is just part and parcel of managing and leading.  So where do you need to focus your attention in terms of developing your competence?

Being a manager is easy- right? All you have to do is go around giving orders to others and not doing much work yourself.  When we work alongside a great manager we can easily fall into the trap of believing that it is easy.  Yet in truth managing is often an area where highly competent people struggle.  So what are 5 key reasons why you might struggle as a manager?

Reason 1: You lack self control

Reason 2: You don’t take responsibility

Reason 3: You have a win at all cost mindset

Reason 4: You have gaps in social skills

Reason 5: You don’t have a network

Bottom Line – Managers rarely struggle because they are not technically competent.  It is more often than not about their personal qualities.  So where do you need to develop to achieve success?

A recent survey by the International Coach Federation identified that the number one reason why people choose to work with a coach is due to a lack of self confidence.  Someone who is self confident can sometimes be viewed by others who are less confident as arrogant.  Yet in truth self confidence is really about having a strong sense of self worth and capabilities.

If you are a manager, your success or otherwise is influenced by factors such as:

• Knowing that that you have the capability or competence (or can acquire it) to take on and deal with the challenges that without doubt will arise.

• Speaking up an airing your views even when they might be slightly controversial.

• Being able to take decisions even when you might not have all of the information at your fingertips that you might need or like.

• Getting other to provide support to get things done or make change.

A manager lacking self confidence is likely to have some traits or develop traits that get in the way, including:

• Being indecisive, procrastinating and failing to move things forward.

• Going with the consensus when deep down you know it is not going to produce results.

• Avoiding taking any risks that could lead to a step change in performance.

•  Being focused on surviving rather than thriving.

Bottom Line – You can have an abundance of self confidence and at the same time still be the manager who delivers great results and has the full support of the team.  So what’s stopping you succeed?

To be a successful leader it is vital that you are aware of your strengths and use them effectively.  While this might appear to be easy, we all have to a greater or lesser extent blind spots that get in the way of success.  So what are 7 common blind spots that can hinder your progress as a leader?

1. Needing to be right
2. Being overly ambitious with goals
3. Being too narrowly focused
4. Expecting too much from others
5. Self rather than organisational interests
6. Looking good at all costs
7. Unable to accept mistakes

If you are to achieve the career and personal success you desire, you need to be alert to your blind spots.  So what blind spots might be getting in the way of your success?