Posts Tagged ‘duncan brodie’

If you are in any type of leadership or management role, the chances are that sooner or later you will have to deal with some sort of performance issue. These performance issues can show up in a whole host of different ways.

One of the most common is the employee who is not performing to the required standards.

Alternatively it could be a division that is not delivering targets.

It could be a savings plan that is not resulting in any change in spending.

It might even be tensions between members of the senior management team.

The trouble is that when it comes to performance issues many leaders and managers think they can sweep it under the carpet or avoid and it will somehow magically disappear. Yet the reality is that things tend to get worse when not dealt with.

There are several reasons why managers don’t deal with performance issues in my experience:

1. They don’t want to be unpopular. In other words, their popularity is more important than results.
2. They want an easy life. Don’t we all at some level but if you have chosen to step up to the plate as a leader or manager you have to be willing to deal with the difficult stuff.
3. They don’t know how. Sometimes people get promoted into senior roles because they personally are good at doing things. They may even have resisted taking the training they need to succeed at more senior levels.
4. They lack courage. No one said leading or managing is easy. We all know that being courageous requires you to take some risk.
5. They worry about the backlash. I would never suggest that people just do what they like if they have the seniority to do so. At the same time you have to accept that whatever you do there are always going to be people who disagree. It does not mean they are right and you are wrong. They just have a different point of view.

The trouble is that when performance issues remain unresolved, there are potential consequences like:

People don’t respect you or you lose hard earned respect.

People stop bothering because they know you will let them off the hook.

Service quality or service provision drops, leading to more complaints and lost business and, in the worst case scenario, the business failing.

Those to whom you report start to have doubt in you and whether you are really up to the task, which can lead to you losing your job.

The Bottom Line: No one likes to have to deal with the difficult stuff or confront the areas of problem. At the end of the day the willingness to do so is what sets apart the best from the rest.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps professional people to become highly effective managers. He invites you to sign up for his free e-course, Management Mastery, at www.goalsandachievements.co.uk.

Communication is one of those areas that people talk about as being really important, and it is. Yet sometimes leaders and managers fail to communicate effectively. So what is the real cost of failing to communicate effectively?

Wasted Time

One thing that most people seem to be short on these days, despite all of the advances in technology, is time. Worse still, no-one can buy more of it. We all have the same allocation per week, per day, per year. Imagine for example you fail to effectively communicate your requirements for a piece of work you have asked your team to do. They will spend valuable time and energy delivering something that is not of value. And as you are paying them for doing it, you are adversely impacting on the bottom line financial results.

Loss Of Confidence

People want leaders to lead and provide clear direction to others. When they procrastinate or avoid taking decisions, they create doubt and this doubt can lead to a loss of confidence among your followers. It can also result in a loss of confidence from external stakeholders.

Loss Of Credibility

People only follow people who they believe have credibility. How you communicate with others has a direct impact on your credibility. For example, if you don’t treat people well and are even perhaps off hand with them, your credibility diminishes.

Loss Of Business Opportunities

If you are involved in delivering services, being a poor communicator and specifically not listening can actually result in lost business opportunities. For example, professional services organisations like accountants and lawyers work hard on building client relationships. They are looking out and listening for unmet needs to which their firm may be able to help them find a solution.

Loss Of Staff

One of the biggest complaints people have is that they don’t know what is going on. Failing to keep people informed as to what is going on and the possible implications for them, especially in times of uncertainty, can result in the loss of key staff.

The Bottom Line

Being an effective communicator is not an optional extra but a key ingredient in being a highly successful leader.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps professional people become great leaders and managers. Sign up for his free audio e-course Leadership Success at www.goalsandachievements.co.uk.

In these challenging economic times it can seem like the organisation has all the trump cards when it comes to hiring and recruiting: simply advertise a job, wait for a flood of applicants, interview and appoint.

While it might be tempting to think this way as a manager, the reality is that a recruitment decision is a two way decision. The organisation decides who it wants and the candidate decides if they want to work for the organisation.

So what are 5 mistakes to which you need to be alert when recruiting staff?

Mistake 1: Expecting Candidates To Tick Every Box

When candidates are making a decision about a job opportunity, particularly at a more senior level, they want to know that there is some personal growth and challenge in the role for them. Think about it: if someone comes into a job and can do 98% of it perfectly on day 1, how long are they going to stick around? Be willing to accept that in only very rare circumstances will you find a candidate who perfectly matches your specification.

Mistake 2: Not Selling The Organisation

You will quite happily ask candidates what they know about the organisation and why they want to work there. By the same token good candidates will want to do their own due diligence on the job, the people and the organisation. Expect them to ask you about the good points of working in the organisation and be ready to sell the benefits to them.

Mistake 3: Talking About Failings Of Others

Yes, it is good to be honest and not paint a picture of it all being perfect. At the same time you don’t want to give the impression that every employee is a problem employee. Everyone has areas of strength and areas in need of developing. As a manager you need to accept this.

Mistake 4: Not Having Clarity

In any job there are things that are so key to the job that if the candidate does not have them it is a show stopper. You need to have 100% clarity on any show stoppers in terms of candidate fit.

Mistake 5: Wasting People’s Time

Every single person who turns up for a job interview will more than likely have put in a huge amount of time and effort to prepare. If you are just inviting someone along to get your quota of applicants you are wasting their time and not giving a great impression of yourself or your organisation.

The Bottom Line: Recruiting staff is a major investment decision so treat it as such and avoid these common mistakes.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps professional people to become highly effective managers. He invites you to sign up for his free e-course, Management Mastery, at www.goalsandachievements.co.uk.

We all know that being a leader is tough role. When you are on the outside looking in it can look really easy. Yet in truth there is often a huge difference between perception and reality.

So what are some of the signs that you are leading rather than just playing at it?

You Are Thinking Long Term

There will always be things to do in any organisation no matter what it does. While you cannot ignore the present, you also need to be thinking long term too. Remember that as a leader your job is to drive the organisation forward.

You Provide Clear Direction

People want to know where they are heading so that they can decide whether they want to get on board and help you to reach the destination. As the leader you need to provide as much clarity of direction as you can. Vagueness about direction of travel will always result in less than optimal results.

You Listen A Lot

Leaders often talk about the importance of employees being engaged. What makes people engage is the belief that their ideas will be listened to and acted on when it is appropriate. Failing to listen is one of the fastest ways to disengage those who you lead.

You Take Personal Responsibility

It might not seem fair but as a leader you are ultimately responsible. In practice what that means is that you have to be willing to take personal responsibility even when there are potentially serious consequences for you.

You Recognise The Contributions Of Others

You might think that leaders are successful because they personally are brilliant. The truth is that behind every great leader there is a team of great supporters and followers. Don’t fall into the trap of believing that the public face of the organisation is doing it all by itself.

The truth is that leading is a process of continual learning and the best leaders keep growing and developing.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps professional people become great leaders and managers. Sign up for his free audio e-course Leadership Success at www.goalsandachievements.co.uk.

Attending a recent conference for accountants, I was surprised by how many seemed to feel that, even though they were in leadership roles, they could not make things happen.

Now let’s not pretend that leading is easy; it’s not. At the same time my view is that people who choose to step into a leadership role do so because they can make a difference.

Of course it is easy to come up with a whole host of reasons why you cannot change things, like:

• Well that can only be changed at a national level
• If only people were more engaged
• The time is not right because of…… (you fill in the blank)
• I don’t have the authority
• I don’t want to go out on a limb
• You don’t really understand what it is like in my organisation, sector or industry.

Yet here is the reality: When you step into a leadership role you make a positive choice to take the lead, to move things forward, to contribute to strategy and success.

In return you get well rewarded.

Of course it is going to be uncomfortable at times. You will face obstacles, barriers and even complete resistance at times. If all you ever do is wait for someone else to make the tough choices, then you are not a leader; just a well paid follower.

At the end of the day as a leader you are in the risk/reward business. You take balanced risks, get results and get the benefit in terms of your salary.

The question is, are you a leader or just passive and waiting for everyone else to act?

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps professional people become great leaders and managers. Sign up for his free audio e-course Leadership Success at www.goalsandachievements.co.uk.

As we start out on a new year, we all have great plans about what we will achieve in the year ahead. Having recently surveyed my subscribers, there seem to be 8 key barriers they highlight to achieving in 2012.

So what were the 8 most common barriers and what do I suggest they do to address them?

Barrier 1: Time

One of the most common barriers was the idea that people don’t have the time. The reality is very different. The truth is the reason why people don’t have the time is they fail to make something a priority. We all have to decide what we want to do with the 24 hours we have available in each day.

Barrier 2: Poor Communication Skills

Communication for me is about getting your point across effectively; both verbally and in writing and, even more importantly, learning to listen. There is an abundance of support in this area if you just seek it out.

Barrier 3: The Economy, Availability Of Resources And Opportunities

Let’s not pretend that the global economy is in good shape; we all know it is not. At the same time perhaps this is the time to take control of your own destiny. If you always wait for someone else to sort you out, you might miss the boat and end up staying stuck for ever. Take control of what you can influence.

Barrier 4: Clarity And Uncertainty

If we are not clear about what we want, it is always going to be difficult to achieve it. Take the time to get clear and then do something to move forward even if you are uncertain of the outcome.

Barrier 5: Finding Fault In Others

It is easy to look externally to justify your lack of progress. This might be the case some of the time but often it is seeking to blame someone else for what you are not willing to do.

Barrier 6: Throwing In The Towel

Success and achievement is a marathon, not a sprint. If you are not willing to persevere and persist, you will never reach your peak.

Barrier 7: Lack Of Skills

Whenever you have a skills deficiency you have two choices. Get the support to get the skills or accept you are not going to progress. The choices you make determine your results.

Barrier 8: Procrastinating

My experience is that procrastinating just delays, gets you frustrated and stops you achieving. Get off the fence and start taking decisions and action now.

The Reality: It is easy to come up with 101 excuses for not achieving. In truth, if you keep taking decisions, taking action, get the skills and support you need, you greatly increase your chances of success.

Duncan Brodie helps professional people to fulfil their career potential so that they get the rewards and recognition they desire. Sign up for his free audio masterclass at www.goalsandachievements.co.uk.

We are coming to the end of another year. Like most of us, you probably started the year with some plans. Your plans might have been related to your work, career, business, family or some personal aspiration.

The chances are some things went according to plan, some spectacularly failed and some turned out okay but not quite how you anticipated. I know that, as I look back on the year, there were things I tried that failed in a big way.

For some, failing at all is devastating. For me it is all part of the process of achieving success. We all have our own definition of success. Some of the components that constitute success for me include:

• Having plenty of opportunity to contribute to the success of others.
• Being appropriately rewarded for the skills, experience and expertise I bring for those who work with me.
• Keeping a sense of balance between running a business and having the time to exercise and eat properly.
• Being able to grow, develop and take on new challenges.
• Being able to experiment and try things.

So as you think about planning for a new year, start by defining what success means for you. Taking this simple step will increase the chances of success and help you make the right choices.

So what do you hope to achieve in 2012?

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps professional people become great leaders and managers. Sign up for his free audio e-course Leadership Success at www.goalsandachievements.co.uk.

As a leader or manager, you are going to give a presentation to a meeting, team, suppliers, customers and even maybe the general public at some point.

For many presenting is a real challenge. In fact some claim that presenting is the thing people fear most. Interestingly it is also claimed that death is number 6 on the things people fear most.

So when you are getting ready to deliver a presentation, how can you get in the zone and deliver at your best time and time again? The truth is it will vary from person to person but here are a few options to consider.

• Take a Brisk Walk

Now this might not work for everyone but what I have found that taking a brisk walk is a great way of getting in the zone. If possible give it a try.

• Do Some Tongue Twisters

It is really easy to get tongue tied in a presentation. Using tongue twisters can be a great way of reducing the risk of getting tongue tied. Basically you repeat a phrase over and over, getting faster each time. Two of my favourites are ‘Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Pepper’ and ‘She Sells Sea Shells on the Sea Shore’.

• Deep Breathing

Taking a really deep breath in and exhaling slowly can slow down your heart rate and calm you down. This is really helpful if you know that you have a tendency to gallop through your presentation.

• Visualisation

Many people mentally go through and visualise themselves giving a great presentation. This is very common in sports but can be applied just as well to presentation preparation.

The truth is there is no right or wrong way to prepare for delivering a presentation and the key is to find what works best for you.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps professional people become great leaders and managers. Sign up for his free audio e-course, Leadership Success, at www.goalsandachievements.co.uk

The best performers in a particular profession are usually exceptionally good at what they do. As a result they often find themselves promoted into roles where the success they achieve no longer just depends on what they do but also on their ability to manage and get the best from others. For some it can be a struggle but often some simple things can make big differences to your success.

1. Promote Yourself

This might seem like a strange tip, but you really do need to step into your new role and recognise you are doing a different job. One of the common mistakes people make is to spend 100… of their time doing all of the things they previously did, leaving no time to manage.

2. Find Out What Makes You And Your Team Members Tick

If you are to effectively motivate yourself and other team members, you need to understand what motivates. Remember that what motivates you might turn others off completely. Some potential motivators include:

• Achieving deadlines
• Getting regular feedback
• Variety of projects
• Attendance at a training event or conference
3. Get Some 360° Feedback

One of the most powerful things you can do is to get some 360° feedback on your strengths and development needs. Pick a cross-section of bosses, peers and subordinates and ask them for feedback. If you self-assess and get feedback from others, you will get some clear insights.

4. Put A Development Plan In Place

As you move into a new role, you will have development needs. If you don’t, why have you taken the job? List out all of the skills, knowledge and personal attributes that you will need to perform at your best. Use you own and the 360° feedback to identify your development priorities. Use this information to set out quarterly development activities.

5. Make Time For Planning

If you are going to successfully respond to competing demands, you need to make sure you are focusing on the activities that matter. Make time weekly and daily to look at where you are spending your time. Key to effective multi-tasking is to make sure that you are responding to immediate needs and laying foundations for the future. Setting out the work schedule for the next quarter is an example of laying foundations for the future.

6. Get A Great Team To Support You

Having the right people around you, doing what they do best, is essential. Make time early on to review your team. If you find you have square pegs in round holes, do something about it. While it might be tempting to just to ignore the problem, it is not a good long-term strategy. It might be that the person who is not right for your team could be ideal in another part of the organisation that will utilise their strengths.

7. Find A Mentor, Buddy Or Coach

When you move into management it can be a lonely existence. It can feel like you are carrying the load of everyone and not having any support yourself. Finding a mentor, buddy or coach can offer you the opportunity to talk confidentially with someone who can act as a sounding board for you. There could be someone in your organisation or a previous boss or colleague who might be able to fulfil the role.

The Bottom Line: At the end of the day, moving into management is a major change for internal auditors. By recognising the challenges and taking steps to address them, you can ensure that you make a smooth and effective transition.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps professional people to become highly effective managers. He invites you to sign up for his free e-course, Management Mastery, at www.goalsandachievements.co.uk

You can buy additional memory for your computer to speed it up and make it work better. On the other hand, the amount of time you have in a day is fixed. What that means is we need to invest it wisely. So what are 10 time wasters to be alert to as a leader or manager?

1. Incomplete information which means you cannot take a decision.
2. Employees coming in with problems that are important to them but not urgent.
3. Telephone calls, including mobile phone calls, coming in on a totally random basis.
4. Routine tasks that should be taken care of by someone on your team being delegated upwards.
5. Poorly organised or poorly run meetings.
6. Attempting to do, or offering to do, too much in the time available.
7. Being overly optimistic in your estimates of how long things will take.
8. Procrastinating; either putting things off or leaving things partly completed.
9. Not listening and going off on the wrong track.
10. Not being willing to say ‘no’ when you are already fully utilised.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps professional people to become highly effective managers. He invites you to sign up for his free e-course, Management Mastery, at www.goalsandachievements.co.uk