Behind Every Great Team is a Great Coach

Focus: Coaching is essential to management success

Audio Lesson - Duration: 3 mins. 21 secs.  

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Behind Every Great Team is a Great Coach -The You Factor 

Word count: 397

Read time: appx. 1-2 min.
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Ever heard that phrase? Well, in the world of being a supervisor or manager (or even a corporate trainer for that matter) the same principle applies. You will go a long way in being the kind of manager or supervisor you want to be, if you understand this - YOU make the team!

What do I mean by that? The kind of person you are directly impacts the kind of team you will have. Have you ever observed or been a part of team or department in which the leader was dysfunctional?...not giving clear direction, ignoring employees not getting along, not doing what they say they’ll do, disrespecting team members.

These behaviors and many others impact the outcomes and performance of a team. The team’s lack of performance can be traced back to the kind of person/leader the manager was. The personality, the style in which they related to people, their ability to take charge and give clear direction all eventually impacted the team. Those qualities either help the team get results or impaired getting results.

The sad part?....in many cases the manager ends up blaming the team or specific members of the team for the lack of performance and it seems to be beyond them why things aren’t happening the way they think they should.

Applying C.P.R. - Not the Medical Kind

Focus: Employee Motivation, Performance Management, Management Success

Audio Lesson  - Duration: 3 mins. 21 secs.

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Applying C.P.R
Read time: appx. 2 mins.
Wc: 487 
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In this bite-audio lesson we’re going to be introducing a coaching and communication philosophy called C.P.R. That’s right C. P. R. Now I know you’ve heard of it in a different context – that is in the medical field, but it’s also a great technique and philosophy for managing a team and building great rapport with your employees.

So, what does CPR mean? CPR stands for – Compliments, Praise, and Recognition. Again - Compliments, Praise, and Recognition. Now there are three elements to applying, or administering CPR in the most effective way.

Those three elements include the following:

First,  you’d like for your CPR to be timely. That is to administer it at a time when it’s going to be the most meaningful. I don’t think it’s nearly as meaningful, or perhaps even motivating, to give someone a compliment six months, maybe a year out from when something was actually accomplished. So timely is very important.

Secondly, you want it to be specific. It’s very important to remember that when you give specific feedback, you’re actually reinforcing the desired behavior – both on a conscious level and also on a subconscious level. So you want it to be as specific as possible.

And then finally you want to be able to share some benefits of the behavior, the action or the outcome. So consider the benefits to you, the team, or even the company as you determine what benefits you want to share.

Here’s an example of how CPR might be applied. Sue’s an employee who is asked to compile quarterly sales figures for a client meeting. Sue took on that responsibility with a great attitude, and in fact the report was handed in on time, looked visually appealing, the numbers were laid out in such an effective way that it was very to read, and in fact made the client meeting go much smoother than expected.

As a side not, there are many cases throughout our workday when those kinds of things happen and the opportunity to apply a little CPR is missed. Sometimes it’s in the little things that actually have the biggest and most significant impact.

So here’s how a CPR conversation might go – “Sue, I really appreciate the work you did on that report. It was handed in on time, it looked great visually, and the numbers were laid out so well that the client meeting went much smoother than expected. Thanks again for a job well done. We all appreciate it – there was a lot less stress because of your work, and it helped to reinforce a good rapport with the client. Thanks again!

It’s amazing how just a little CPR can go such a long way. So I want to encourage you to begin to look for opportunities to apply a little CPR to your team.

Supporting lesson(s): Are you making deposits?, Managing is Conditioning

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Enable vs. Empower - Which Do You Do?

Focus: Management style

Audio Lesson - Duration: 2 mins. 20 secs.

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Enable vs. Empower – Which Management Style Do You Have?

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Wc: 285

Read time: 1-2 mins.

Today, in our bite-size audio lesson we’re going to talk about two different management styles So, I’ll begin by asking, in your management style are you more of an “empowerer” or an enabler.

Ok, what are those two, and then, how are they manifested? First of all, an empowerer is someone who relates as a manager in a way that helps their employee or their team members actually become competent in doing what they need to do. So they might provide the proper resources, provide the proper coaching; help them work towards the decision versus telling them what to do.

An enabling manager is one that keeps an employee from developing their potential. A great example of that is a manager who does not delegate to an employee. Delegation helps an employee to develop, perhaps, a new skill set, a new sense of responsibility around a particular area.

                                                              

Enabling means that we help someone continue in the behavior that actually we really don’t want! So let me ask you, in your management style, are you more of an enabler or more of an empowerer?

                                                              

Now, I know, sometimes, that’s in context. We may be one in one context and one in another. But what I’ve found is most managers have a tendency more towards one than the other, and sometimes, that’s based on personality type as well. 

                                                              

However, for our bite-size tip for today, I’d like for you to consider which one you have a more natural propensity towards, being an enabler or being an empowerer and then consider how you need to adjust your relating style to get the outcomes you really want.

What the Heck is Management? - Are You Doing it?

Focus: Defining management

Audio duration: 2 mins. 02 secs.

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What the Heck is Management -  Are You Doing it?

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WC: 233

Read time: 1-2 mins. 

In order to find out the answer to this pressing question, I went directly to Webster’s – my ultimate source in definitions. Here’s what I found:
Manage is defined as follows: to handle or direct with some degree of skill…

Ok to handle or direct what – specifically?

Which brought me to wanting to gain a deeper understanding of the word skill … here goes: skill – the ability to use one’s knowledge effectively and readily in execution or performance - learned power of doing something competently: developed aptitude or ability.

Alright, there you have it. Managing is using knowledge effectively, readily, competently, from a developed aptitude to handle or direct…AND THERE IN lies the rub.

How many managers actually have knowledge, competencies and a developed aptitude? And ….how many managers really know what they are handling and directing.

Hey if you’re a manager reading this, I’m on your side! This is yet another case for management training. Here’s my tip as it relates to this information:  I recommend you develop very precise answers to those questions.

I know that in many industries these days, those answers are moving targets – even more the reason to stay on top of them. Those answers are the keys to you being effective in your role. By the way, those answers may not even be in your job description…hum…

It's Not About You

Focus: Management Success, Professional Success

Audio Lesson – 3 mins. 17 secs.

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IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU!

Read time: 1-2 mins.

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WC: 341

Many managers come into situations where they inherit a team or a new team is formed due to their promotion.

Want a very important survival mind-set? It’s not about you! When you begin to interact with your new team, you’re going to get some reactions and those reactions many not be all good. In many cases, initially, the team member is not necessarily reacting to you, BUT to their former conditioning….even as far back as their childhood! 

Think about it; how could they be reacting to you when they don’t even know you! What they are reacting to is the behavior that is a trigger to a similar behavior from their past experiences. They are reacting to what that behavior triggered in them...NOT YOU!

Now, after many months of managing them, where a relationship pattern has been established, it may then be about you. But initially - more than likely – it’s not!

You may want to put a post-it note on your computer that says exactly that, “It’s not about me!”

Related to this concept is that of newness and fear…

This is also important to consider when working with new team members:  understanding the role that fear plays in the context of new. It’s all very subtle you know, but in many cases when a relationship is new, particularly when there is power involved, there is an unconscious fear of the unknown.   The level of fear, by the way, depends a lot on the maturity and self esteem of the person involved.

What are they afraid of?...what kind of manager you will be, how you will use your power, will they be able to work with and get along with you...etc. Knowing this is very useful, acting on it is even more so!

Coaching tip: I would encourage you to actively develop a rapport of trust as quickly as possible so that the fear does not become an issue. By the way, the absence of “active development” can actually feed the fear, because the unknown persists.

Your Employees - Do You Really Know Them?

Focus: Employee Motivation, Performance Management, Management Success

Audio duration: 1 min. 52 secs. 

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YOUR EMPLOYEES – DO YOU REALLY KNOW THEM?

Wc: 170

Read time: less than 1 min. 

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Another essential element in motivating employees is knowing them – really knowing. I’ve found we work a lot on assumptions when it comes to knowing our team. In many cases we particularly assume they have the same values we do. Values impact motivation.

This assuming has really come to light in recent years due to the increase in generation diversity in the work place. Baby boomers are finding it hard to manage Gen-Xers and Gen-Ys. Why?...because their values are different. In a great book I highly recommend entitled, Generation X, there’s a quote worth sharing, “Baby Boomers work to live, Gen Xers live to work.” That quote reflects two completely different approaches to the role work plays in their lives. The difference in the role of work reflects different values and how and why they work.

So, do you really know your employees? It’s worth discovering what unique values each of your team members have, so that you can work with them in getting the outcomes you need from your team.

New Roles for Managers

Focus: These roles probably aren't in your job description!

Audio: 4 mins. 14 secs.

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New Roles for Managers

Wc: 495 
Transcript - print now

As the challenges of the 21^st century workplace are changing, so is the role that a manager plays. In order for a manager to be competent and effective in today’s workplace a greater knowledge and understanding of an enhanced definition of manager is required.

Here are three functions that a few years ago, a traditional manager would not have had to be concerned with.

Function 1: A Coach and Developer

For all intense and purposes the traditional type of leadership has changed. (Though in my travels I am surprised discovered that in many companies this style exists; but to their detriment.) In the 40’s & 50’s the most common form of leadership was command and control. I define it as, “I think, I tell you, you do.”

Due to the dramatic change in workplace make up – more women in management, newer generations, and the arrival of the dot com era, that leadership style proved to be ineffective in meeting those specific needs.

What has proven more successful if a style of leadership – management role of coach? The coaching style of management comprises as element not found in command and control and that is development.   When a manager is developing an employee they are helping that person grow in their capabilities to enlarge their capacity to contribute to the organization. This is quite beneficial in the long run, as the company’s return on investment for every salary dollar spent increases.

Function 2: Career Advisor

These days, with job descriptions and performance needs ever evolving managers with hiring authority have got to be able to hire the team members that are the best fit. And the definition of best fit goes way beyond can they just barely do the job. But additionally, how well will they work with the team, can they be flexible and adapt as new demands surface or does the job type match their personality. It takes an informed manager to be able to make those decisions in collaboration with their Human Resource department.

Function 3: Teacher

This is perhaps the most unique of the three. Here’s a shocking statistic – the average American reads at about a six grade level.  No matter what strata, however, when we hire we make assumptions about capabilities. In reality, every person who walks through our corporate doors on some level needs to continue to learn, as does the manager. So continually educating our team members on a variety of professional needs serves them, you, and the company. In the long run, this could eliminate or at least greatly reduce many headaches. The mantra – “keep educating”. 

One manager I met in my travels has a book of the month club for his team. They collectively choose topics that will improve the performance of the entire group. What a great idea!

I suspect that these three functions may not appear on many job descriptions, yet they are critical to the success of managers in the 21^st century.

Effective Management - Choices in Time Usage

Focus: Management Success, Time Management

Audio: 1 min. 49 secs.

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Being Effective in Management
wc: 599
Transcript - print now

This lesson is in compliment to others on the topic of  time and priority management. In other audios in the library, we talk about the principle of being efficient. And we talk about the differences between being efficient and being effective. 

In this audio, we’re going to talk about being effective in the context of being a manager. You know, it’s amazing how you can get a lot of things done, and then, have essential elements of our job performance either fall through the cracks or not get the attention that it actually needs. And not giving attention to those things actually takes up more time in the long run and that speaks to being effective. 

Here’s an example. Let’s say that a manager has a couple of members of their team that are not performing up to par. And instead of that manager taking the time to coach them, to give them attention, to help them in their performance, they, in fact, are sort of left dangling themselves. Yet that manager’s still very busy and getting a lot of things done. 

In the long run, however, that’s going to cost the manager time because, let’s say, the manager does take the time to coach those employees, to help them improve their performance, or even find out that they’re not going to improve their performance. That is really being more effective; taking the time to do that though it might not be an immediate pressing issue. 

So really the challenge of being effective is that sometimes the things that feel very urgent are keeping us from doing the things that we need to do to help us be more effective. 

Effective is then defined as doing the best things at the best times. Or the right things at the right time so that you can, in an overall strategy, save time, improve your performance, and be able to get the outcomes that you want as well. So that’s a distinction between being efficient and being effective.

The Cheapest Employee Training Ever

Focus: Employee Training, Management Success

Audio: 3 mins. 31 secs.

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Cheapest Training Ever                                                                      

Wc: 599
Transcript - print now

Welcome to another bite-size audio lesson on how to be a more effective manager. If you haven’t listened to the T equals F equals B audio I encourage you to do that first, as this particular bite-size lesson is a follow-up to that audio. 

As promised, I was going to give you an audio clip on the Cheapest Training You Could Ever Get for 50 Bucks. You know I had a colleague who was very frustrated with his team and very frustrated with the training within his organization and he wanted to have more of an impact on the performance of his team. First thing we talked about is shifting his attitude and feelings about training.

It’s my belief, and it’s very obvious, that the true trainers of an organization are actually the managers, not necessarily the corporate trainers. The corporate trainers in my view are the corporate educators. The day-to-day supervisors are actually the true trainers of an organization.

Well, once he accepted that responsibility then we talked about the T F B formula. That thinking impacts feelings impacts behavior. We talked about ways of influencing the thinking of his team and one way I suggested was to get them to start reading books, reading materials that directly impact their thinking. I happen to be a training partner to Rockhurst University, which I’m very grateful for, and they have these really cool, what we call “skinny” books, or 60-minute learning series. They are very thin, we call them “Starbucks Books” because you can read them over a “latte”.

I gave him a list of those books and asked him to pick a title that he though his team would be interested in reading and so he picked out the “skinny” book about goal-setting. He bought one book for each of his team members. Now ironically, those books are very inexpensive, between 10 and 12 dollars each, and so he was able to acquire five books for around 50 bucks.

He distributed the books to his team and he asked his team to take the time within the next month to read it and then asked someone to volunteer to give a book report and they would do that at the staff meeting. A month went by and they all got together in the staff meeting and several people volunteered to share what they got out of the book.

As a collective team, my friend facilitated what were all the things that they learned from reading the book and they came up with a top five list and then he asked them, okay, of the elements that you learned of the top five which one would you as a team like to put into practice over the next month or two. They all collectively identified one top learning principle from goal-setting that they all put into practice and then they tracked their performance over the next three months. Ironically, with just that little input his team’s performance went up exponentially. He was shocked!

Total cost of that training?...around 50 bucks. It ended up being the most effective training that he could ever done. And why was that? Because the thinking was influenced along with the fact that he did use what I call collaborative peer pressure to impact performance. But that’s for another audio bite-size tip. For now it’s about understanding that we do have to impact thinking to impact performance or behavior and that’s just a great and very simple example and a very cost effective example of how to improve the performance of your team.

Are You Making Deposits?

Focus: Employee Motivation, Management Success, Performance Management

Audio Lesson - Duration: 1 min. 27 secs.

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ARE YOU MAKING DEPOSITS?

Word Ct: 161

Read time: 1 min.
Transcript - print now

Sounds like an odd question, doesn’t it? Yet, knowing what this means is essential to successful management in motivating employees.

Each employee has something known as an emotional bank. Depending on what’s going on during a work day, that emotional bank either gets deposits or withdrawals. 

So, if you are pleasant to that employee, you say thank you or communicate that you appreciate the work they do; you are making “deposits” in their emotional bank.

If on the other, you let a negative employee reign in the group (I call them toxic) or you are hyper critical of the work of the employee, that would result in withdrawals. 

Why does that matter? The emotional bank of an employee is the hub or their individual motivation. You, as a manager, have a significant opportunity to keep an employee motivated with this knowledge.

Coaching Tip: Create an ongoing plan to continually make deposits in the emotional bank of your employees.

T=F=B

Focus: Employee Training, Employee Motivation, Performance Management, Management Success

Audio duration: 4 mins. 13 secs.

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T=F=B

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wc:573

As we continue with laying a strong foundation for being a successful and effective manager, it’s important to understand that what will help you be so is learning about you operate and in that continuing to commit to your own personal development and self management. 

Also, all the lessons included in this management training series through out the year hinges on your understanding of the concept I am now about to introduce to you.

The concept is T = F = B and I’ll explain in the context of what I call reverse management training.

It’s been my observation that in many management training programs there has been taught a reverse way of how to train, manage and develop employees. Now what do I mean by that? 

In general when most people go to a management training they go to learn how to impact, modify or develop the behavior of their team so that they can get different and hopefully better outcomes. What’s interesting about that is when you understand how the brain works and you understand human behavior, talking about and only talking about impacting behavior is actually reversed.

Here’s what we should be thinking, in fact if you have a sheet of paper I want to encourage you to write down this formula. The formula begins with the letter T, T impacts F impacts B. So it’s T as in Tom, F as in Frank, B as in Boy. So what does the formula stand for? The T stands for think, the F stands for feel and B stands for behavior. In reality, this is how we operate.

When we experience an event, the first thing that happens both on a conscious level and on a sub-conscious level is we generate thinking around that event and that thinking usually is an interpretation of the event or experience that we have. Whatever we think then generates feelings about that event and depending on our personality types, the intensity of those feelings are on a scale of 1 to 10. Then those feelings shape, influence and dictate how we behave or how we will respond to the event.

In most management training, that formula is not taught and additionally very little is taught about how to address the beginning of that formula. How many times have you been to a management training and there’s been some time really focused on how to influence the thinking of an employee. Actually that’s in a way what makes management “kinda” hard; we’re trying to work with the end of the formula rather than address the beginning. I submit to you that if we spent more time cultivating the thinking of our team members that there would be a direct impact on their performance or their behavior. 

And that brings us back to you. It’s essential that you understand this is how you work also and that’s why we will be spending the next few lessons and will continue to have lessons under the theme of The Management Mindset to help you developing thinking like a manager. That needs to be a conscious transition in order to ensure your success and competence!

Action: Use this formula as a coaching tool for yourself and your team members. With it, you’ll be able to manage your thinking and emotions to ensure the outcomes you want and to be able to identify any counterproductive activity that’s undermining what you really want to occur

The Management Dilemma - Do You Really Want to Be One?

Focus: Management Success, Professional Success, Career Planning

Audio Lesson - Duration: 4 mins. 41 secs.

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The Management Dilemma - Do You Really Want to Be One?

Wc: 648

I recently ran across a staggering statistic the other day. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there are 6,000,000 plus employees in the country who hold the title of manager (and that does not include those who hold the title of supervisor).

I’m going to guess that of those, very few laid in bed at night as little tikes saying, “Yes, when I grow up some day, I want to be a manager!” 

So, I’m going to make a bold proclamation right here, right now and say that there are millions of people slaving away in cubicles or in the lucky office with the window that REALLY don’t want to do what they’re doing.  But, they have to – they have no choice…really.

No choice? Well they do and they don’t. With the typical (and I believe antiquated) career path design present in most companies today… “have to” is real if a career is to be built and more money is to be made.

The inevitable need in the structure of any business is to manage it. Every component of a business needs to be attended to so the outcomes can be attained.

As business has evolved over the years, various components have come and gone. There use to be the need of managing a typing pool (some of your reading this article probably have no idea what that is)…boy, those days are long gone! Now there’s a need to manage the networks that connect the computers that replaced the typewriters.

One element of managing a business that has never gone away is that of managing the people who function in the context of the many business components. Managing the people is a needed role that I call the “default role” in business.

Why default? It’s my belief that many managers do not really want to be a manager per sae. They are managers by default. They were good at executing key functions and that qualified them to oversee other people who were doing those functions….whether they could actually oversee them effectively or not.

In many cases this has presented some challenges. Many of the skills necessary for effective oversight are outside the scope of what they were good at before. And, many were asked to move into this role without:

-identifying key skills necessary to be competent in the role

-determining their own level of competency of those skills

-and then acquiring training to fill the gaps.

Sound familiar? Well over the past several years, I’ve discovered this very fact as I’ve traveled across North America conducting management and leadership workshops.    I learned that only a small percentage of that six million have adequately been trained to be competent in this essential business function.

The irony?....this role impacts EVERYTHING!!!...yet it doesn’t get the attention it deserves.

In truth, this role is so essential, that the way it’s viewed and treated needs to be elevated to that of a profession. Ok...think about that last statement….a profession…not a pseudo profession, not a default role, but a REAL profession.

Now I know there are people out there that do, even if unconsciously. But I believe that the vast majority of employees in the work place today do not consider the role of management a profession and for some not even an admirable one. I know there are plenty of reasons for that.

Let’s collectively as a management community elevate the game so to speak. Even if you are a “manager by default”, professionalism can still be your mantra. This lesson is all about making a conscious decision..."yes I want to be a manager..not I have to...but I WANT to." 

Honestly, if at some point you really can't say that with heart....then it's time to start lookin' for another job.

Are You a Parent or a Manager?

Focus: Management Success, Management Insight 

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Are You a Parent or a Manager?

Wc: 365

Transcript - print now

I bet there’s been a day or two when you have thought that or felt that way. When I conduct a management training workshop, sometimes I’ll ask, “How many feel like you left the kids back at the office.”…..many people raise their hand.

Here are two issues related to parenting that would be useful to be aware of, if you are a manager:

Issue #1: How you were parented influences how you manage. That might sound odd, but its true. Your experience and conditioning in the context of authority and power as a child have all been recorded in your subconscious mind. When you are put into that situation again, now with you as the authority figure, what will you naturally draw on to direct your behavior?....the resource or reference point already developed in your brain, your pre-mapped experiences. What’s important to realize is this is not necessarily done on purpose or consciously. You may be quite unaware that this is even happening. 

In fact how many of you have said, “I will never be like that when I grow up” and then find yourselves acting the same way in certain contexts the same as your parents…see?

Now, depending on the kind of behaviors, reactions and responses you want to have as a manager those pre-mapped experiences might serve you well…or not. 

What’s important?...be aware of them so that you can determine on purpose the kind of behaviors you want to have as a manager.

Issue #2: If you are a parent at home, sometimes those same relating styles get exhibited at work. Again this not necessarily good, bad, right or wrong, it’s just important to be aware of this and determine what’s useful or not.

In the case of moms for example, “mom behaviors” in excess can prove to be harmful. For example: being over protective of a team member, doing for them rather than helping them do, being too controlling vs. realizing they are adults with adult boundaries….etc.

Tip: Try to identify what of these two areas are currently influencing your management style/ behaviors and determine what’s useful and what’s not. Then take steps to adjust them.

Manager as Developer

Date: April 30, 2012
Editor's Notes: I will be previewing over the next few weeks management training- coaching lessons that will eventually be included in the new Mobile Training & Coaching APP for managers and individual contributors committed to their own professional development.

If you are interested in being the first to know about it's release - email me at - joann@trainbymobile.com, and I'll put you on the list.


Focus: Management Success

Enhancing the Role of Manager in 21^st Century Workplace

Audio duration: 3 mins. 01 secs.

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Manager as Developer – Enhancing the Role of Manager in 21^st Century Workplace 

WC: 436

Transcript - print now

Have you ever thought about the connection between management and photography? I love photography.  I actually developed that love from a friend who had a dark room in his apartment.  I particularly love black and whites and I had the opportunity to acquire a cool camera to express that new found love. 

The bonus to knowing this friend?...I got to be in the dark room and watch the pictures I took develop.  I loved the process of watching what I had seen and captured through the lens slowly come into full view in the chemical wash. 

I see management in the 21^st century workplace in a similar way.  These days, just supervising the activities of employees doesn’t seem enough to meet ever changing business needs and to maintain our company’s competitive edge.  The need to retain talent, the different generations and levels of maturity that comprise our teams members call for a kind of management that can make the most of everyone’s capabilities. 

That’s where the role of developer comes into play. My old trusty friend Webster defines develop as follows: to make visible or manifest, to work out the possibilities, to cause to unfold gradually.  My favorite from that list is “to work out the possibilities.”  

As we exercise the role of developer, how satisfying would it be to nurture and facilitate in an employee what’s possible; perhaps a needed characteristic that, up until our involvement, was weak or nonexistent? 

And there in lies the connection between photography and managers who develop.  We get to look for and identify what’s possible, then take a snapshot of what we see and help that characteristic, talent, or skill come into existence. 

What a great opportunity to exert leadership.  I just bet there will be many times in which we’ll be able to see what’s possible when a team member does not.  That, by the way, is having vision, seeing for them, seeing when they cannot.  We can move from manager to mentor and what a meaningful and satisfying place to be. 

I recommend that time be taken to assess what’s possible and needed to develop for each team member.  Next, sit down and talk with each of them about what you see in them; share your vision. Then, ask them what they see and together begin to create a plan to realize that vision. 

A final note: there is an additional benefit to this experience. Besides going from manager to mentor, you’ll also enhance your relationship by adding the qualities of collaboration and partnership.

Manager as Coach - Active vs. Passive Management

Focus: Management Success, New Management Roles

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Manager as Coach

Active vs. passive management

Wc: 179 

Transcript - print now 

The most effective relating style I’ve seen is that of coaching.  In its purest form, a coach is described as one who tutors, instructs or trains; one who instructs players in the fundamentals of a competitive sport and directs team strategy.  The action verbs included above paints a picture of a manager who is proactive, consciously involved with a team member or for our discussion an employee.   

I believe to have highly productive teams; teams need managers who are coaches, who are strategically active in facilitating targeted outcomes.
So ask yourself:    

-    Do you see yourself as a coach?   

-    Have you adapted that role in your mindset?

-    Do you demonstrate a coaching relating style when working with members of your team?

-    Do your team members feel “coached”, parented or dictated to?  

I recommend that you create a plan on how you will develop the qualities associated with effective coaching.  It’s not only a good career management strategy, but also could help avoid or address some negative team challenges. 

Handwritten Thank You Note

Focus: Employee Motivation, Management Success

Audio: 2 mins. 26 secs.

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Handwritten Note

Wc: 436
Transcript - print now

Here’s another in a series of ideas on how to apply C.P.R. to your team. If you’ve not listened to the introductory recording on applying CPR, let me encourage you to do that first. You know, C.P.R. is about infusing life into your team, feeding their motivation, and making deposits in their emotional and psychological fuel cells. 

Recently, there was a survey done among a certain segment of the healthcare population. And one of the questions that was posed in the survey was this: If you could get anything from your boss, what would it be? 

The number one most popular answer was this, a handwritten thank you note from my boss. Wow! We think handwritten and thank you notes are somewhat a thing of the past. But you know what? I think they probably should come back. 

I recently encountered a manager at a workshop that I conducted that did exactly that. But she added one other element to it that I think is worth your consideration. You know, she had one hundred and fifty employees and, you know, that’s astonishing enough. And in an effort to express to her employees how much she appreciated them, she did write a handwritten thank you note to every member of her staff. 

However, rather than distributing them at work, she thought it would be much more effective and have much more impact to actually send the handwritten thank you notes to their homes. You know, I thought, “How brilliant. What a great idea!” 

You know the place of recognition in every home that is tried and true? You know that refrigerator? I would suspect that even for the shyest employees, to have that handwritten thank you note posted on that refrigerator would be a great source of pride. 

You know, they would get to see it in the privacy of their own space every day, and also, to be able to display it to their other family members. You know, as a parent, to model for their kids. Boy, that would go a long way in motivating an employee on an ongoing basis. Talk about making lots of deposits in their emotional and psychological fuel cells. 

Let me encourage you to consider this idea for applying C.P.R. to your team. Consider a handwritten thank you note sent to your employees’ home.