Ping Pong Ball or Bat?

The volume of emails received on a daily basis has been described by managers as a significant cause of stress, a sense of loss of control, and a reduction in productive performance levels.

In 1964 Eric Webster wrote ‘How to Win the Business Battle’ in which he established that managers:

•  Spend less than an hour alone each day;
•  Get interruptions on average every 8 minutes;
•  Spend around 18% of their time being ‘creative’;         
• Spend more time talking than thinking;
• Allow the business to run them, rather than them run the business – being reactive rather proactive, and
• Have as much mastery over their environment as a ping pong ball.

These observations were made before the advent of the internet and the introduction of the blessed email – so what, if anything, has changed?  Nothing.

On a daily basis, at any point where we break for ten minutes, almost as one person everyone reaches for the mobile phone, and checks their voice mails and email messages.  Every break is the same and at the end of a stretching day where concentration has been demanding, people go off to their rooms not to relax but to ‘catch-up’ with the emails they feel they have to respond to.

In an article by Graham Allcott ‘Trainer’s tip: How to take back control of your email inbox’ http://tinyurl.com/6zpvwvw  he points out that research carried out by the Universities of Glasgow and Paisley discovered that one third of email users get stressed by the heavy volume of emails they received.

There is a common belief that one must respond to emails as though they are all urgent, but the impact of this response is reducing the quality of performance in other areas such as reflective thinking, creativity and quality of performance.

• Only 16% of managers have had training in how to use their email system effectively and how to manage their emails.
• Managers feel overwhelmed by the number of emails they receive every day with 84% stating that they receive unnecessary emails and dread looking at their inbox.

So what are the keys to more effective email management?  When we run email workshops we work on the following:

•         Reduce the amount of time you spend dealing with emails
•         Manage your inbox and reduce unwanted items
•         Reduce the stress you feel in managing your emails
•         Improve the quality of emails you send and receive
•        Reduce the number of emails you receive
•         Get better responses to the emails you send

If I had to pick one technique to help take back control and to reduce
stress levels it would be ‘manage your Inbox’.

Two simple actions:


Stop the system pinging to tell you that an email has been received. This is a constant distraction, you interrupt yourself and stopping and starting other work is very costly in time and performance quality.  So if you don’t know how to turn off the message that appears and constantly tempts you away from your work, on Outlook it works like this:

• On the top ribbon click on ‘Tools
• Select ‘Options’
• Select ‘ Preferences’
• Go to ‘E mail Options’
• Select ‘Advanced e mail Options’
• Under the heading: ‘When new items arrive in my Inbox’ Clear the tick box ‘Display a new mail delivery alert (default Inbox only)’
• Apply and then sit back and concentrate on your current piece of work

You decide when to take a look at the Inbox. Then ask yourself these questions:

1. Am I handling emails more than once?
2. Do I have an effective email filing system? Try the following: 

• Use an @sign at the beginning of a folder to bring it to the top of your list.
• Set up an @Action folder for items you need to react to and prioritise it using the system.
• Diarise when actions need to be completed.  
• To place an email in your calendar:

a) Highlight the relevant email

b) Go to edit, then Copy

c) Go to your calendar and select the relevant date and time

d) Paste email at the bottom of your calendar entry

e) Complete the subject line and timings

• Use flags for follow up
• Do not use your Inbox as a storage facility

There are so many ways you can manage your emails and take back control. Don’t allow yourself to be the ping pong ball, make yourself the bat.

Try Thinking of Yourself as an Aphid

Aphids probably appeared around 280 million years ago, in the early Permian period.  One of the keys to their evolutionary success is that they are parthenogenic - in other words they are asexual.

I’m not a feminist, but for the past thirty five years I have been told that very shortly women will be equal in the workplace.  The Equal Pay act was passed in 1970 and yet in September 2011, forty-one years later the dinner ladies at Sheffield City Council took their claim for equal pay to the Supreme Court. 

Equality means equal workloads; equal rewards and equal opportunities, and it's the equal opportunities that I want to talk about.

A report recently published by McKinsey & Co. found a positive correlation between higher levels of company performance and the proportion of women on the executive board, and they are not alone, there are numerous pieces of evidence which show that generally women bring balance and an effective leadership style into organisations.

The Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) has just published a report entitled ‘Ambition and Gender Report'. http://tinyurl.com/3tdc6zu

Amongst other things the report examines the factors impacting on women's career progressions.  Here are some of the interesting findings:

• In 2009-10 57% of first degree graduates were women.
• 49.4% of the UK workforce are women.
• 12% of FTSE 100 directorships are held by women (Cranfield School of Management latest annual report).
• 22% of senior management positions are held by women.

The broad findings suggest that:

"Men have higher levels of self confidence than women; this was evidenced by more than 50% of the women interviewed admitting to feelings of self-doubt relating to their performance and career compared to 31% of men.  In addition women were described as being more cautious in applying for jobs and promotions.  20% of men said they would apply for a role even if they were only partially able to meet the requirements of the job description." 

In terms of learning and development, whether it's workshops, skills training, or facilitating senior management meetings, I consistently work with groups made up of a majority of men.  Naturally maternity breaks and childcare issues take their toll, but there is more to it than that.

I have never yet met a business woman who was in favour of positive discrimination or who did not want to be judged on their own merits.  So where are the women at a more senior level?

I often find women to be very self aware in their roles, and this level of awareness seems sometimes to make them question their ability to perform as effectively or as confidently as their male counterparts.  Frequently women seem very conscious of their gender comparing themselves unfavourably to men.

By comparison, men do not appear to me conscious of their gender - they simply get on with it!

Perhaps the aphid has something we can learn from:

• They are not concerned with their gender.
• They are soft bodied and generally have little protection, although they can excrete a fluffy coating which can stop predators getting dangerously close to them.
• They have a wide variety of predators and parasites, but by forming a mass they are less likely to be predated.

I strongly believe the opportunities are there - but women have to be more self-confident, be less aware of their gender and just go for it.

I suggest try thinking of yourself as a person (or an aphid) -  it has worked for me.

Further reading: http://tinyurl.com/6j7up44 'Women's promotion opportunities'

http://tinyurl.com/3ev7zas 'Four ways women hold themselves back'

A Leader without Followers is not a Leader

A great deal has been written about leadership styles.  For years psychologists have attempted to classify what, if any, are the traits that indicate leadership potential (Trait theory).  Unfortunately there have been few definitive indicators.

But what makes people become 'Followers' rather than those who simply acquiesce?

 According to Burns ‘Transactional’ leaders:

·         are aware of the link between effort and reward;

·         are responsive with their basic orientation dealing with present issues;

·         rely on standard forms of inducement, reward, punishment and sanction to control followers;

·         motivate followers by setting goals and promising rewards for desired performance

·         depend on their (position) power to reinforce subordinates for their successful completion of the bargain.

Whereas ‘Transformational’ leaders inspire followers to change their levels of personal motivation, perception and their expectations of themselves.  They do this through the strength of their vision and their personality. They inspire their followers to work towards organisational goals and ensure that each person is committed and wants to be a part of the whole.  Bill Gates and Richard Branson and would fall into this style of leadership.

Bernard Bass talked about the Transformational leader ‘garnering’ trust, respect and admiration from their followers.  He suggested that charisma was ‘necessary but not sufficient’.

How often have we experienced what has been described as ‘pseudo charismatic leadership’? Where the message is initially enticing, but it subsequently turns out to be underpinned by a lack of ethical values or morality.  Where one might have been temporarily a follower, you are later left with a sense having been inappropriately influenced.

Charismatic leadership?

This type of behaviour has resulted in the description of ‘charismatic leadership’ being seen by many as negative, superficial or manipulative.  Interestingly when searching for illustrations for this article I searched under the word 'charismatic leadership' and found the picture on the right:

But in my experience nothing could be further from the truth.  Sometimes people ask if I have ever met a truly transformational leader.  One who is charismatic, without being manipulative, a person you would willingly follow, trust and who made you feel valued?  The simple answer is: YES.

I have met two such leaders.  I have been lucky enough to have worked for one of them.  A man who met every one of the 11 criteria described by Valerie Stewart in her book ‘The David Solution: How to Reclaim Power and Liberate Your Organisation'.  In nearly 30 years I have never been disappointed, I always feel valued and inspired to push myself beyond what I thought I could achieve.

I wonder how many leaders there are like this in the financial services sector?

If you want to read a bit more about transactional and transformational leadership take a look at these web sites: http://tinyurl.com/6kuae2t     and   http://tinyurl.com/5rkaxa7

Iain McGilchrist: The divided brain | Video on TED.com

A fantastic and thought provoking video - a MUST for anyone who is interested in what makes our brains tick. 11 minutes of your life well spent.

Iain McGilchrist: The divided brain | Video on TED.com

Motivating Your Team - Art or Science?

During the current economic environment organisations are responding to market conditions by changing structures (often downsizing), priorities and how tasks and workloads are resourced.  Motivating staff at the same time as maintaining or increasing outputs whilst keeping control of overheads is a challenge many managers are facing.

Understanding and applying the usual models such as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs causes a paradox.  On the one hand we want our staff to perform well and be positive organisational citizens focused on the needs of the organisation and the current demands of the task, whilst at the same time if the ‘lower order of needs’ such as job security are in a state of flux it is naturally challenging for staff to focus and feel motivated.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

However as organisations manage their change strategies, whether or not jobs are secure, whether or not social needs are met and teams remain intact, managers need to consider equity.

John Adams

In the early 1960s John Adams, a behavioural psychologist identified a tangible link between how ‘fairly’ people perceived they were treated by their employer and their level of motivation and thus performance.  Conversely employees can become de-motivated both in relation to their job and their employer, if they feel as though their efforts or ‘inputs’ are greater than the ‘outputs’ (the benefits).  http://tinyurl.com/5uezgvt

Employees may respond to this perception of disparity by behaviours that range from acting in a disgruntled manner or reducing their effort right through to being disruptive.  Alternatively, if the theory is accurate, employees who consider that even in a difficult period they are treated ‘fairly’, will help build a strong and productive relationship with their employer, feeling contented and motivated.

           INPUTS                                                                  OUTPUTS

              Effort                                                                                                 Recognition

              Loyalty                                                                                              Reputation

              Hard work                                                                                         Responsibility

              Commitment                                                                                    Sense of achievement

              Skill                                                                                                   Praise

              Ability                                                                                                Stimulus

              Adaptability                                                                                      Sense of advancement/growth

              Flexibility                                                                                          Job security

              Tolerance                                                                                          (as well as salary, benefits etc.)

              Determination

              Enthusiasm

              Trust in superiors

              Support of colleagues

              Personal sacrifice

                                                                                                        

These ideas are not revolutionary, as Hertzberg described years before Adams Equity Theory, motivation is met through either ‘intrinsic’ and/or ‘extrinsic´ factors. 

The big difference is that Adams draws attention to the fact that we are constantly comparing and benchmarking our own experience against those around us.  So organisations and their managers at corporate, departmental and team levels are being benchmarked and compared to the way others are treated, and not just those within the organisation.

Offering staff recognition, responsibility, praise (feedback) and a personal sense of being valued costs little to the organisation and can have a major impact on the culture of the organisation, the ‘outputs’ or results achieved the motivation of individuals.

Motivation theories may have a scientific and comprehensively researched background, but a manager’s response needs to be creative, intelligent and specific to the needs of teams and individuals – thus an art.

Mind Mapping Can Make You Happier!

Tony Buzan first introduced the concept of mind mapping in the late 60’s, and during the 60’s and 70’s he wrote his first books to introduce his ideas and techniques to the rest of the world.  The basis of mind maps combines the use of words, colours and pictures in a way which has a myriad of uses and applications to individuals and by extension to organisations.

Whilst lots of people find mind mapping a great way of developing and releasing ideas; enabling them to bring structure to disparate thoughts, there are still many who are either reticent or even sceptical.

Buzan suggests that those who fall into this latter category might see the images created as primitive, childish and immature.  It can therefore be quite challenging to introduce the theories, techniques and skills required to less receptive organisations.

Personally I love using mind maps.  I was trained in the early 80’s and have never looked back.  I use them for note taking, taking consultancy briefs and of course programme planning where relationships between ideas could never be captured by lateral notes.

Now when I work with groups, by providing large sheets of paper (A3 is ideal), some coloured felt tip pens and plenty of encouragement it is amazing how those who have a go are surprised at the pleasure they get from the results of their efforts, and how effective their mind maps can be. 

Helen MacKinlay, of MacKinlay Minds promotes the benefits of doodling in her article “Doodle to Help you Think”.  Based on the same broad concept as mind mapping, Helen describes how people who doodle during meetings or whilst on the phone are more engaged and have higher levels of retention, certainly than those who sit and daydream.

As a result of her article which you can access by clicking on this link http://tinyurl.com/6f6xmnf I have been inspired to buy a note book of the type she describes.  I’ll let you know how I get on.

But I am not the only person promoting the values of mind mapping. Check out the following blog from Paul Foreman from Mindmap Inspiration with his latest mindmap on “Ideas shared are ideas aired” http://tinyurl.com/6xt5j3p 

There has never been a better time to give mind mapping a go with Think Buzan offering the latest software version of iMindMap 5 on free trial for 7 days info@thinkbuzan.com .

Go on, give yourself a chance to use this technique, it may even make you happier!

I would love to know how you get on.

Customer Service - gone mad!

Introduction

Blogging is a relatively new phenomenon which has only been around for about 10 years.  Finally in response to requests from client companies and delegates I am going to use this blog as a medium to keep in touch with both on current development issues and points of view.

I also intend to use this blog as part of my own personal development and CPD.  

Anyone who has met me will know that before starting this blog I will have read around the history, background and what makes a good blog.

It was a very strange sensation sitting in front of an empty screen ready to make a start.  An experience that anyone about to start an assignment will recognise.

So, off I blog....

Customer Service gone mad!

This week on my way to a training venue, I stopped off at a pizza restaurant to eat.  I was a bit surprised when the woman welcoming me started the conversation with ‘How can I help you?’  The obvious response would be ‘A table for one’, but because of the question I was sorely tempted to ask if she could arrange to service my car; if she was able to recommend a dog suitable for an asthmatic or what the best route would be to my destination; there were so many things I would find helpful.

This approach to customer service drives me mad.  Yes we want an organisation’s approach to customer service to be consistent, helpful and welcoming, but surely what we really want as customers is to be treated in a manner which is genuine and meaningful.

Phrasing should be appropriate and comfortable for the person who has to say it.  When the corporate way of answering the phone takes over from common sense you not only get “Good afternoon, Siemens Reading, Tracy here how can I help you, but you also get: "Good afternoon, Siemens Staines....”.  However surely this is only marginally worse than: "Good Morning, welcome to Aardvark Engineering, Tracy speaking, how may I direct your call?”.

Good afternoon must come first, while we take time to ‘tune in’ to the person speaking, then the name of the company.  Before we get passed on, and before the end of the call, we need to know ‘my name is Tracy, so if you need to contact us again, just ask for me’.

If I hear ‘no problem’ once more I will scream.  ‘That’s fine’ would give me so much more confidence.  As soon as I hear:”No problem”, it makes think there might have been a problem.

Make me feel, happy, make me feel I matter and be yourself!

So if you phone me, I sincerely hope what you will hear is: “Good Morning, Development Matters”, and I’ll do the rest.