Blog - Page 40 of 55 - The Third Zone

Jul 22 2015

Seeing is Connecting!

We have previously addressed the wonders of technology designed for the business world as it continues to emerge. With each new app designed to bring greater speed and efficiency … or … enable us toThe drive to be the first on the block to have ”the latest” creates a frenzy. What comes with this is the inherent message that the way we used to do it is outdated and passé. up … to just learning the latest and greatest … and how and when to effectively apply it in our work and in our communication with others.

The drive to be the first on the block to have any given new technology creates a frenzy and what we see is that with this comes the inherent message that the ‘old’ ways or the way we used to do it is outdated and passé. But is it? Always? We don’t think so especially when it comes to really connecting with your team, your boss or a single co-worker. Please read on.

In an article entitled “Get Off Your Phone: Why Face To Face Still Matters” by Melissa Feemster, she reported that every minute of the day, email users send over 200 million messages. Facebook users share 2.46 million pieces of content. Twitter users tweet 277,000 times. And Google receives over 4 million search queries. Because we’re connected in every way imaginable, we have come to use our mobile devices as an extension or expression of who we are as people. There’s no escaping it. Is there a potential cost of this and what would that be?

Feemster asks, “So, why the insistence of actual versus virtual meetings? What’s wrong with our current state of over-reliance on email, teleconferences and instant messaging? As it turns out, there is still something technology cannot replicate: the human connection that is the foundation for all relationships in business and in life.

There are 3 major benefits that accompany face to face exchanges that more than compensate for the speed one may be sacrificing:

• Building of trust

o Today when we get a letter via snail-mail, it’s unusual and stands out. And because of that we tend to read it. It becomes special because someone took that ‘extra’ time to actually write us in the ‘old-fashioned’ way. The same holds true for face to face meetings. That one takes their time to communicate in ‘yesterday’s way’ says this it’s important enough to do so.

o Meeting in person fosters effective communication

o Face-to-face demands attention, indicates the value you place on the others involved and promotes and furthers trust

• Body Language

o In communicating with others the intention is to get our point across … and to make certain it is understood as one intends it to be. Using today’s technology easily deprives us of being able to read that ‘field’ and thus, we potentially miss out on having the confidence that we are being heard and understood as we need for us to achieve our goal.

• Old-Fashioned Bonding

o Social interaction (and not the Facebook kind of social) allows you to speak the same language. When you meet with someone face to face, you are creating an experience that you both share. It is something you now have in common with the other person — a sense of community. This camaraderie enhances future communication as well. When you interact with someone socially, you promote collaboration, richer sensory experience, and better understanding of the other person.

Without any question, the conveyor belt that delivers the new and improved methodology is exciting … and valuable. It will only continue to bring effectiveness and efficiencies to the way and how we do things. Time is money. And still, it seems inconceivable that personal interaction will ever become an albatross to achieving our true goals. Think about it. Some of yesterday’s ways still have a key role to play.

Mike Dorman

Jul 10 2015

Aiming to be a Leader Tomorrow? ? Escalate Tomorrow Because You CAN!

As a coach it is not unusual to work with people who express a desire and even intention to move up the company ladder into a leadership position. And, to accomplish this they often believe that by doing an excellent job in each position they hold, they will be recognized and advanced up the ladder. With focus and strong performance they will be given to opportunity to lead others. And that’s when they will learn the skills associated with ‘leading’ that they will need to succeed.

The thinking isn’t off because so many organizations promote employees into leadership positions presuming that they will need to train the lucky person in the skills they will need to successfully lead and influence others. Aha … wait a minute. What would be the advantage if each person with a desire to advance learned and demonstrated the skills associated with successful leadership in their current positions? How might this catch the attention of higher-ups earlier and actually make the transition happen faster and more efficiently?

So the question I hear is how do I do that? What are the skills and attributes that make for an effective leader that I could learn and master now … even before I’m selected to lead others? Daniel Goleman is an internationally known psychologist and author. He is also the person who associated the term ‘emotional intelligence’ to the business world and leadership. After much research and study he identified that the best and most effective leaders were those who demonstrated aspects of emotional intelligence in their role and the best news is that these qualities are ones that we can use in our jobs today and thus begin to develop and hone the very skills that will set us apart as a leader. There are five straightforward traits:

Self-Awareness or the ability to understand your moods, emotions and drives and the effects on others. Strengths reflected include self-confidence, realistic self-assessment, self-deprecating sense of humor.
Self-regulation or the ability to control or redirect disruptive impulses and moods. The propensity to suspend judgment … to think before acting. Strengths reflected include trustworthiness and integrity, comfort with ambiguity, openness to change.
Motivation or a passion to work for reasons that go beyond money or status. A propensity to pursue goals with energy and persistence. Strengths reflected include a strong drive to achieve, optimism even in the face of failure, organizational commitment.
Empathy or the ability to understand the emotional makeup of other people. Skill in treating people according to their emotional reactions. Strengths reflected include expertise in building and retaining talent, cross-cultural sensitivity, service to clients and customers
Social Skill or proficiency in managing relationships and building networks. An ability to find common ground and build rapport. Strengths reflected include effectiveness in leading change, persuasiveness, expertise in building and leading teams. (You can read more HERE)

As you see, the above ‘skills’ have little if anything to do with our “technical skills like accounting and business planning or cognitive abilities like analytical reasoning.” Rather, competencies demonstrating emotional intelligence, such as the ability to work with others and effectiveness in leading change distinguish the best leaders and we have no reason to wait until we are in that position to practice and utilize these skills.

If anyone is looking to escalate their upward climb in their career, chosen field or current organization … enhancing the skills that demonstrate your understanding of ‘emotional intelligence’ seems like an easy and logical addition to the elements of the work we are doing today. I hope you like that accelerated feeling. Hang on!

Mike Dorman

Jun 25 2015

The Good News? YOU are ALSO the Soluton!

What is responsible for your greatest challenges? Your job? Your boss? Your business? Your team? How do you get these things to change? To get your answer, really think about it and maybe it’s good to include the image in the mirror.

Perhaps you’ve read the writings of Dave Ramsey. And if you haven’t yet, his latest book … EntreLeadership … is a great place to start. In it, he shares his best “practical business wisdom” he’s learned “from the trenches.” Big Ideas include understanding that you are the obstacle as well as the path around it to your own success. Here is a quote from his book:

“So the problem with my company then and now is me. The problem with your company is not the economy, it is not the lack of opportunity, it is not your team. The problem is you. That is the bad news. The good news is, if you’re the problem, you’re also the solution. You’re the one person you can change the easiest. You can decide to grow. Grow your abilities, your character, your education, and your capacity. You can decide who you want to be and get about the business of becoming that person.”

This is intriguing. I watched a video in which Brian Johnson (Philosopher’sNotes.tv) summarized author Ramsey’s points of EntreLeadership in a clear, straight-forward and easy to grasp manner. It’s definitely worth the time investment to see and, I believe, a very meaningful and worthwhile focus for this blog.

The word EntreLeadership is a combination of an entrepreneur (one who takes risks) and a Leader (one who guides people or even themselves). To Ramsey, this is the ideal in an organization, for having only one or the other doesn’t bring the best results. To master EntreLeadership means we focus on 5 basic ingredients as follows:

Manage Activities
Process is primary! In order to achieve results we want, the focus needs to be on the various activities that will get us to the results. So often we verbalize where we are headed and become satisfied that we have that vision. But wait. We’ve not gone far enough. What is required is that we manage the activities that will lead to the results for our activities are the very things that we can control. Do it right and the desired results will follow.

Pull Together
It’s the synergistic approach. It makes little difference if you are a part of a team or work basically in your own business … there are times when you are required to interface with others to achieve your goal. The adage of 1 plus 1 equals 3 is proven time and time again. And … if you actually learn and train together, the 3 has the real potential of going higher.

Visioneering
Share your vision no less than 21 times before people really begin listening and hearing. It becomes engrained within us and each time it becomes more refined, goes a little bit deeper and becomes a bit more sophisticated.

Decide
Ready ~ Fire ~ Aim is the motto to be followed here. Too often, if going the direction of ready, aim, fire … we get stuck at the point of aim and never get to the action step. We often know that as analysis paralysis. Ramsey encourages us to fire after ‘ready’ and if we’re slightly off, make adjustments. At least we won’t find ourselves stuck and unable to act.

15 years = Overnight Success
When we ‘arrive’ and receive some award or the praise of others for how successful we are it’s often acknowledged as something we just fell into. However, in fact, it is often the culmination of many tireless hours to days to years of pushing forward and thus the redefinition of ‘success’.

I know this philosophy is not limited to just bosses or entire companies or teams. It has the same application to how we approach our own individual jobs. Thinking back over 12 years and all of the businesses and people with whom I have worked as a coach I can’t think of one situation that wouldn’t benefit from adopting Ramsey’s approach … the one that allows us to embrace the belief that we are all our own problem and our solution. If you’re intrigued now, watch the video here and I know you’ll find yourself sold and on the way! I’d really love to hear your reactions.

Mike Dorman

Jun 10 2015

Just ONE More Degree of Effort …. A Home Run!

Almost three years ago and during the time when so many businesses were hurting and struggling to stay alive our blog entitled “One Degree” began as follows:

The other day I read a quote from the past attributed to Sam Parker and Mac Anderson. What struck me about it is the application and the value it adds to all of us today who are in the process of ‘righting’, rebuilding or just building our businesses to greater heights. It reads …

At 211 degrees…water is hot.
At 212 degrees…it boils.
And with boiling water, comes steam.
And steam can power a locomotive.
And, it’s that one extra degree that makes all the difference.”

Of course, it had application then and what about today knowing that we are operating in a significantly better business environment? Ah … we can breathe easier. But wait! Breathing easier in this sense, while welcome, has its’ own potential and unnecessary cost.

How about applying the ‘one extra degree’ to an overall business, department, team or just you today … now? As challenged as many were to devise creative ways to remain viable and needed in our job just a few years ago, today’s equivalent would be how to take advantage of every opportunity we can create to thrive and take our efforts to the extreme of their potential.

I read a blog written by Alex Fishleder entitled “4 Tips To Take Advantage Of An Economic Boom!” He identifies these ways to make the most of an economic UP-turn

Increase Marketing and Sales Activity
- Market at least as hard as you did when you were working to survive. The potential is so much better
Embrace Technology
- Adopt and utilize a marketing plan that uses the tools that you deem are the most impactful for your company rather than trying to use all that are and will come into existence.
Deliver Stellar Customer Service
- Every bit as critical in good time and more so. Your customer rules and let them know it.
Sell to your current customers
- In the drive to find new customers too often we let the good relationships of the past fade into oblivion when keeping them is the easier of two choices. Nurture all existing and past relationships and the new ones will come

As a first step, you need to define what the ‘extra one degree’ would mean to you and the job you do. Knowing this and understanding that path, don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s a snap or it’s no big deal. After all we’re talking about the ONE degree that takes us from ‘hot’ to ‘boiling’ and that, in turn, can make the difference between good and great … rip-roaring success or mediocrity.

Whenever a coaching client takes the step of cranking it up just one degree it has had the effect of opening a very wide door of possibility. What might it do for your organization or for you as a member of the team? It’s exciting exploration and can make a huge difference in the success you experience. No sweat as long as you wear warm weather clothing to withstand the boiling heat you’ll encounter!

Mike Dorman

May 27 2015

Letting Go of What You Know … The Key to Knowing More

In response to a blog post published in early April entitled “How our Beliefs Influence our Success” a reader referred me to an excellent video created by Destin Sandlin … the originator of “Smarter Every Day”. It’s entitled ‘The Backwards Brain Bicycle’ In watching and listening I had two realizations:

First realization, it rings a loud bell pertaining to what we all contend with in today’s world … the need to learn something new that requires the unlearning of what we know and have known for ages.

Second realization, YOU MUST SEE IT! In a brief 5 minutes I’m confident it will fascinate, challenge and intrigue! You will find it time well invested as you read on.

Sandlin expressed a key learning ~ ‘Knowledge is not Understanding’. How true that appears to be and something we witness as we coach in the business arena of today. A few examples where this is evidenced include:

Learning a new app that creates a faster and more efficient way to create a report or activity tracking at the same time it creates a hassle on the front side as we need to let go of what we have known.
Learning a new form of social media that is the new hot button of communication and yet, is different enough, that what we know gets in the way of what we need to learn to make effective use of it.
Moving from the use of a basic tool i.e. cell phone to one that is ‘smart’ or from ‘smart’ phone we have to one that is ‘smarter’. Regardless, either often encompass unlearning what we know in order to be open to what we want and need to know.

You get the drift and probably you’ve met it first-hand. And whereas there will always be a few who grasp the needed change in thinking and methodology faster, there are many more of us who seem to go head first into the wall of resistance … the place where the knowledge we have blocks our ability to quickly understand what mastering and adapting to the next innovation requires of us. Here are some of the traits that can help or hinder our success that can serve as the check list as we encounter the next challenge of this nature … even as soon as tomorrow:

The commitment to the overall process involved in learning and mastering the ‘next thing’. Without consciously making it, we are going create a lot of added frustration. Accepting that we will naturally experience it in the best of circumstances, minimizing it through our commitment to the required learning and unlearning is a true advantage!

The persistence and determination to plow through the changes in going from what we know to what we need to learn in order to be successful in the relearning required

The attitude that we hold as related to accepting that we reside in a world defined by the ongoing changes moving down a fast-paced conveyor belt. Resisting such changes only lengthens the learning curve and could even throw us off.

Finally, truly embracing the reality that today’s knowledge does not equate to understanding of what we need to know moving forward. In fact, it can easily serve to delay our success while creating untold frustration.

Have you ever noticed that young children have the ability to learn a new language in a shorter time than i.e. their parents? Just as Sandlin’s young son took only 2 weeks to learn to ride the backward bicycle whereas his dad took 8

months, it appears that the longer we have known something, the longer it can take us to master a different way … of speaking a new language, riding a bike or learning new methodology. Our success comes faster because we understand that so much of new learning required today demands that we recognize and accept the unlearning that is needed. Enjoy your backward bike ride. Challenging … perhaps … and in the end … very satisfying!!
Mike Dorman

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