Before pretty much every meeting you attend you will, consciously or unconsciously, have played a lot of it out in your mind already and would probably confidently bet a reasonable amount on the outcome. And it’s not just you doing this. Everyone else going to the same meeting has more than likely done the same thing. The first question might then naturally be, why have the meeting at all? And in many cases that would no doubt be a fine question and asking it would save a lot of time and hassle and increase productivity. Those are the meetings when you feel like you are going through the motions and having a meeting because, well, it’s what you do, isn’t it?

However, reducing the number of meetings is not what I am interested in here. What interests me is how you can view the members of your team, or the participants at any given meeting, in a way which will drive successful outcomes and make meetings a valuable use of your, and everyone else’s, time.

I believe that one of the keys to a successful meeting is to consider what drives the individual participants. This will inform their immediate behaviour, their perspective, where they want to focus their attention, how they like to present and receive information and their attitudes towards others.

We are most used to thinking of meeting participants in one of two ways – either as named individuals (“ Bob’s going to be there”) or by their role (“The heads of HR and Finance will be there”)
I’d like to suggest that there is another way you can view the members of your team that will drive more successful outcomes from your meetings. Think about the individuals and their relationship with the following:

• Information
• Time
• Risk Taking
• Visibility
• Other team members

Do they need a lot of information? Do they like to take time to make decisions or are they quick to get into action? Are they cautious towards projects they perceive as high-risk? Do they need to be visible, to express themselves in front of the whole team? Are they concerned with making sure everyone is onboard with a decision before moving forwards?

These attributes reflect what drives an individual and what they need to be in place to be comfortable with making a decision and moving forward on a project. If these needs are not met then you, and others in the team, may experience this person as awkward or unhelpful, or simply getting in the way. Yet, a simple understanding of how to meet these needs can remove a lot of obstacles.

Tensions are created within teams when people lack an understanding of others’ needs. Two people may have the same end vision but if one is driven to be in action and move quickly and the other is driven to research and information gathering to reduce perceived risk they can work against each other despite the shared goal. In these situations, the end goal can easily be forgotten and tensions become personal as they each view each other’s approach as ‘wrong’.

It may seem depersonalizing to examine the way someone operates, through their relationship with information, time, risk, visibility and other people. However working with what is, rather than just wishing people were more like you, takes less time, is less draining and is more likely to achieve the results you all want.

In other words, know what’s important to others in order to achieve successful outcomes.

Guest blogger, Lesley Tulley

Values are very much in the news these days. The MP expenses scandal in the UK revolves around the concept of what is right. What happens if what you do is “within the rules” but your actions undermine the trust that you have built with your team, or with your clients? In my blog Personal Branding, why bother? I make the point that it is important to look after your reputation, in the same way that companies look after their good name, which they often do by using Public Relations companies. One of the best ways to start is to examine your values.

A tip for establishing what your values are

Write a list of 10 aspects of yourself that you really like – special talents, qualities, behaviours, no matter how small or insignificant some of them may seem. Then, in the second column, think a little bit deeper – what does each one stem from, what is the deeper value that your behaviour is allowing others to gain an inkling of? For example, you may feel you have a special talent for bringing people together and getting them to agree a way forward. Is the value behind that talent a desire to work in a happy, consensual environment (“Harmony”) or is it based on your wish to have an impact and persuade others (“Influence”)? Below the chart is a possible list of some values you might choose. You might like to start with a work or social situation where you felt were adding value, where your qualities, effort, insights made a difference.

The situation where I made a difference…

Some possible values:

Achievement, adventure, challenge, love, cooperation, community, creativity, decisiveness, fairness, family, friendships, growth, happiness, harmony, honesty, independence, influence, intellectual stimulation, knowledge, loyalty, Nature, physical challenge, power,  quality, respect, responsibility, status, supporting others, variety, wealth, wisdom…

Once you have identified the values you think are important you will be in a much better position to live those values. And the people you work with will experience that consistency in a positive way.

Contact us at Level Vision if you would like to work with us to develop as a leader. Visit our website to read more about our Individual Coaching.

Write a list of 10 aspects of yourself that you really like – special talents, qualities, behaviours, no matter how small or insignificant some of them may seem. Then, in

the second column, think a little bit deeper – what does each one stem from, what is the deeper value that your behaviour is allowing others to gain an inkling of? For example, you may feel you have a special talent for bringing people together and getting them to agree a way forward. Is the value behind that talent a desire to work in a happy, consensual environment (“Harmony”) or is it based on your wish to have an impact and persuade others (“Influence”)? Below the chart is a possible list of some values you might choose. You might like to start with a work or social situation where you felt were adding value, where your qualities, effort, insights made a difference.

The situation where I made a difference…

Some possible values:

Achievement, adventure, challenge, love, cooperation, community, creativity, decisiveness, fairness, family, friendships, growth, happiness, harmony, honesty, independence, influence, intellectual stimulation, knowledge, loyalty, Nature, physical challenge, power,  quality, respect, responsibility, status, supporting others, variety, wealth, wisdom…

Once you have identified the values you think are important you will be in a much better position to live those values. And the people you work with will experience that consistency in a positive way.

Last month I was preparing a talk to a corporate women’s network and comparing notes with the other speaker for the evening. My topic was “Personal Branding” and hers “Public Relations” and we found a fascinating set of parallels between our two worlds. Where I’m concerned to ensure my coaching clients establish their reputation as leaders, her job is to help companies establish their corporate reputation. We set ourselves the challenge of answering the question “Why bother?” anticipating that both topics would meet with a certain degree of scepticism: aren’t reputations built on what you deliver, so don’t they take care of themselves?

It’s interesting for me, as a woman, to ponder whether men are better at branding than women and to wonder whether it has a bearing on the findings of a recent Equalities Commission http://tiny.cc/xVk1c that highlighted significant pay gaps for women in the Finance Sector. Ever since I discovered that Florence Nightingale was some kind of statistical genius who invented new ways of interpreting and communicating complicated data, I’ve wondered how she let herself be tagged with the mundane “Lady with the Lamp” (and whether this affected her take-home pay!)

Scott Bedbury, who was instrumental in building the Nike brand, talks of brands working because of the way they have of “tapping into the emotions”. He also stresses the importance of brands being based on values. My new best friend, the PR speaker, confirmed that she advises her clients to make sure they are clear about their company values well before they try to communicate with the outside world. She stressed the preparation work each company needed to do, particularly around establishing the company values, in advance of trying to launch any new product or service onto the market.

Individuals too need to do some preparation to make sure they know what their values are. It’s tempting to rely on the work you do to speak for itself, but remember the lady with the lamp… what do you want to be known for? Ask yourself what your values are, but be prepared to go beyond one word list. If “integrity” crops up, for example, ask yourself what it means to you: does it mean delivering on time – the deadline is the key, you get things done? Or does it mean you’re honest – if someone asks your opinion they get it right between the eyes: good, scrupulously fair, but perhaps slightly stinging feedback? These are the behaviour clues that give us insights into our values.

The next step is remembering your values and demonstrating them at every opportunity: making sure that you are consistent. The PR expert confirmed that this is also what she emphasises to her clients – and for a large company that means ensuring that all employees are “on message”. How hard can it be then in comparison for one individual to do just that for their own personal brand? You’d be surprised. Think about the time that your client asked you to deliver something within a much tighter timescale that you knew was reasonable. Were you tempted to say OK, and compromise on quality?

Standing out from the crowd is easier when you are comfortable with yourself – you have invested the time to know who you are and what you have to offer. Authenticity and consistency will get you noticed. So go out there and be different, be consistent and be successful!

April 2009

Hi everyone

What is it that makes a leader? It’s a question that fills seminar rooms all year round at personal development conferences and it’s one too that the general public has got interested in during these tough times. In Barack Obama’s victory speech last November he talked of challenges that are “the greatest of our lifetime – two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis of a century…” and everyone is wondering who will lead the way? What qualities do they have that fit them to the role in times of trouble?

In my blog “When the going gets tough, the tough get going” I look at one aspect of leadership that I believe is crucial, adaptability. As the saying goes: “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got”. To my mind, to cope with the economic crisis and climate change we need some different ideas, fast and maybe you recognise that in the challenges you or your clients face too!

Leadership Tip

How well do you know your team? A key part of Leadership is communicating with and motivating people you work with and it’s worth spending some time thinking about who you work with and how they respond to situations.

What drives others?

Think about how each member of your team behaves particularly when decision making under tight deadlines, or when the stakes are high:

• Risk – are they a risk taker?
• Time – do they need lots of time to think or do they prefer to act?
• Decisions – are their decisions based on consultation or instinct?
• People – how important is consensus to them in moving forward?
• Projects – are they process oriented or do they favour relational aspects?

The differences in these behavioural preferences reflect the individual’s key drivers and what is important to them to be in place to move forward. Recognising and responding to these can have a big impact on how the individuals respond. It aids you in planning communication strategies both with them as individuals and collectively as a team.

What drives you as a Leader?

The first stage to finding out what makes others tick is self-awareness. At Level Vision we use a tool called i-Lead that allows individuals to identify and focus on their key strengths and to understand what stops them achieving success. We work with individuals to develop personal ‘success loops’ which provide a blueprint for replicating your successful outcomes and ‘derailment loops’ that highlight where they breakdown. We develop and deliver tailored coaching programmes based on your objectives and suited to meet your circumstances.

Contact us at Level Vision if you would like to work with us to develop as a Leader. Visit our website to read more about our Individual Coaching

If you think they might enjoy it too please feel free to forward this newsletter to friends, colleagues and associates.

I’d love to hear what you think.

Hilary Gander

t: + 44 (0)20 8255 6343

e: hilary.gander@levelvision.co.uk

w: www.levelvision.co.uk

practical perspectives for leadership

A key part of Leadership is communicating with and motivating people you work with and it’s worth spending some time thinking about who you work with and how they respond to situations.

What drives others?

Think about how each member of your team behaves particularly when decision making under tight deadlines, or when the stakes are high:

• Risk – are they a risk taker?
• Time – do they need lots of time to think or do they prefer to act?
• Decisions – are their decisions based on consultation or instinct?
• People – how important is consensus to them in moving forward?
• Projects – are they process oriented or do they favour relational aspects?

The differences in these behavioural preferences reflect the individual’s key drivers and what is important to them to be in place to move forward.  Recognising and responding to these can have a big impact on how the individuals respond. It aids you in planning communication strategies both with them as individuals and collectively as a team.

Level Vision Newsletter March 2009

Welcome to our first newsletter. We hope you enjoy reading it and find something of interest and something of value. If you do please visit Level Vision to subscribe to future issues.

There’s an old black and white Laurel and Hardy film where the pair are engaged to paint a boat and are so uncoordinated with each other that eventually all they’ve achieved is they’re covered in paint and the boat is completely trashed. It makes me giggle every time.

Compare that with Team GB, whose teamwork is justly lauded for gaining them 47 medals at the Olympics in Beijing last Summer. In my blog Team GB – Myth or Miracle? last year after Chris Hoy had won the Sports Personality of the year, I examined the way teamwork had contributed to their success. It intrigued me because before the Olympics I had assumed that individual athletes competed for individual glory, which was a strange assumption because I know that doesn’t work well in the business world.

The concept of teams that perform is something we’re passionate about at Level Vision. Investing some time ensuring your team is united around a common vision, understands what is important to other team members and has a clear plan of action for achieving the vision will have a huge impact on individual performance and overall productivity of the team.

Top Team Tip

Make time for feedback.  Your team comprises many mini-relationships and interactions.  Creating time and a structure for feedback enables each individual relationship to function more effectively and can get rid of any blockages in the system.

Feedback doesn’t work if:

·         It is uninvited

·         It happens at the wrong time

·         It is unstructured

Feedback does work if:

·         It is invited

·         It is expected

·         It is structured

Support your team in giving each other feedback by:

·         Emphasising how important it is

·         Creating a time and space for it to happen

·         Suggesting a structure

·         Doing it regularly yourself

Example Structure for Feedback:

·         Plan a one-to-one meeting

·         Limit the time to 5 minutes each to share your feedback with each other

·         Use a structure like this:

o   “I feel ________when you do / say _________”(what drains my energy)

o   “I feel _______ _when you do / say _________”(what boosts my energy)

·         Spend 2 – 3 minutes in a dialogue to clarify (not to justify or get defensive)

·         Agree actions: make suggestions and offer commitments

Regularly practising giving and receiving feedback in a structured way has a significant impact on how team members interact and can prevent breakdowns within the team.

Is it time for your team’s MOT?

How is your team doing?  Do you have a new team?  Have you reorganised and need everyone to realign?  Has your team been together a while and is in need of some rejuvenation?

Contact us at Level Vision if you would like our help to support and build your team’s success.  During our two-day workshop your team works together to create a shared vision, understand how to work together effectively in the future. Together everyone identifies critical success factors and creates team and individual actions plans to ensure you hit the ground running immediately after the workshop.   Visit our website to read more about our Team Workshop.

Do let me have your thoughts on our newsletter and if you think they might enjoy it please feel free to forward to friends, colleagues and associates.

Hilary Gander

t: + 44 (0)20 8255 6343

e: hilary.gander@levelvision.co.uk

w: www.levelvision.co.uk

practical perspectives for leadership

Top Team Tip

Make time for feedback.  Your team comprises many mini-relationships and interactions.  Creating time and a structure for feedback enables each individual relationship to function more effectively and can get rid of any blockages in the system.

Feedback doesn’t work if:

·         It is uninvited

·         It happens at the wrong time

·         It is unstructured

Feedback does work if:

·         It is invited

·         It is expected

·         It is structured

Support your team in giving each other feedback by:

·         Emphasising how important it is

·         Creating a time and space for it to happen

·         Suggesting a structure

·         Doing it regularly yourself

Example Structure for Feedback:

·         Plan a one-to-one meeting

·         Limit the time to 5 minutes each to share your feedback with each other

·         Use a structure like this:

o   “I feel ________when you do / say _________”(what drains my energy)

o   “I feel _______ _when you do / say _________”(what boosts my energy)

·         Spend 2 – 3 minutes in a dialogue to clarify (not to justify or get defensive)

·         Agree actions: make suggestions and offer commitments

Regularly practising giving and receiving feedback in a structured way has a significant impact on how team members interact and can prevent breakdowns within the team.

Now I love cycling, though you would never catch me riding in one of those velodromes: it looks far too dangerous! And I’m passionate about teams and what they can achieve that individuals can’t achieve on their own. The concept of a British team for the Olympics is a strange one though, isn’t it? In most of the events isn’t each individual athlete competing for individual glory, trying to beat their personal best? And yet, and yet…it seems team may have been a factor that really made a difference in Beijing in 2008. What could have made Team GB so powerful?

Vision and inspiration
Rebecca Adlington, the double medal winner, a swimmer (not a cyclist), talked after the awards ceremony about how much she had learned from Chris Hoy who’s always referred to as the “unofficial” captain of Team GB. What did she learn, when clearly she already had the talent and the training to win the medals?

We can’t know for sure but we can guess that his single-mindedness without arrogance would be inspiring. I believe Chris Hoy’s vision and his focus on achieving his goals inspired his fellow team members, as did his own passion, dedication and generosity of spirit.

Communication and contribution
There are some sports at the Olympics where it is essential the team functions as a team and that old chestnut “communication” is often central. Clearly team members have to know how to work together, communicate clearly – as an illustration of how not to do it, who can forget the agony of the botched handover in the British men’s relay? However, contribution, or “pulling your weight” is just as important. “To win as part of a team is a totally different feeling from the 1km time trial in Athens,” Chris Hoy said after winning the Team Sprint. “Our friendship has been so dominant in the last few years. As part of a team, you can’t let anyone down.”

Fun and enjoyment
Finally, we take it for granted that Team GB members are all passionate about their sport, but what a bonus if they also enjoy what they do? Chris Hoy has talked about how he couldn’t put in all the work his success demands if he didn’t still enjoy cycling. And on top of the sheer joy of doing something you really enjoy, one final thing that’s important is to remember to have some fun. The evidence is clear that Chris Hoy doesn’t take himself too seriously. After his Olympic success he was asked, “What does Chris Hoy think of Chris Hoy?” To which he replied, “Chris Hoy thinks that the day Chris Hoy refers to Chris Hoy in the third person is the day that Chris Hoy disappears up his own arse.”

So in my work with teams I shall continue to emphasise fun and clear communication as key staples alongside the importance of establishing a clear vision and going for it!
Hilary Gander