Emerson’s quote hits the nail on the head with respect to why good communication is so elusive. Many times a person’s (including ourselves!) actions don’t match the words they’ve spoken. This is extremely confusing for an observer or recipient of such communication. The observer is forced to make a choice as to what is real – the words, the actions, or some combination of the two? In my observation as a coach working with all kinds of clients, communication continues to be the central issue – whether you’re trying to build a team in your business, improve your personal relationships, or to close more sales.

The concept of integrity is that of being “integrated” – all the pieces fit together. Many of you have also worked with the similar concept of “alignment” in our coaching. Our communication with ourselves also can lack integrity. You might tell yourself that you’re a good team player, but then undermine others and seek personal recognition when it comes to action, or truly prefer to work on your own.

Why does this happen? There’s usually a gap between who we want to be and who we really are at that moment. By focusing on who we want to be, we believe that it will happen – not a bad strategy, as far as it goes. But in order to really make change happen, you have to be willing to honestly assess where you are right now. If you don’t perceive a gap, there’s no impetus for change. This is especially important with goal setting (New Year’s resolutions, anyone?)

In our communication with others, there is a constant temptation to tell others what we think they want to hear. This can be for reasons of avoiding conflict, trying to get what we want, or to project an image that feels safer than sharing who we really are. Short term, you might feel successful in achieving those aims. But long term, people really do want your verbal communication to match up with what your actions will be. Postponing that inevitability ultimately hurts, not helps, your relationships.

How can you improve this situation?

In yourself:

1. Be honest. See if your actions match your intent.
2. Is your image of yourself consistent with the one you project to others? Be aware of the differences. For those of you interested, I have the DISC assessment available to help discern those differences.
3. Increase your awareness of how others perceive your communication. Ask them if you “walk your talk.”
4. Don’t be afraid to put things in writing. That can often clear up for others (and yourself!) any possible fuzzy issues.

With others:

1. When you sense an inconsistency between someone’s words and actions, say “I’m confused as to what you mean. I hear a mismatch between when you said “X,” and the action “Y” that you’ve taken. Can you help clarify that for me?” Presume positive intent!
2. Set boundaries with others. “You said that you’d support my proposal at the quarterly meeting, and when we went in, you were at best neutral. I need to know that you’ll do what you commit to, or communicate with me if you’ve changed your mind.”
3. Reflect back to others what your understanding is of what they’ve said. This can be done verbally or in writing. This can help ensure you’ve heard them correctly, and also further ingrains the other person’s commitment in their own mind.
4. Don’t be hesitant to request written confirmation, when appropriate. If people say what they mean and mean what they say, they should have no problem saying the same thing in writing.

Despite your best efforts at implementing the above, you may still find yourself in situations where you perceive an inherent conflict between what someone says and what they do. Pay close attention to what they do; that’s the acid test.

Who do you choose to be?

© Copyright Magellan Enterprises, all rights reserved

Reach Me: Telephone: (970) 259-4847; Fax: (970) 259-4874
E-mail: ginger@magellangj.com
Web: www.magellangj.com

Please recommend this E-Zine to anyone you know that is interested in getting more out of their career or their life (It’s a good way to stay in touch with clients, too.)

If you are receiving this issue as a forward, and would like to get your own free subscription, visit The Magellan Building Blocks Page.

PRIVACY STATEMENT: We will not distribute your address to anyone. Period.

What is this dynamic? Do things really happen in groups or do we start to attract more of what’s already going on in our life? Here’s a coach’s take on why this occurs and how to have more smooth rolling and less nasty bumps into the ditch.

You can only control your intentions, actions and response to events. You may be able to influence events, but you can’t control them. This translates into a formula:

A + CE +L = T

Acelt?! This stands for Attitude plus Consistent Effort plus Luck equals the Trend (on a roll or having a bumpy ride). Streaks of good and bad luck bless and plague everyone from time to time. You may have heard “people make their own luck.” This author asserts that you can’t make your own luck. But you can, by taking consistent effort and developing an outstanding attitude, maximize your good fortune and better handle the mishaps, even tragedies, that come your way.

If you or someone you know has been having a string of “tough breaks” (the storm cloud seems to follow wherever you go), try these steps…

1. Avoid the temptation of thinking, now what? If you start expecting negative things, you can’t help but focus on the negative aspect of any event. Expect the best, despite your recent experience. It’s difficult – do it anyway.
2. Take consistent action, be it sending out resumes regularly if you’re looking for a job, exercising and dieting if you’re overweight, or going out and meeting people if you’re lonely.
3. View your life over its entire span, and decide how this stretch might positively influence all the rest of your life. If there’s just no way to see any benefit, at least recognize that this is a phase; it’s not your whole life.

When you’re in that wonderful “can’t do anything wrong” space, by all means, enjoy it! Don’t spoil this time by dwelling on “I know it can’t last forever…” But do consider the following thoughts…

• Enjoy, but don’t get smug. There’s always an element of luck in any success, and often other people’s efforts as well. It’s not all you.
• Take action. Take 80% of the same steps that you would if you were on a “bad” roll. Don’t assume that things will keep going well without doing the footwork. It’s probably a big part of what got you there.
• Help other people. Spread your good fortune around, be it by lending emotional support to a friend having a rough time, giving business to someone in your community, or making a donation to your favorite charity. Giving to others comes back to you, in one form or another.
• Think about what’s next. What got you in the good place you are today may not be effective ten, five, or even one year from now. Design who you want to be in the future, and what you want in your life.

The good news is that you get to control two out of the three variables in the formula of A + CE + L = T. Expect the best of yourself with respect to attitude and consistent effort.

© Copyright Magellan Enterprises, all rights reserved

Reach Me: Telephone: (970) 259-4847; Fax: (970) 259-4874
E-mail: ginger@magellangj.com
Web: www.magellangj.com

Please recommend this E-Zine to anyone you know that is interested in getting more out of their career or their life (It’s a good way to stay in touch with clients, too.)

If you are receiving this issue as a forward, and would like to get your own free subscription, visit The Magellan Building Blocks Page.

PRIVACY STATEMENT: We will not distribute your address to anyone. Period.

1. The client wants to make a change, such as find a new job or career, make a successful transition in a promotion or move, or implement a new structure at an organization.
2. The client wants to evolve her or himself by engaging in ongoing professional and personal development.

This article is going to address the first reason, and the challenges that come up when it feels daunting to continue taking action without immediate results in sight.

Here in Southwest Colorado, one of the great outdoor joys that we get to experience is exceptional hiking.  This includes trails along rivers, in beautiful red rock canyons, and in mountains from 6500’ elevation to 14,000’ elevation.  It struck me that  hiking can be analogous to some situations when results are feeling elusive.

There are some hikes where you walk and walk and walk (or climb and climb and climb!) and the terrain seems much the same.  Most of us want a “payoff” when we hike – a spectacular view, to reach the waterfall, or to reach the summit of a mountain.  At a minimum, we expect to have the reward of lunch when we reach where we’re going.  There are of course other reasons to hike, such as fresh air, exercise, camaraderie, and adventure.  But we  want the payoff.

There is a popular hike here that goes up Engineer Mountain.  It has several payoffs along the way, which is probably one reason why it’s popular.  There are wildflowers almost from the trailhead, peekaboo views along the way, a spectacular view and picnic spot in an alpine meadow before the ascent to the summit.  And for the hardy, there is a challenging rock climb to the very top.

There is a less popular hike called Haflin Creek.  It is mostly a series of switchbacks and hiking through the forest with a limited sightline.  It climbs and climbs.  After about 3.5 miles and an elevation gain of over 3000 feet, there is the payoff of a lovely view of the Animas Valley and surrounding mountains.  But there is a LONG time where it is monotonous, and you keep thinking, “it’ll be great just around the bend…”  but then it’s more of the same.  But you keep going, because you’ve already invested a lot of time and energy to get to this point, and you know that eventually there WILL be a payoff.  And to turn around only guarantees more of the same.

We are creatures of instant gratification, more and more so.  We can communicate instantly and 24/7 via email, anywhere via cell phone, and can order virtually anything in the world via the internet and have it delivered to our doorstep.  No wonder we want our results on a silver platter, too.  Just order them up!

Part of my job as a coach is to lend perspective and a timeframe as to what the client is willing to do to achieve the desired results, by when.  Getting clear about expectations and tradeoffs can be immensely helpful when evaluating progress.  Examples of goals that can feel like the Haflin Creek hike include:

v      Making sales calls

v      Losing weight

v      Motivating a team

v      Finding a job

v      Getting in shape

v      Learning a new skill

v      Writing a book

v      Working through a difficult relationship (or hey, even one that’s not difficult!)

v      Building a business

In all of these examples, you can feel as though you have put in enormous effort, are doing all of the right things, and are still not seeing the results you desire.  You’re in that continuous-switchback-limited-sightline-because-of-the-trees mode.  It’s hard to stay motivated and continue to believe that you will accomplish what made you start in the first place.

However, it is virtually a certainty that if you keep doing the right things and keep slogging though the mud that results will come.  If you undertake an exercise program and work at it diligently, your level of fitness WILL improve – guaranteed.  But simply slogging through is not enough.  Doing a few of the right things is most likely not enough.  It is the combination of continuing to hike AND doing the right things such as having a good map, the right gear, and adequate water and food that ensures the payoff at the end of a hike.  So it is with any of the above goals.  A coach can  help the client see what’s needed most next.

It is sometimes easier, or at least more interesting, to change direction than it is to stay the course.  But staying the course is often what makes the difference – think about the 80/20 rule.  If you are one of the 20% who can keep going when 80% give up, you will get to the payoff.  The art of adaptability is knowing when to stay the course, and when to adapt or make wholesale change – again, a coach can help with this.  Anyone who has ever hiked alone vs. with a companion knows what a difference it makes to have support.

There is a distinction between a zen-like practice where you keep going, because that is what you are doing, versus having the wonderful accomplishment of achieving a goal.  Peace comes with taking satisfaction in both.

Questions to ask when going back and forth on switchbacks:

1. What are 5 possible actions I could take toward my goal today, this week, this month?
2. Which of these will move me furthest along on the path?
3. What detours have kept me from progressing the way I’d like to? (procrastination, distraction, other opportunities, questioning the path)
4. Will the payoff be worth the hike?
5. Does the “hike” have value in and of itself?  What can I learn from it?
6. If I stop, what are the consequences?  Is there any payoff?

Ways to keep going:

1. Remember that being in the woods is not forever, though it can feel like it.
2. Enjoy the exercise.  When you reach the “payoff” you’ll have to start another hike, anyway (you’re never done).
3. Identify milestones along the way that will help you to take satisfaction in progress.
4. If the payoff is too far away, consider editing the destination.
5. Can you find some fun companions for the journey?
6. Sometimes you just have to suck it up and tough it out.  Sorry.  It is inner discipline that distinguishes average from exceptional.  Keep going.
7. When you hit a stream or a mud pit, sometimes there’s an easier way path.  Sometimes it makes sense to stop and evaluate, seek counsel.  Sometimes there isn’t an easier path, but knowing you looked at the alternatives makes it easier to slog through the water.
8. It is inevitable that if you keep hiking, you will get somewhere else.  And if you take the right actions, you will get to the destination you’re after.  Even if it takes a bit longer and is a bit harder than desired.

Too many people give up too easily.  That spells opportunity for the rest of us.  Let me know if you would like a companion along the path!

Resources/ Recommendations

Books:  Leadership and Self Deception, by the Arbinger Institute.  A fascinating model for transforming self centered behavior into contributing behavior, as individuals and organizations.

Music:  Over the Rhine – Drunkard’s Prayer.  I’d never heard of this group, but happened to pick up the earphone at a bookstore in Lexington, Kentucky while there for a board meeting in June.  Soulful female vocals with a lilting folk feel.  I can’t wait to hear something else by them.

Rounding the corner, we came upon a herd of forty elk grazing in the neighborhood.   My dog Rory got excited immediately, his instincts kicked into overdrive.  Rory and my other dog, Imp, are Samoyeds, and Samoyeds were originally bred to herd reindeer.  This sure looked like a fine herd of reindeer to Rory!

“The Girls” (elk) were on guard and jittery as soon as they saw us.  I tried to reassure them that we meant them no harm, but within a few minutes they took off, coming to rest a ways further down the road.  I heard dogs barking there, and The Girls took off again, this time landing in the school play yard.  They were snorting and stamping about, ready to run again.  But they were also unwilling to leave the area entirely.

When it was Imp’s turn for a walk, the elk were back on our path, then skittered away again.  I thought about how hard and frightening it must be for them, always having to be on guard, and feeling chased out of every resting spot.  Long before me, my dogs, the neighborhood and the school were here, the elk were here, yet it is the elk who seem out of place now, sadly.  It occurred to me how powerful the elk’s instinct and desire to be here in this valley must be.  They MUST be here.  That is why they put themselves in these frightening and dangerous situations – they simply are doing what they must.

Similarly, my dogs are hard wired to want to herd these elk, and it is only the leash, collar and my strength that prevents it.  While they are well trained champions, instinct overwhelms their training and my requests.  They simply must do what they have been bred to do.  A mother dog somehow knows when she gives birth that she must remove the puppy’s sac, lick the pup to stimulate him and get him to nurse.   She must do these things.

The clients I work with are  evolved, intelligent individuals, committed to personal and professional growth.  Yet I hear from many of them uncertainty as to what their highest purpose is – what they were made for, what they must do.  This is amplified many times over in the public at large.  I wonder if this is because we have become so disconnected from our hearts, our intuition, our natural world?  We are very adept at reasoning things out, but not so strong at “knowing” without facts and figures.  This strikes me as a loss, because I feel certain we have lost some of the capabilities our ancestors possessed in this realm.

What must you do while you are here?  We have such an overwhelming number of choices available, how does one choose?  What are you made for?  Chances are, you are made for a number of things, and your level of fulfillment will depend on how soon you discover and pursue these things.  What instincts do you have that have perhaps not been fully heard by you?

 When I ask myself this question, the answers I come up with are:  be in friendship, have dogs, play, appreciate beauty, connect, learn, be near nature, and write.  And maybe, eat chocolate.  J

How do you find out, if you’re not clear?  The ways in which I help my clients discover their “musts” are by clarifying the following:  values (what we want to design our life around), needs (what drives us), talents (your unique gifts), visioning (declaring what you want your future to look like) and experimenting (finding out what makes you feel most alive).  Working with a good coach can make this process of discovery fun, exciting and progressive.

So, what must YOU do?  Email me and let me know!

Those of you who work with me know that this has been a theme for the past year – discipline. Discipline in the best sense brings us exactly what we want. It is required for any goal that requires hard work and time – and that is most worthwhile goals.

Some prospective coaching clients have said, “I want to hire you to help me get everything done.” My reply is, “Getting everything done at once is not typically possible, if you have a wide variety of interests and a big appetite – which most people interested in coaching do. What I can help you do, is get the most important things done. And I can help you gain clarity about what those things are. That’s where 90% of your enjoyment and satisfaction in life is going to come from.”

When I mention the word “discipline” it can elicit a groan. Too often, we associate discipline with not being able to have what we want. For instance:

1. Discipline about eating might mean no dessert.
2. Discipline about exercise might mean physical discomfort or pain.
3. Discipline about sales calls might mean many rejections.
4. Discipline in relationship might mean missing out on other people.

All of these things are ones where you might say, “THAT’S not what I want!” I WANT dessert, comfort, acceptance and attention from lots of people. But these are all short-term, immediate gratification things. Of course you want them. But what do you want most? Think about discipline not taking away the examples above, but bringing you these wonderful results:

1. Healthy weight, teeth, and sleep.
2. Health, strength, endurance and confidence.
3. Business success and business relationships that would not happen otherwise.
4. The opportunity to develop a committed relationship with one person, and actually work through things, which will grow you as a person.

We are presented with hundreds of choices, every single day. From “what should I do next” to “what will I order for lunch?” to “should I invest some time and money in this person or pursuit”, the quality of your choices determines the quality of your life.

In order to make quality choices, you need to be clear about the Vision you’re after. This work encompasses getting clear on your Values and Needs. Great stuff to work with a coach on (more about these areas in future posts). Once you’re clear on these things, discipline about making choices in alignment with your Vision, Values and Needs will get you there.

For most of us, discipline is an ongoing quest. Like a physical muscle, it will get stronger the more you exercise it. And making the shift from “discipline=deprivation” to “discipline brings me what I really want!” is key to exercising it.

If you were to focus on just one area this month where exercising more discipline would bring you way more of what your really want, what would it be? I’d love to hear from some of you on this, and then hear about your results in the coming weeks.

© Copyright Magellan Enterprises, all rights reserved

Reach Me: Telephone: (970) 259-4847; Fax: (970) 259-4874
E-mail: ginger@magellangj.com
Web: www.magellangj.com

Please recommend this E-Zine to anyone you know that is interested in getting more out of their career or their life (It’s a good way to stay in touch with clients, too.)

If you are receiving this issue as a forward, and would like to get your own free subscription, visit The Magellan Building Blocks Page.

PRIVACY STATEMENT: We will not distribute your address to anyone. Period.

One of the questions I’m most often asked by clients doing Vision work is, “should I make it something I know is achievable?” My take on this is, “No.” Your Vision should be bigger than you and what you know you can do, so that it pulls you forward into your new future. So by that definition, you are going to wrestle with how to make your Vision happen, because it’s taking somewhere you’ve never been before. There is a certain amount of natural discomfort that goes along with that. Expect it and accept it.

Once you’ve committed to a Vision, ensure that virtually everything you do in your life is in integrity with that Vision. When faced with a decision, ask yourself, “is this bringing me closer to my Vision, or is it a detour?” The part of the timetable you control is how often you take detours, and for how long.

Decide on one or two strategies that you’re going to pursue. There are always many possible strategies that can be developed, but I recommend not diluting your time and energy by pursuing more than two at any given time. Pick the ones that you think present the best shot at bringing your Vision closer, and develop an action plan and timeframe around those two. If you’re not getting the results you want within the timeframe, you can always change strategies down the road.

What resources are needed – contacts, training, knowledge, publicity? Identify what you’ll need, what you already have, and where the gaps are. Incorporate how you’ll close the gaps into your action plan.

Making your Vision reality is not a “tomorrow” kind of thing. If it’s something you can achieve tomorrow, it’s not big enough! But it is something that you can take action on tomorrow. You don’t have to decide on the best place to start. It’s more important to just start. Maybe it’s a phone call. Maybe it’s telling someone (like your coach!) what your Vision is. Perhaps it’s signing up for an education program. The way you integrate your Vision into your life is to take action now, and on an ongoing basis.

When creating your action plan, give yourself some short-term and long-term goals. It’s important to be able to recognize some wins on a regular basis, as you may not see results from the longer-term endeavors for a while. This will help to sustain motivation and keep you energized. I believe that one of the most compelling reasons why people give up on their Vision is because they run out of steam, as it really can be a marathon. So it’s important to get your “Gatorade and Power bars” in the form of short-term wins.

Similarly, you want to be able to dance between the micro and macro picture. For example, if part of your Vision is that your new company become the recognized leader in its field, the macro picture might be deciding where you think your field is headed in the future, and what the current leaders do well and where they fall short. The micro picture might be setting the standards for your fledgling company in an operations manual in a way that is in alignment with that eventual macro picture.

The “visionaries” in our world stand out so clearly because it truly is an inspiring thing to see what was once just an idea become reality. Regardless of the scope of your own Vision, inspire yourself and others by doing what it takes to make it reality. And if you’d like some support with that, give me a call!

© Copyright Magellan Enterprises, all rights reserved

Reach Me: Telephone: (970) 259-4847; Fax: (970) 259-4874
E-mail: ginger@magellangj.com
Web: www.magellangj.com

Please recommend this E-Zine to anyone you know that is interested in getting more out of their career or their life (It’s a good way to stay in touch with clients, too.)

If you are receiving this issue as a forward, and would like to get your own free subscription, visit The Magellan Building Blocks Page.

PRIVACY STATEMENT: We will not distribute your address to anyone. Period.

]]> http://www.magellangj.com/buildingblocks/vision-part-ii-bringing-your-vision-to-reality/feed/ 0 http://www.magellangj.com/buildingblocks/vision/ http://www.magellangj.com/buildingblocks/vision/#comments Sat, 21 Jan 2012 15:20:09 +0000 Ginger http://magellangj.waglivelove.com/?p=217 What is your vision? For yourself, for your organization and for the world? I get many clients who want to work on their vision, purpose and mission statements. This series of articles will address the why and how of articulating these important inter-related statements.

Why is articulating a vision important? Because a vision is what pulls you forward into the future you’ve decided to create. Going through life without a vision pushes you into a future of other people’s creation. A compelling vision can move not only you, but galvanize others. A powerful enough vision can change the world.

Gandhi’s vision was a positive one, and it moved two nations and captured the attention of much of the world. It’s what allowed him to continuously take action that might have otherwise seemed meaningless and hopeless.

The events of September 11 in New York and Washington must also have been inspired by a powerful vision. A vision that was despicable to Americans and much of the world, but clearly was compelling enough to inspire human suicide and attract lots of money to pull it off. Who would have thought that the United States could be attacked in such an audacious way, and that our economy would be crippled by such an act? Who would have thought that the way of life for millions of Americans could be changed in an hour? Who would have thought that we could be inspired to war in an instant, by acts that were clearly meant to push us to that place? Clearly someone thought this impossible vision was possible. That’s the power of articulating a vision.

That’s the why – to inspire you to act in a cohesive way to achieve things beyond what’s possible right now. What’s our vision for our country right now? A nation at war? Airports guarded with M-16’s? Living in fear? Or could we be a country that responds in a bigger way to the mean acts that have been perpetrated? Are compassion and justice diametrically opposed, or could it be possible for us to achieve both? In a world where even bottles of water are “sealed for your protection,” what have we been envisioning? If we stay in a place of fear, whose vision are we embracing?

How do you go about finding and expressing your vision? Clients sometimes feel daunted by this work, as it seems so big and important, they don’t want to “get it wrong.” But it’s work like any other work. You start, go through a process, and then declare it done for the time being. It doesn’t have to be perfect, and it doesn’t have to be a long and agonizing process. It just has to work for you. If you then live your life inspired and in congruence with your vision, it will also impact others.

How do you start? Choose a medium for expressing yourself that’s comfortable. I like to either write at my computer, or with a pen and journal. Other possibilities include brainstorming with a friend or a coach, drawing, painting, mind mapping – whatever gets your creative juices flowing toward possibility. Then…..just start. Don’t worry about it being right, you can do as many drafts as you like. The important thing is to start. Express your vision in the present tense, i.e., “I have,” “we are,” etc. The questions below may help stimulate your thinking:

1. What do I wish existed in the world that doesn’t exist today?
2. What would I like to see eliminated?
3. What do I want for myself? (career, health, relationships)
4. What does my organization ideally look like?

A vision should be bigger than you, and much bigger than today’s picture. You’re delineating a gap between what exists and what you truly want in your heart. Should a vision be “realistic?” In my opinion, being “realistic” can place limits on a statement of possibility. Realism will make its mark on its own; let your vision be about possibility.

How long should your vision statement be? When you’re crafting it, write as much as you’d like. Then start boiling it down. Being concise will force you to get very clear about what exactly it is that you are visualizing. Your finished product should be short enough that you know it by heart. For some people, that’s a few sentences; for others, a few paragraphs. Look at it often. When you’re faced with difficult decisions, or time management conundrums, ask yourself “what will bring me closer to my vision, sooner?” If you have a discouraging day or event, go over your vision and recommit to making it happen. When you have a win, celebrate that you are moving closer to your vision.

Create your vision this month. If you already have one you’ve been working with, revisit it! How can you make it stronger? Has anything changed? Create your story, and live it with courage.

© Copyright Magellan Enterprises, all rights reserved

Reach Me: Telephone: (970) 259-4847; Fax: (970) 259-4874
E-mail: ginger@magellangj.com
Web: www.magellangj.com

Please recommend this E-Zine to anyone you know that is interested in getting more out of their career or their life (It’s a good way to stay in touch with clients, too.)

If you are receiving this issue as a forward, and would like to get your own free subscription, visit The Magellan Building Blocks Page.

PRIVACY STATEMENT: We will not distribute your address to anyone. Period.

So, why and when do teams get stuck? Often, it’s internal politics. When a team gets mired down with personal agendas it can actually move more slowly than an individual acting alone.

Are internal politics inevitable on a team? To a degree, yes. The coaching challenge is to acknowledge, without indulging, the jockeying for position among team members, and to minimize disruption to the common objective.

Example: an architectural firm had the opportunity to present a design proposal for a high-profile office tower. There were six people on the presentation team. The team objective was to win the job at a price not less than 90% of the company’s usual profit margin. However, there were several “sub-agendas” in play.

The process of assembling an award-winning proposal continued to flounder. The Vice President called the company’s coach for some fresh perspective

These were the steps taken:

1. The Vice President was asked to step back to a final review role only. This step allowed him to still have input, but at a level from which the team could most benefit from his senior experience.
2. The four staff people were to create two design scenarios, and price both. One was to be very high profile (to demonstrate the firm’s capabilities) and the other to be a model of “value engineering” (to ensure a competitive bid).
3. The marketing manager was asked to package the two designs into one presentation. She was given a free hand in writing the proposal and creating the presentation.
4. A timeline was set for each task, with two final team meetings before the client presentation. This gave the VP and staff the opportunity for input and review of the draft presentation. The VP also had a final shot at the pricing.
5. The team offered themselves a group incentive. They would, as a team, enjoy a champagne dinner if they succeeded in winning the job at their profit target. While not back-breaking financially to the company, this increased motivation to set aside personal agendas and refocus on the team goal.

When your team machine is running less than optimally, find out what the sub-agendas are and address them with a team strategy. Support from a coach can move this process along more quickly.

© Copyright Magellan Enterprises, all rights reserved

Reach Me: Telephone: (970) 259-4847; Fax: (970) 259-4874
E-mail: ginger@magellangj.com
Web: www.magellangj.com

Please recommend this E-Zine to anyone you know that is interested in getting more out of their career or their life (It’s a good way to stay in touch with clients, too.)

If you are receiving this issue as a forward, and would like to get your own free subscription, visit The Magellan Building Blocks Page.

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There were three stages to being ready to take flight – being on “watch,” “pre-evacuation” (be packed and ready to go on a moment’s notice), and “mandatory evacuation” (GET OUT! NOW!)

When you’re on “watch,” you’re wondering whether you should pack up, what you should take, whether you’re worrying too much or not enough. When you’re raised to “pre-evacuation”, you’re wondering whether you should move stuff now or wait for the dreaded call, and whether you should just leave now and go somewhere else for a while. Once “evacuated,” your everyday routine life is wistfully remembered as blissful.

Even when you have tremendous support during evacuation, which I’ve been fortunate to have, you miss your regular life. I was in Boston on holiday during the first week of the fire (this is Week 3), and it’s altogether different to be away from home when you’re wondering if your home is going to be destroyed, and if there’s anything more you could have done.

So, if you could only take one carload of everything you own with you, what would you take? What’s most important, and what’s most “valuable?” #1 on everyone’s list seems to be photographs. Though they may be in a box in a closet, nobody wants to risk losing these. Jewelry seems to be more obligatory, meaning that people move it because of its monetary value, more than sentimental value. For me, my dogs were also at the top of the list, along with computers that are the backbone of my business.

One of the amazing realizations to me was that once people got to the place where they realized they might lose the majority of what they own, for most people it did boil down to just about a carload of stuff that they considered irreplaceable. The boring but critical (financial, insurance and personal records), the emotional (pets and photos), the irreplaceable (art, jewelry, etc) and a few days worth of clothes. And that when the call comes, your adrenalin is pounding so hard, you’d better have those things packed and by the door in advance, because your mind is racing in a thousand directions.

You also realize how much stuff you own that you can live without. I know that when I move back in this weekend, there’s some culling I need to do.

The amount of “Thank You’s” happening at a time like this in a community is unbelievable. In the midst of all the anxiety, stress, terror and uncertainty are firefighters racing into battle, sleeping in tents or just on the ground at the high school and fairgrounds, their faces black and weary but willing to smile and answer questions, and appreciative of the thanks we offer. Friends open their homes to take in friends or strangers, or store their belongings for them. The Red Cross registers everyone, and coordinates shelter, food, encouragement and communication. Home Depot puts together cleaning kits for when you go back home. Residents organize donation centers for firefighters and evacuees, with over the top generosity. Everywhere in the community are hand- made signs of “We Love All Firefighters!” “God Bless Firefighters and Those Who Help Them,” “Thank You Firefighters” and similar thoughts.

In a time when we might question human nature because of actions such as terrorism and corporate/accounting thievery, the abundance of caring and giving I’ve seen in this disaster is enough to bring tears to your eyes and optimism to your spirit.

What’s the coaching message here? Know who and what’s most important to you in your life, and value them every day. Know what’s not so important, and be willing to lose it. Appreciate whom you can count on – and understand that they may be friends, family, or strangers. Be thankful for the little things in your life you take for granted – breathing smoke-free air, going to sleep without fear of physical harm, or cooking a meal in your home. Lastly, appreciate that everyone plays a role in the larger team – the radio station personnel, the sheriff’s deputies, the volunteers, the electricians, the clerks at the grocery store – everyone.

Thank you, everyone…

© Copyright Magellan Enterprises, all rights reserved

Reach Me: Telephone: (970) 259-4847; Fax: (970) 259-4874
E-mail: ginger@magellangj.com
Web: www.magellangj.com

Please recommend this E-Zine to anyone you know that is interested in getting more out of their career or their life (It’s a good way to stay in touch with clients, too.)

If you are receiving this issue as a forward, and would like to get your own free subscription, visit The Magellan Building Blocks Page.

PRIVACY STATEMENT: We will not distribute your address to anyone. Period.

Consistency is perhaps the element most lacking in follow through. Each of us has different standards for “what counts.” For example, it’s amazing how many people, particularly in business situations, think it’s fine not to return phone calls. They feel that they follow through “when it counts,” and returning phone calls doesn’t fit into that category. But what do you think happens to the level of trust in all of those relationships where a phone call is ignored?

How do you feel when someone puts you in the “not really important” category? If someone follows through some of the time, but you’re not sure when you can count on them, where does that put your trust on a scale of 1 to 10?

What are your standards for following through? Can you be counted on 100% Do you let yourself off the hook easily, or are you someone who will torture themselves until commitments are complete? How well do you communicate your standards to others, so that they know what to expect? For instance, when meeting someone for coffee, if you know you’re habitually late, it might help the trust relationship to let the other person know that you might be a few minutes late. While you might think this is accepting failure on your part in advance, it’s doing so in the interest of maintaining trust with the other person.

Key to building trust in terms of your own follow through is communicating and meeting your standards, whatever those may be. If you tell someone that you will absolutely have a report or proposal to them by Friday and that day passes without you delivering or communicating, the other person’s trust in you just took a serious hit. And most likely all of your future communiqués will be received with some skepticism – especially if the other person’s standards are higher than yours.

Here are some practical steps to increase your ability to build trust with others by following through:

1. Define your standards (what you hold yourself to and measure yourself by)
2. Assess how well you communicate those standards to others, and where you might need to improve.
3. Are you content with your standards, or do you wish to upgrade them? If you find yourself stressed and stretched way too thinly, do you want to DOWNgrade your standards? (people who say “yes” to too many commitments may especially need to consider downgrading their standards.)
4. What percentage of the time are you successful in meeting your standards? How big is the gap, and what are you willing to do about it?

If you find your level of trust in another person eroding because of their lack of follow through, is there anything you can do to ameliorate that erosion? That of course depends upon the person and circumstance – in a work situation, you might be able to greatly influence a subordinate’s follow through, and your manager’s not at all. In all cases, letting other people know how positively it affects your relationship and trust when they do follow through helps reinforce their desire to follow through. Other steps to consider include:

1. If you find yourself frequently disappointed in the follow through of others, is it more often because others aren’t following through on their commitments, or is it sometimes a case of not clearly communicating your expectations?
2. When your expectations are not met, do you let the other person know? What are your rules here? (i.e., I let subordinates know, but not my boss…..I let me kids know, but not my husband, because I don’t want to start an argument.
3. What steps, if any, do you take to help others follow through? Steps can include reminders, offering of resources, dialogue about what’s realistic, etc.

Following through in a way that builds trust is one of the simplest, yet most difficult, qualities to execute consistently. It is simple in that it is “do what you say you’ll do, when you you said you’ll do it.” What’s difficult is knowing yourself well enough and leaving enough contingency for the unknown when making a commitment that is usually designed to please another person’s agenda. If you’d like support in increasing your ability in this area, call me!

© Copyright Magellan Enterprises, all rights reserved

Reach Me: Telephone: (970) 259-4847; Fax: (970) 259-4874
E-mail: ginger@magellangj.com
Web: www.magellangj.com

Please recommend this E-Zine to anyone you know that is interested in getting more out of their career or their life (It’s a good way to stay in touch with clients, too.)

If you are receiving this issue as a forward, and would like to get your own free subscription, visit The Magellan Building Blocks Page.

PRIVACY STATEMENT: We will not distribute your address to anyone. Period.