September 2007      

September is your month to make an impact.  I am a true fan of summer and all the outdoor play time that comes with it. But there is something special about September.

It comes with a little less hullabaloo than New Years, but culturally we experience September as a time for new connections, new experiences and new achievements. There's "back to school" excitement, hockey season is around the corner, and of course work kicks back into high gear as everyone comes back from summer holidays and gets ready to roll.

Now is a good time to think about the impact you have (or could have) on the people around you.

As a leader, you have an opportunity to impact your whole organization (positively or otherwise) on a daily basis. The way you interact with your team, and the ways you allow your team to interact with you, their colleagues and clients, is your work culture.

The culture you nurture with your team can powerfully impact your organization as a whole. Imagine your ideal work culture. How do people act and speak?  Are they open? Honest? Direct? Supportive? Do they have fun? Live balanced lives? Perform at their peak?

Like it or not, change starts with you. You have the power. What are you doing with it?

You know my philosophy, "If you feel it, say it!"  I encourage you to send me feedback or ask questions about anything you read here. You are welcome to challenge me. I'm here to challenge you.
Chris  

Each month I'll share a question that made me stop and think. You might want to pause for a moment on this too, or write it on a white board and share it with your staff. 

MANAGE YOUR PEOPLE : Be Decisive

Many managers, especially new ones and those with gentle personalities, struggle with making decisions.

You may not feel secure in your role yet. You may be afraid of making an unpopular decision. Or maybe decision making isn't a strength you've learned to cultivate. If that sounds like you, there's only one thing to do - get over it. 

Making decisions is one of the most important functions a leader or manager has.

The Impact of Making Decisions  

• Respect Your people will respect you more for making decisions (even if the odd one proves to be a bad one) than for sitting on the fence trying to please everyone.

• Model Behaviour The more comfortable you get with making decisions and moving on, the more your people will do the same. Don't you want your people to make decisions for themselves?

The Impact of NOT Making Decisions 

• Paralysis Leaving things up in the air paralyzes your department and the organization.

• Mutiny If your crew is tired of waiting for you to make decisions they will start to work around you, and in no time the crew will be running the ship.
  

If you waffle or delay decisions, you are only sabotaging yourself.

5 Steps to Get in the Habit of Making Decisions

1) Accept that you can't please everyone. It is impossible, so get over it. Management isn't a popularity contest - exercise your authority. People respect people who make hard decisions.

2) Forget about making a perfect decision. There are pros and cons to everything. Don't waste time looking for perfect decisions - they don't exist.  

3) Pull the trigger. Present your decisions with confidence. If your team sees you second guessing yourself, they will feel justified in second guessing you too (and that makes life harder for you).

4) Move On.  Don't spend a lot of time looking in the rear view mirror. You can't drive forward if you only ever look backward.

5) Now try it again, only faster. To improve your performance, you have to practice.

FYI: Spending more time on a decision doesn't necessarily make it better.  back up to top

Who Is This Guy?

Chris Obst is a:

• Management Coach
• Principal of Core Dynamics Group
• Human Performance Institute Canada Associate
• Easy crossword puzzle expert!

Still asking
"Who is this guy?"

Call me
604.209.4988
 

If You Feel It Say It 

The people, deadlines, business / corporate culture in which I work have not changed.

My approach, the way I present myself and communicate with others has changed on so many levels. 

Corinne Smith
Vice-President Production
Canada Wide Media Limited

  Have you got a success story to share?

Send it to me

Manage Your Energy: Breathe 

Just try this. 

• Stand up
• Put one hand over your navel
• Close your eyes 
  
• Slowly take a deep breath in through your nose to a count of three
• Slowly exhale through your mouth to a count of six
  
• Repeat four times. 
  
• Open your eyes.

Feel any different? You should.

You just changed the chemistry in you body by taking in essential oxygen and getting rid of toxic carbon dioxide. Do this deep breathing a few times a day. Try it when you start to feel angry, tense or nervous. Use this technique before an important meeting, or phone call to give yourself a boost of energy and clarity.

I led participants through this exercise at last month's Corporate Athlete Retreat. When asked, "How do you feel now?" they said,

This effective and efficient energy management tool is at your disposal anytime you need it... just remember to breathe.
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 Tools for the Tool Kit 

Recommended Reading

YOU: The Owner's Manual

by Michael F. Roizen, MD and Mehmet C. Oz, MD
 

  Words of Wisdom

"Nothing is so exhausting as indecision,
and nothing is so
futile."

  Bertrand Russell