TheLeadershipNotebook

5 Secrets of Olympic Coaches

 

“Coaches who can outline plays on a black board are a dime a dozen.

The coaches who win are the ones who can motivate their players.”

~Vince Lombardi

 

For us mere mortals, the 2012 Olympics has certainly been a display of amazing performances. From the “kids” in gymnastics to the swimming and diving feats of the US team, we’ve witnessed outstanding athletes and outstanding teams. But we can’t forget the coaches, some more public than others, providing non-stop encouragement and focus to their athlete.

While I don’t work with Olympic athletes, I do coach leaders who want to take their performance to the next level. And those leaders often must learn to make the transition to become internal coaches themselves, focused on developing their team members and direct reports to achieve outstanding results.

So I read with interest a recent HBR blog post by Marcie Schorr Hirsch and Therese S. Kinal, discussing the results of a study outlining what it takes for coaches to produce Olympic champions.

It’s interesting that the five critical areas cited in the study of Olympic coaches are not dissimilar to what we coaches (both internal and external) must provide to our “coachees.”

The five areas are below with my take on how they might apply to your world.

1.      Help the athlete cultivate self-awareness

You can help your direct reports develop self-awareness by helping them understand their strengths and areas requiring development. How might you build on their strengths to leverage great results? Do you know what really matters to your direct report? How they are best motivated. How are they able to learn and grow in areas that provide meaning and value to them AND to the organization?

2.      Build a strong coach-athlete relationship

Trust, commitment and a sense of partnership are integral to building a solid relationship with your coachee. This requires truly listening to them, without judgment. You must instill in them the confidence and trust that you believe in them and what they are capable of achieving.

 

3.      Create an optimal training environment

A great coach/manager must create an environment that provides the right amount of visibility and sponsorship that can propel a career. Throughout the Olympics, we heard athletes continually share how their coach challenged the athletes to achieve stretch goals. What kind of environment are you creating for your coachees?

 

4.      Provide financial and other support systems

Development of new skills requires an investment of both time and resources. A coach encourages and motivates her coachee to devote the time and effort it takes to practice these skills. A coach also holds her coachee accountable for their following through on responsibilities and stated committments.

 

5.      Manage the Olympic environment

Coach/mangers must challenge their “athlete” to see the bigger picture as they learn new skills. Politics are part of every organization and great coaches help their coachees gain a broader perspective that expands beyond their immediate sphere of influence.

 

I just finished watching the US Women’s Soccer team win the Olympic gold medal against Japan. It was an excellent game and team USA’s performance was outstanding. Coach Pia Sundhage did not receive a gold medal for the victory but knew that her focus was not on achieving fame and glory but on her team’s results. In fact, Sundhage’s quote about coaching Team USA mirrors my feelings about coaching my clients: “I’ve been lucky to coach them….it is unique. It’s wonderful.”

What do you think? How do you coach your employees to deliver outstanding performance? I welcome your perspective and input.

 

To your success,

 

Mary

How's Your Radar?

 

“Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through

each other's eye for an instant?”

~Henry David Thoreau 

 

My dog Zoey should have been named “Radar.” She has an uncanny ability to sense what family members are feeling and react to those feelings in kind. Whether we’re watching an exciting basketball game on TV (she goes crazy when we do), or one of us is feeling sad or discouraged (she makes a bee line for our lap), Zoey, completely without judgment, is in tune with our feelings.

 

 

Possessing accurate radar is in a sense what the EQ skill of empathy is all about. And empathy is the fifth and final skill that I’ll discuss as being critical to becoming a “trusted advisor.”

When you have empathy, you are “tuned in” to how others are feeling. You are able to look at a problem or conflict from another person’s perspective. Empathy is also a critical skill for negotiation as well, understanding what the other side wants and working to create a win-win result. (So it’s far from a “touchy-feely” skill.)

Empathy involves understanding another’s perspective, even if theirs’ is much different from your own. (Remember, it’s without judgment.) It involves letting the other person know that you have understood them, thus creating a bond and a relationship that surpasses “box checking” or “order taking.” I requires patience and active listening.

According to David Maister, one of the key hallmarks of a trusted advisor is their “focus on the client rather than themselves.” That is the essence of empathy. To put yourself in the shoes of the client in order to see a challenge from their perspective, understand what they are feeling and why.  

This key EQ skill allows you to forge a strong bond of collaboration that helps you to solve your client’s problems and create successful and lasting client relationships.

Five EQ Skills Critical Trusted Advisor Skills

To recap, over the last several posts I’ve shared five key EQ skills:

1. Pursuit of Meaning: Your goal, desire and motivation to become a trusted advisor.
2. Emotional Self Awareness: You are aware of your emotions and how they impact your behavior and others.
3. Interpersonal Relationships: You have an ability to build and develop mutually satisfying relationships.
4. Problem Solving: You effectively use your emotions in the process of solving a problem by gathering information and making decisions without being emotionally distracted, stuck or overwhelmed in the process.  
5. Empathy: You are “in tune” with how others are feeling, understanding their perspectives and forging a bond that builds outstanding relationships.

 

The good news is that each of these EQ skills can be learned or enhanced. If your goal is to move your role from client server to the next level of trusted advisor, add these five skills to your foundation of technical expertise.  I know it can happen. I’ve witnessed my previously reticent coaching clients successfully make that shift.

What do you think? What are your perspectives on what it takes to be a trusted advisor?

 

To your success,

Mary

 

 

From Technician to Trusted Advisor: 5 EQ Skills That Make a Difference

”Giving advice is not an exclusively logical process,

but rather an emotional duet played between the advisor and client.

If you cannot learn to recognize, process and respond to a client’s emotions,

you cannot be an effective advisor.”

~David Maister

 

A couple weeks ago, I had coffee with Rob Nance of IShade. One of the top issues we discussed was the critical importance for CPAs (and other professionals like lawyers and engineers) to shift into a role of “trusted advisor” to their clients moving from a transactional problem solver or one-dimensional technician.

How can the shy or reticent professional, who is confident in the numbers they’ve crunched or statutes they site, move beyond the role of technician and into a role of a true advisor? Or how can the extravert stop talking long enough to listen to their clients in order to learn their most pressing issues?  

It turns out that developing professionals along 5 specific emotional intelligence (EQ) realms can make the difference between being seen as “just a bean counter” OR “a valued member of the client’s team.”

 

David Maister in his book, The Trusted Advisor, describes several distinct attributes.

Trusted Advisors focus on:

• the client, rather than on themselves
• the client as a whole individual, rather than a person fulfilling a role
• problem definition and resolution rather than technical or content mastery
• new ways to be of great service to the client
• doing the right thing rather versus achieving their own rewards
• quality client relationships

 

Over the next several blog posts I’ll share each of the five key EQ realms along with strategies for building your skills in these areas. We'll talk about the first, self-actualizaton, today.

 

Trusted Advisor EQ Skill #1—Pursuit of Meaning

All the skill building in the world won’t matter if you don’t find meaning or purpose or desire in becoming a trusted advisor to your clients. So ask yourself: What motivates me? Is becoming a trusted advisor a focus for me as I plan for my future? How committed am I to continuous improvement and building the skill sets that becoming a trusted advisor requires?

The process of becoming a trusted advisor is a journey not a destination. It’s a process of continuously honing your skills and abilities to become an outstanding resource for your clients. It often requires moving outside your comfort zone and stretching beyond your current capabilities.

If your answers to the above questions indicate that you are ready and willing to transition into this more advanced role, now take stock of your strengths and weaknesses. Ask yourself: What are my best gifts and talents that I can leverage as I make the transition? What do I enjoy currently in my role in serving clients? How can I take the skills I use successfully in my personal life and apply them in my professional world?

Becoming “self-actualized” may sound high minded or philosophical but it’s actually quite practical. When you are interested in persistently trying to improve yourself and engage in meaningful goals and objectives, great things can happen. Success, happiness and life satisfaction involve doing what you enjoy and finding ways to apply your talents and strengths.

Your assignment for the next week is to take stock of your strengths. What do you love to do in your job? What do you excel at? What gives meaning to the work you do? What are you motivated to achieve in your role? How about your areas for development? What are those? How motivated are you to shore those up?

Your journey to trusted advisor begins here.

To your success,

Mary

 

 

Finishing Strong: Seven Key Behaviors of a Leader Who Gets Results

 

“All endeavor calls for the ability to tramp the last mile,

shape the last plan, endure the last hours toil.

The fight to the finish spirit is the one characteristic we must possess

if we are to face the future as finishers.”

~Henry David Thoreau

 

My CPA friends and clients have gone “radio silent” for the last month. They are firmly entrenched in their “busy season” and looking forward to that magical April 15 deadline. SIX MORE WEEKS.

I remember those days vividly, digging down deep in the cold winter months to finish my engagement responsibilities, lead my team to finish strong and make sure our clients were happy and well served.

Whether you’re a CPA in busy season or a corporate leader charged with delivering results, leading projects to successful completion is one of the hallmarks of an effective leader. Zenger and Folkman in their book, The Extraordinary Leader, identified 7 key behaviors in a leader who gets results.

Do these describe you?

High performers:

1. Do everything possible to meet goals and deadlines and pursue the project until completion
2. Maintain high standards of performance
3. Set measurable standards of excellence for themselves and others in their work group
4. Promote a spirit of continuous improvement
5. Take personal responsibility for outcomes
6. Can be counted on to follow through
7. Go above and beyond what needs to be done without being told

 

Or do you find yourself…

1. Missing project goals, deadlines and agreed upon deliverables
2. Failing to build high commitment among the team to stated goals and objectives
3. Blaming others for failures
4. Not following through to your project’s completion

 

Successfully driving for results goes hand in hand with possessing excellent interpersonal skills. The two are a powerful combination that is essential to inspiring and motivating your team and collaborating to make a difference for your clients.

 

With six more weeks to go and lots to get done, take a moment to step back and assess your current state.

• What steps are needed now to finish on time with a satisfied set of clients and an inspired and motivated team?
• What obstacles do you face in achieving your goals? How can you effectively overcome them?
• What would your team say about what it needs to come together and finish strong?

 

Six more weeks and counting. I’d love to hear from you and learn how you plan to go the distance.

To your success,

Mary

 

 

A Growth Mindset For 2012

 

“…decades of research on achievement suggests that successful people

reach their goals not simply because of who they are,

but more often because of what they do.”

~Heidi Grant Halvorson

 

It’s the end of 2011. And with 2012 just around the corner, it’s time to reflect on the year that’s passed and chart some new (or re-commit to current) goals for the coming year. It’s time to craft your goals for success (however you define it.)

 

But for my coaching clients and I’m sure many of you, goal setting and achievement is not just an end of the year thing. It’s an ongoing focus on our continuous improvement and development.

 

So just what do successful people do differently in order to reach their goals? Researcher, Heidi Grant Halvorson identifies nine things in her incredibly popular HBR blog post from February 2011.

 

Here they are in summary form:

1. Get specific.
2. Seize the moment to act on your goals. (decide when and where you will take each action you want to take, in advance.)
3. Know exactly how far you have left to go.
4. Be a realistic optimist.
5. Focus on getting better, rather than being good. (Believing you have the ability to reach your goals is important, but so is believing you can get the ability.)
6. Have grit. Grit is a willingness to commit to long-term goals, and to persist in the face of difficulty.
7. Build your willpower muscle. Your self-control "muscle" is just like the other muscles in your body — when it doesn't get much exercise, it becomes weaker over time. But when you give it regular workouts by putting it to good use, it will grow stronger and stronger, and better able to help you successfully reach your goals.
8. Don't tempt fate. No matter how strong your willpower muscle becomes, it's important to always respect the fact that it is limited, and if you overtax it you will temporarily run out of steam.
9. Focus on what you will do, not what you won't do. 

 

Several of the actions Halvorson identifies are consistent with goal setting best practices outlined in the SMART goals approach. Specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time bound is the standard for goal setting.

 

But #5, “focus on getting better, rather than being good” requires a shift in perspective for many

 

 Your Mindset

Researcher, Carol Dweck, in her book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success identifies two different mindsets, the growth mindset (getting better) and the fixed mindset (being good). One perspective can positively impact the achievement of your goals and the other will keep you stuck in your ways.

 

The fixed mindset creates an internal monologue that is focused on judging: “Are you sure you can do it? Maybe you don’t have the talent?” “This means I’m a better/smarter/richer person than they are.” Worse yet, this mindset provides no solution or options to overcome your challenge.

 

People with a growth mindset are also constantly monitoring what’s going on, but their internal monologue is not about judging themselves and others in this way. They are attuned to the situation’s implications for learning and constructive action. They ask themselves questions like: “What can I learn from this? How can I improve? How can I help my coworker do this better?”

 

So in the context of Halvorson’s suggestions, #5 and embracing the growth mindset is critical for success and your goal achievement.

 

For 2012

As you establish your goals for 2012, evaluate them in terms of Halverson’s research and your own view of your current mindset. If you happen to already possess a growth mindset, that’s great news. If yours is fixed, however, Dweck identifies a few steps to help you make the shift:

1. Learn to hear your fixed mindset “voice.”
2. Recognize that you have a choice.
3. Talk back to it with a growth mindset voice.
4. Take the growth mindset action: i.e take on the challenge whole heartedly, learn from the setbacks and try again or hear the criticism and act on it.

 

Goal setting, progress and achievement are integral to my work as a coach. Combining the proven research on successful change with practical approaches and support is the foundation for my work.

 

I’d love to hear some of your best practices on goal setting and achievement. What works best for you? How will you achieve your goals in 2012?

 

To your success,

Mary

 

When Peer Pressure is a Good Thing

 

"Pressure makes diamonds."

~General George S. Patton

 

The rain was coming down sideways, in virtual sheets. My husband and I looked at each other and I asked: “Are we really going to ride our bikes in this?” “Oh I doubt it,” he assured me.  It was Day 1, Hour 1 of our 5 day biking tour through the hills of the Loire Valley in France.

 

We were novice bikers but our friends and fellow riders assured us that we would be “just fine.” Yes, we had done some training but not on hills (we live in farm country) and NEVER in the rain. No, it just never occurred to us that it could be, or would be, raining cats and dogs!

 

Our tour leader-guides, Anna and Stephanie, never stopped their cheery disposition and reminded us that the French countryside was beautiful, there would be wine and/or croissants along the way and “we’d be so proud of ourselves” when we completed the tough ride. They must have taken a play out of the EQ play book that says the leader’s emotions are contagious. They refused to show any hesitation or doubt that our journey in the rain would be worth it.

 

As we watched in disbelief, each of our fellow riders mounted their bikes. Darn.

 

But Marty and I had our pride. We refused to be the only two people to ride in the van to our next stop. No, we would go. We climbed on our bikes and started to ride. With the rain coming down, we road all of our 20 miles, up and down hills and valleys, through small country towns and roads lined with vineyards. All in the non-stop driving rain.

 

And I hate to admit it, it was a memorable day. We were proud of ourselves for completing the ride. We enjoyed the scenery and spent the day riding with some new friends. In this case, peer pressure worked.  Pushing us to achieve more than we ever imagined. We rode for two more days in the rain and peer pressure again encouraged us to complete a ride of 50 miles on Day 4.

 

I know I’m describing a circumstance that pales in significance to many of the challenges that we face. Succumbing to peer-pressure is not cool. But think back on a time when your peers encouraged you to do or accomplish something outside of your comfort zone. To solve a problem, to stay the course when you wanted to give up. Sometimes, a little peer pressure can make all the difference.

To your success,

 

Mary

Go For It!

 

 

Focused and driven.  This little girl knows where she’s going and how she’s going to get there. (Ok I know, she’s only 5 and “racing” on a Merry-Go-Round) but when I look at this picture, I see a young child who believes that nothing can hold her back.

 

How about you? Are you focused on your purpose and your vision? Do you have a plan for how you’ll reach your goals or aspirations? What is the future that you want to create for yourself? What obstacles might you face on your journey?

 

“Go For It” is Phase One in The Cycle of Renewal developed by Frederic Hudson, an expert in adult development and founder of The Hudson Institute of Santa Barbara. “Go For It” is a time in our lives when we feel “in sync,” excited about building our future, evaluating possibilities and new opportunities.

 

Coaching for clients in the “Go For It” phase focuses on helping them develop their vision, understand and get clear about their purpose and being a sounding board who can stretch and challenge them to achieve their goals.

 

If you’re in this phase and find yourself needing focus, clarity of vision, purpose or plans, a skilled coach can help you target your passion and your energy to achieve your goals.

 

My middle daughter, Lisa, took the picture this summer on a trip with her sisters to France. She’s fully in the “Go For It” phase, just beginning year 1 of her MBA program at UVA.’s Darden School of Business.

 

The Cycle of Renewal is just that, a cycle, and we know if we’re in the “Go For It” phase we won’t be in it forever. Burnout, work life balance issues, other change in circumstances or vision can move us out of “Go For It” and into the next phase. But if you’re there, enjoy it and be certain to make the most of it!

 

To your success,

 

Mary

 

 

 

Begin with the End in Mind

 

“The beginning is the most important part of the work.”

~Plato

 

My coaching client, “Joe,” was just promoted to a new role within his firm. He will lead a new division that includes some existing company employees as well as several new hires. This is a tremendous opportunity for Joe.

 

But in order to maximize his effectiveness and lay a firm foundation for the success of the team, I’ve encouraged Joe to begin with the end in mind. Joe must engage, align and inspire his team to achieve the goals and objectives that the division was formed to accomplish.

 

The process of integrating a new leader into a team is a great opportunity for the leader to share their vision, their priorities and their expectations for the group. It’s also an opportunity for the leader to learn more about each of their team members; what motivates them, what expectations they have for him/her as their leader.

 

This process helps establish trust, provide mutual understanding of issues and concerns, and improves productivity. All are imperatives for Joe in his new role. It can be used with experienced or inexperienced team leaders, and with existing or newly formed teams.

 

The process for integration can include a team offsite (useful for larger teams). This group approach accelerates integration because it gives everyone an opportunity to ask questions and hear answers at the same time, reducing ambiguity and misunderstanding.

 

It can also be accomplished in one on one meetings with each of the leader’s direct reports. The fundamental objective of both is to make sure that both the leader and the team members have an opportunity to learn about each other’s goals and expectations.

 

Regardless of the route you choose, here’s a sampling of some great questions that Joe should be prepared to answer:

 

Priorities

• What are your top priorities for the team?
• What do you want the team to accomplish?

 

Performance

• What do you expect of us?
• How will we (I) know if we are (I am) performing well?
• What is your definition of a top performer?

 

Leadership Style

• How do you handle conflict between team members?
• What are your own strengths and “less strong” points?

 

Background

• What did you do prior to becoming our team leader?
• What are a few key events in your career?

 

As I mentioned, the list is just a sampling. You get the idea.  

 

And in order for Joe to truly engage, align and inspire the team, he must take the opportunity to ask his team some questions. Here are a few good ones….

 

• What would you like me to know about you?
• What do you expect of me?
• What do you expect of me in addressing the priorities/issues and related problems?

 

Whether you utilize a new leader integration group offsite or a one-on-one process, leading a new team is a challenge but also an opportunity to get things started on the right foot. To begin with the end in mind.

 

We’ve got Joe’s meeting already scheduled.

 

 

To your success,

 

Mary

From Staff to Partner

 

I saw Sheryl Crow in concert the other night. She’s an amazing performer. She sang some of her new songs and of course, some of her greatest hits. One of those hits, Every Day is a Winding Road, is one Crow classic that has a permanent spot on my IPod “running tunes” play list.

 

Winding roads are on my mind this week as I get ready for my upcoming webinar: The Road to Partner: Your Compass, Roadmap and Key Milestones on Your Leadership Journey. My webinar is just one of a series included in a virtual offering, From Staff to Partner Summit.

 

You could say in my coaching work with leaders that I’m their roadside assistance. I’ve traveled this road personally as a practicing CPA and firm Partner, and now I coach leaders including CPAs, attorneys and engineers, to achieve their professional goals and aspirations.

 

During my webinar, I’ll share with my Conference attendees:

• the critical qualities and attributes that act as your compass to guide your travels
• the  leadership skills and behaviors you need to master along the way
• the key milestones you can look to as evidence of  success on your journey
• the common potholes and roadblocks you need to watch for

 

I know from experience that the actual route you take to Partner will be as unique and personal as you are. But there are distinct and important transitions that you must make at every turn on your leadership path.

 

What are those transitions? What are the leadership skills and abilities that you will need to master in order to successfully reach your desired destination?  

 

I invite you to join me on August 11^th at noon to learn some key strategies for your journey. And join the rest of the faculty of From Staff to Partner Summit in 3 sixty minute sessions on August 4, 11 and 18.

Every Day IS a Winding Road but there’s a bright future ahead.

 

 

To your success,

Mary

To-Go Thinking: A Simple Strategy for Finishing Strong

 

“Never, never, never, never give up.”

~Winston Churchill

 

Last night I was on a run with my 26 year old daughter, Lisa. We set our sights on a 4 mile route, a distance that was definitely a stretch for me, (not so much for her.) Midway through our run, I was slowing down, huffing and puffing. I wondered how I would find the motivation to keep going and finish the run.

Thinking about finishing, reminded me of a recent blog post I saw on Harvard Business Review: How to Become a Great Finisher. What could I draw from the research on “finishing” and motivation that would help me finish strong?

The author of the post, Heidi Grant Halvorson, is a motivational psychologist. She shares the research describing how people pursuing goals were affected by focusing on either how far they had already come (to-date thinking) or what was left to be accomplished (to-go thinking). People routinely use both kinds of thinking to motivate themselves. For example, a marathon runner may choose to think about the miles already traveled or the ones that lie ahead. (I could relate to that example.)  A dieter who wants to lose 30 pounds may try to fight temptation by reminding themselves of the 20 pounds already lost, or the 10 left to go.

So what was the affect of each different type of thinking? Is it better to focus on the 2.5 miles I’ve already run or the 1.5 miles I have left to go?

What the researchers found was that “too much to-date thinking, focusing on what you've accomplished so far, will actually undermine your motivation to finish rather than sustain it..... Often a premature sense of accomplishment takes over and we begin to slack off.”

“If, instead, we focus on how far we have left to go (to-go thinking), motivation is not only sustained, it’s heightened. Fundamentally, this has to do with the way our brains are wired. To-go thinking helps us tune in to the presence of a discrepancy between where we are now and where we want to be. When the human brain detects a discrepancy, it reacts by throwing resources at it: attention, effort, deeper processing of information, and willpower.”

Ok then. I focused on 1.5 more miles to go. And I finished strong.

As you can imagine, this simple strategy, focusing on “to-go thinking” rather than “to-date” thinking, is applicable in all sorts of business and personal situations. Audit engagements, legal cases, goal completion are just a few that come to mind.

What do you think? How do you motivate yourself to “finish strong”? How do you motivate your team to finish strong? Do you focus on “to-go” thinking or “to-date” thinking?

To your success,

Mary