Tools, Resources and Mindsets

Setting and Achieving Goals

SMART Objectives

You've likely heard of SMART objectives, but here's a quick refresher:

·       Specific

·       Measurable

·       Achievable

·       Relevant

·       Timebound

 

Using the SMART criteria when writing objectives makes them clear and unambiguous.  This enables easy accountability when assessing whether or not an objective has been achieved.  It’s also easier to determine action plans when objectives are SMART.

 

Here are some examples.

Even SMART objectives can be phrased in various ways, so it's crucial to craft them thoughtfully.  For instance, sales growth might be expressed as a percentage, an absolute value, or a combination of both.  Consider the context when deciding on the best approach.

Problem Solving

What’s the definition of a “problem”?

 

The simplest definition of a problem is:

“The gap between where you are now and where you want to be in the future.’

 

While we often perceive problems negatively, such as reducing customer complaints, this definition also allows us to view them positively, like increasing sales growth.

 

Below, I outline the DMAIC cycle for problem solving.  While different authors may use varied terminology, the core process remains consistent.

 

This method can be applied to any situation.  The complexity of the situation will determine the depth required for each step.

  

Define

The first crucial step is to clearly define the problem or objective.  What are you aiming to achieve?  Writing down your SMART objectives is an essential starting point.

 

In a business environment, it's surprisingly common for teams to work on projects without a clearly defined problem or objective, leading to differing interpretations of what needs to be done.

 

Clarifying the objectives ensures that time and effort are not wasted on implementing someone's "great idea" that lacks a clear outcome.  The more senior the person the higher the risk, as nobody wants to question the boss.

 

Measure

The second step is to gather as much data as possible before developing solutions.  The availability of data will vary depending on the situation.  Sometimes, you'll have access to a wealth of objective data, such as task completion times, daily production numbers, or essay grades.  In other instances, data may be more subjective, like feedback comments on a hotel website.  Often, you'll encounter a mix of both objective and subjective data.

 

Analyse

Once you've gathered your data, the next step is analysis.  The goal is to identify the root causes of the problem.  These could be negative issues that need resolution or positive actions that should be maximised.

 

Keep in mind that not all data holds the same value.  While considering all available information, prioritise your analysis towards the most important and reliable data.

 

The results of your analysis will pinpoint the areas you need to focus on to achieve your objectives.

 

Improve

It's tempting to jump straight to this step without completing the previous three steps – resist that temptation!

 

In the Improve phase, we take insights from the Analysis step, explore options, and finalise a solution design.  Then we plan and implement our actions.

 

The level of detail and governance required in a plan varies greatly depending on the complexity of the solution.  Consider the differing requirements between the 1969 moon landing mission and the goal of passing your driving test.

 

Control

The Control step is often overlooked, yet it's crucial for ensuring that the implemented solution achieves the initial objectives.

 

In some cases, Control may be a one-time step, such as when the objective is to pass a specific exam.  More commonly, it's a continuous process for objectives related to ongoing situations, like maintaining a low customer complaint rate or sustaining a certain level of sales growth.

 

Think of Control as the first step in your next DMAIC cycle.  Once the initial objectives are met, you're ready to raise your ambition, revisit the Define phase and repeat the cycle.

 

For example, if the goal was to improve your 100m sprint from 20 seconds to 18 seconds, once you achieve 18 seconds, you might set a new target of 16 seconds, then 15 seconds, and so on.

 

Summary

·       Define – clarify your SMART objectives

·       Measure – get data

·       Analyse – use the data to identify root causes

·       Implement – design and implement solutions

·       Control – monitor data to confirm your objectives are achieved

 

Personal Wellbeing

Self-Care: Exercise, Nutrition and Sleep

Self-care is essential for maintaining overall well-being and achieving a balanced, healthy life.  Enhancing your physical, mental, and emotional health leads to improved performance, stronger relationships, and increased resilience.

 

Physical health is supported by regular exercise, proper nutrition, and adequate sleep.  Aim to exercise two to three times a week, consume a balanced diet with minimal processed foods, and ensure you get about eight hours of sleep each night.

 

Mental well-being is built on the foundation of physical health.  Establishing clear goals, setting priorities, and breaking large tasks into manageable steps can enhance focus and reduce the risk of feeling overwhelmed.

 

Emotional health is rooted in having a clear sense of direction and purpose, as outlined in the Life Goals exercise.  It is further bolstered by daily practices such as meditation, mindfulness, self-awareness, maintaining a work/life balance, and nurturing positive relationships.

 

The most effective approach to self-care is to integrate it into your daily habits.  Short-term diets, sporadic exercise for a summer beach body, or a brief meditation course will not yield lasting benefits.  Start small by choosing one or two practices to commit to as ongoing habits and gradually expand from there.

Positive Mindset

Do you see your glass as half empty or half full?  Would you prefer to spend time with someone who is happy and smiling, or with someone who constantly complains about problems?

 

The benefits of a positive mindset are numerous, including improved mental and physical health, greater happiness, better relationships, increased resilience and stress management, more personal and professional success, and even a longer life!

 

Characteristics of a Positive Mindset

·       Optimism

·       Gratitude

·       Belief in yourself and others

·       Focus on solutions instead of problems

·       Positive and encouraging self-talk

 

Developing and maintaining a positive mindset is an ongoing process.  Strategies to cultivate and sustain a positive mindset include:

·       Practicing gratitude by appreciating what you have

·       Using positive language when communicating with others and for your internal dialogue

·       Surrounding yourself with positivity and distancing yourself from negative influences, including people, media and environments

·       Celebrating small wins, especially when working towards long-term or challenging goals

·       Embracing change by viewing challenges as opportunities for growth

·       Engaging in acts of kindness and helping others boost your mood and reinforce a positive outlook

 

Summary

·       Having a positive mindset is a choice

·       There are many actions you can take to create and reinforce a positive mindset

·       A positive mindset significantly impacts your success and well-being

Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is a powerful tool that can positively influence both personal and professional aspects of life.

 

Key benefits

·       Improved decision making from clarity on goal alignment and personal accountability

·       Enhanced emotional intelligence, leading to better communication and relationships

·       Personal growth through increased confidence and reduced stress

 

Set aside time to reflect on your actions, emotions, and reasoning.  Consider both your perspective and how others might perceive you. Documenting your thoughts, such as through regular journaling, can encourage deeper insights.

 

Gain valuable perspectives by asking others for feedback and using tools like psychometric testing to identify blind spots.

 

Mindfulness and meditation can enhance awareness of the present moment and your automatic reactions, empowering you to transform instinctive reactions into thoughtful responses.

 

Self-awareness is a foundational skill that enriches various aspects of life, leading to greater personal satisfaction and success.

Continuous Learning

Many successful individuals emphasise the crucial role of continuous learning in their lives, often highlighting their commitment to reading despite busy schedules.  This dedication serves as an inspiration for us all.

 

In today's rapidly changing world, there's always more to learn.  For instance, AI didn’t exist when current business leaders were in school, yet understanding AI's risks and opportunities is essential for leading global enterprises today.  Similarly, people management skills often become increasingly important as we advance in our careers.  We must grow and adapt as our responsibilities evolve.

 

Build an intrinsic curiosity by consistently asking questions.  Continuous learning is simply the journey of seeking answers.

 

The two common models below offer practical approaches to your learning journey

 

70/20/10

The 70/20/10 model says that that 70% of our learning comes from doing; 20% from learning from others; and 10% from formal training courses (including reading).

 

While training courses are valuable, true mastery of a skill comes from practice.  For example, consider who becomes a better pianist: the person who takes weekly lessons without practice, or the one who practices an hour daily alongside weekly lessons?

 

See/Do/Teach

These three actions enhance skill mastery.  Merely observing someone demonstrate a skill is insufficient for confidence.  Doing it yourself builds competence.  Teaching others forces you to explain clearly and address questions, thereby improving your own skills.

 

Consider teaching skills to others.  This not only helps develop others and potentially build relationships but also enhances your own abilities.

 

Summary

·       Stay curious

·       Embrace the humility to acknowledge there's always more to learn

·       Practice, practice, practice!

Feedback: A Valuable Gift

Feedback is a gift, and expressing gratitude is essential, even when the feedback isn't what you expected.

 

Characteristics of Effective Feedback

Good feedback is specific, provides clear examples, and is intended to help the recipient improve.

 

Offer feedback in real-time rather than waiting for formal settings like annual reviews.

 

Saying someone is "great" is nice but not actionable.  Instead, offer specific praise, such as, "Your presentation was excellent because it had a clear structure with an introduction, content, and conclusion, and you engaged the audience by allowing questions."

 

Encouraging Specific Feedback

While you can't force someone to give actionable feedback, you can guide them with these questions:

What did I/you do well and should continue doing?

What should I/you do differently to improve?

 

These questions encourage the feedback giver to provide actionable insights.

 

Receiving Feedback

Nervousness about unsolicited feedback is common, especially if it's challenging.  Often, feedback is withheld due to concerns about the recipient's reaction.

·       Make it easier for others by actively asking for their input

·       Encourage actionable feedback with the questions mentioned above

·       Ask follow-up questions to ensure you understand the feedback, requesting examples if necessary

·       Thank the giver, even if you don't agree with their feedback

 

Giving Feedback

Finding the right time and place is crucial for effective feedback delivery.  The goal is to help the recipient, so choose a moment when they're open to receiving feedback.

·       Simply ask if you can provide feedback and find a suitable time and place

·       Focus on behaviour rather than personality to reduce defensiveness, using "I" statements like "I noticed..." instead of "You did..."

·       Follow the rule of praising in public and criticising in private

 

Balancing Positive and Negative Feedback

Many people hesitate to give negative feedback, often surrounding it with positive comments. However, most people appreciate honesty and clarity.

·       Avoid burying negative feedback in positive comments, as it may dilute the message or seem insincere

·       Provide negative feedback on the most critical points without overwhelming the recipient

·       Remember to give positive, as well as negative feedback; it takes multiple positive comments to offset one negative point

 

Positive feedback is vital in maintaining relationships and helps recipients accept negative feedback, knowing their strengths are also recognised.

 

Summary

·       Feedback is a gift, say thank you

·       Ensure feedback is specific, actionable, and includes examples

·       Remember, the objective of feedback is to help recipients improve weaknesses and reinforce strengths

Interpersonal Skills

Communication skills

"Communication skills" encompass a vast area, inspiring numerous books, training courses, and online resources. Here are some basic principles.

 

Focus on the Outcome

Before communicating, clarify your objectives.  Are you aiming to inform, gather information, reach a decision, or influence emotions?

 

Ensure these goals are realistic.  For instance, pushing for a quick decision can strain relationships.  Consider breaking larger objectives into smaller, manageable steps to build rapport and facilitate understanding.

 

Understand your Audience

Effective communication requires engagement with others.  Your desired outcome should guide the content you deliver and how you deliver it.

 

Consider your audience's demographics and current relationship with you.  Different contexts, such as chatting with a friend or addressing a large group, demand different approaches.

 

Assess your audience's prior knowledge or opinions and aim for clarity and conciseness while minimising jargon.

 

Choose the Right Communication Channel

Different channels, such as face-to-face, video, phone, email, or messaging, serve different purposes.  Select the channel that suits your objectives and audience preferences.

 

Detailed information may be best shared in writing, while emotional connections are often stronger in person.

 

Albert Mehrabian's research found that communication is 55% body language, 38% tone, and 7% words.  While information sharing may work in writing, you may need the power of tone and body language if your goal is to influence people emotionally.

 

Choose your channel wisely to enhance your impact.

 

Control the conversation

Maintain self-control to manage conversations effectively.  Emotional topics require composed communication, as body language and tone reveal true feelings.

 

Avoid sending emails written in anger; revisit them later for edits.  Choose appropriate settings, such as neutral venues or familiar places, to suit both your objectives and the audience's mindset.

 

Adjust your speaking pace and use short pauses to emphasise important points.  Be clear and concise.

 

Structure your Communication

Tailor your communication structure based on the channel, audience, and objectives.

 

Begin by stating your objectives to align everyone involved.  Use the rule of threes to organise content, making it digestible and relatable.  Conclude with a summary, tying back to objectives to assess achievement.

 

Handling Difficult Audiences

Audiences may be challenging due to the topic being sensitive; being in a poor emotional state; or simply being inherently difficult individuals.

 

Clearly defined objectives give you the power to redirect conversations when needed.

 

Understanding your audience enables anticipation of challenges, allowing for better preparation and management.

 

Navigating Difficult Conversations

Nobody likes difficult conversations.  It’s always tempting to delay or avoid them.

 

Confront difficult conversations directly, considering the best time, place, and method for your audience.

 

Reflect on how you would like to receive difficult news.  Most people prefer honesty and directness.

 

Respectful handling of difficult discussions can strengthen relationships.

 

Being the Audience

Communication is a two-way street.  Listen actively, ensuring your body language conveys engagement and empathy.  Ask questions to demonstrate interest and clarify understanding.

 

Summary

·       Be clear on your objectives when communicating

·       Consider your audience

·       Be clear and concise

Negotiation Skills

Negotiation skills involve reaching agreements that benefit all parties involved.  While participants often start with differing positions, the goal is to avoid conflict and achieve a mutually satisfactory solution.  Here are key principles to guide effective negotiation.

 

Separate the people from the problem

Focus on the issues at hand rather than personal differences.  Tailor your communication style to minimise personality conflicts while keeping the negotiation centred on the core issues.

 

Focus on interests, not positions

Begin by identifying and agreeing on the underlying interests of all parties involved.  Shared interests provide a solid foundation for negotiation, as opposed to rigid positions that can lead to conflict.

 

Understanding each other’s interests can reveal areas where you can easily accommodate the other party or recognise where flexibility is limited.

 

Invent options for mutual gain

Aim for win-win solutions by creatively exploring possibilities that satisfy both parties' interests.  Collaborative problem-solving can lead to agreements where both sides feel they’ve gained.

 

Insist on using objective criteria

Use objective standards, such as market comparisons, to guide decisions.  Objective criteria ensure that outcomes are perceived as fair and legitimate, reducing potential disputes over subjective interpretations.

 

BATNA (Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement)

Be clear about your fallback plan if negotiations fail.  Knowing your BATNA empowers you to make informed decisions about when to continue negotiating and when to walk away.

 

Recognise the power dynamics in negotiation, often influenced by the strength of each party’s BATNA.  Understanding the other party’s BATNA can help you gauge their limits and leverage points

 

For example, in a real estate transaction, the buyer’s BATNA varies greatly depending on their circumstances.  An investor with multiple property options has a stronger BATNA compared to a family needing to move for a job, which might weaken their negotiating position.

 

For sellers, an investor needing quick funds may have a weaker BATNA than one without financial pressures.  A homeowner ready to move to a new house will have different negotiating leverage than one with no immediate need to sell.

 

Summary

·       Focus on each party’s interests to find win-win solutions

·       Know your BATNA to decide when to walk away from a negotiation

Influence and Persuasion

Influence and persuasion are powerful skills that help effectively communicate your ideas and motivate others to take action.

 

A clear and logical argument serves as the foundation for effective influence and persuasion.  However, additional elements, such as emotional appeal and personal connection, can significantly enhance your ability to persuade and resonate with others.

 

Reciprocity: People tend to return favours.  Helping someone now makes it more likely that they’ll help you in the future.

 

Commitment and Consistency: Once people commit to something, they are more likely to follow through to remain consistent with their initial decision.  Encourage small initial commitments that can lead to larger actions.

 

Social Proof: People often look to others to determine their own actions, especially in uncertain situations.  Demonstrating that others have taken a similar action can be persuasive.

 

Authority: Individuals tend to follow the lead of credible, knowledgeable experts.  Establishing your authority or associating with authoritative figures can enhance your persuasive efforts.

 

Liking: People are more easily persuaded by those they like.  Building rapport and finding common ground can increase your influence.  Being genuine, friendly, and empathetic helps.

 

Scarcity: The perception of scarcity can increase demand. Highlighting the uniqueness or limited availability of an opportunity or resource can motivate people to act quickly.

 

Unity: Emphasising shared identities or values can strengthen persuasion.  When people feel a sense of belonging or connection to a group, they are more likely to be influenced by others within that group.

 

By understanding and applying these principles, you can enhance your ability to influence and persuade others effectively in both personal and professional settings.

 

Summary

·       A clear, logical argument is the cornerstone of influence and persuasion

·       Emotional factors can also play a significant role and must be considered

Ways of Working – Soft Skills

Mindset and Behaviours for Effective Teamwork

An effective team achieves more collectively than its individual members could on their own.  Conversely, a dysfunctional team can lead to negative outcomes, creating mistrust and conflict among members, and potentially leaving the team worse off than when they started.

 

Being part of a well-functioning team is enjoyable and fulfilling, while being in a dysfunctional one can be mentally and physically exhausting.

 

Successful teamwork hinges on adopting the right mindset and behaviours that promote collaboration, trust, and productivity.

 

Mindset

Good team members are open-minded, committed, have a positive attitude, and respect the diversity of their fellow team members.

 

Behaviours

To work effectively in a team, strong interpersonal skills are essential.  This includes effective communication, collaboration, and conflict resolution.  Individually, good team members take personal responsibility for their actions and contributions.  They are also flexible and adaptable, prioritising the team's success.

Summary

·       Be positive and committed

·       Respect other team members – view differences of opinion as opportunities for learning and improvement, rather than battles to be won

·       Maintain clear and timely communication to ensure team alignment

Leadership vs Management

Although often confused or used interchangeably, leadership and management are distinctly different yet complementary skill sets.

 

Leadership

This involves setting a clear direction and establishing goals, then inspiring and motivating people to follow you on this journey.  It's about creating a vision and long-term strategy as well as using communication and interpersonal skills to engage others.

 

Management

This focuses on allocating resources and assigning tasks to achieve objectives.  It involves organising the logistics necessary for the journey set by the leader.  Management requires strong organisational and planning skills.

 

From these definitions, it's evident that leadership and management demand different skill sets.  Leadership is about vision-setting and inspiring others, while management is about organisation and execution.

 

Both skill sets are crucial and complement each other.  Typically, management skills are more prominent early in one's career, with leadership skills becoming increasingly important with more senior roles.  However, a blend of both skill sets is often necessary at any career stage to achieve success.

 

Inverted Triangle

An essential aspect of leadership is supporting your team.  The Inverted Triangle is a useful tool to emphasise this. Traditionally, organisation charts place leaders at the top and junior team members at the bottom, suggesting that juniors support their leaders.  Inverting this chart, placing leaders at the bottom, serves as a reminder that a leader's role is to support their team, ensuring each member can deliver what's needed to achieve shared goals.

 

In most businesses, value is delivered to customers by junior team members, not the leadership team.  For example, a restaurant manager isn't the one cooking or serving.  Instead, the manager ensures that the kitchen staff and waiters have everything they need to provide customers with the desired dining experience.

Summary

·       Leadership is setting a vision and shared goals, then inspiring other to follow

·       Management is the organising and executing plans to achieve these goals

·       Both skill sets are important and complement each other

Coaching vs Mentoring

What’s the difference between coaching and mentoring?  When should you use one instead of the other?

 

Coaching

Coaching focuses on enhancing specific skills through a structured programme.  Typically, coaching is time-bound with clearly defined objectives. Coaches engage by asking probing questions, helping individuals recognise their strengths and areas for improvement.  While coaches may introduce tools and techniques, these are often more aligned with training programmes.

 

It's common for coaches to possess different skills and experiences compared to those they coach.

 

Mentoring

Mentoring is characterised by a longer-term relationship between a more experienced mentor and a less experienced mentee.  The mentee drives the objectives, while the mentor offers advice and guidance based on their own experiences.  These relationships can be formal or informal, with individuals often having multiple mentors throughout their careers.

 

Mentors typically have experience within the same organisation or industry and assist with career and professional development, including sharing valuable network contacts.

 

Successful individuals frequently acknowledge the profound impact mentors have had on their lives and careers, often citing informal mentoring relationships as particularly influential.

Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement is a systematic, ongoing effort to enhance products, services, or processes through incremental improvements over time.  This approach involves regularly assessing and refining practices to boost efficiency, quality, and effectiveness.  Driven by feedback, data analysis, and a commitment to excellence, continuous improvement aims to achieve long-term success and adaptability in a dynamic environment.

 

Incremental Changes

Consider implementing small, manageable changes regularly rather than large, disruptive ones all at once.

Feedback and Evaluation

Leverage feedback from customers, employees, and performance metrics to identify areas for enhancement.

Problem Solving

Focus on identifying root causes of issues and finding solutions to prevent recurrence, thereby improving overall performance.

Team Involvement

Engage team members at all levels to foster a culture of improvement, empowering everyone to suggest and implement changes.

Focus on Quality

The ultimate goal is to enhance the quality of products, services, or processes, to increase performance. In a business environment this could be revenue, profitability, customer satisfaction, or competitive advantage.

 

Adopting a continuous improvement mindset means recognising that nothing is perfect and there's always room for enhancement.  It's better to implement something good quickly and improve it over time, than delay action in pursuit of perfection.

 

Often, the reality of a product, service, or process differs from the theoretical version originally designed.  Those closest to it day-to-day often possess the detailed knowledge and expertise needed for the most effective improvement ideas.

Summary

·       Always seek opportunities to improve

·       Involve the whole team in the continuous improvement process

·       Apply the Problem Solving methodology in a repeated cycle 

Ways of Working – Technical Skills

Sales

Following a structured process will help whether selling a product, a service or an idea.

 

Remember, purchasing decisions are usually a mixture of logic and emotion, address both.

 

Identifying Potential Customers

Focus on meeting the customer’s needs.  Don’t waste time trying to convince someone to buy something they don’t need or want.  Start by identifying potential customers whose needs you can solve.

 

Identify and research potential customers who may benefit from your product or service

Determine whether they have the need, budget, and authority to purchase your product or service.  Where possible, talk to potential customers to hear their specific needs and pain points.  This will help you develop a sales presentation that will resonate with potential customers.

 

Sales Conversations – a Five-Step Process

·       Connect with your potential customer emotionally and outline the sales process you are about to follow

·       Discover your potential customer, ask questions to understand what they want and need; build emotion and create urgency

·       Offer your product/service/idea by relating it to what you learned about your customer in the Discover stage; ask permission before explaining your product/service/idea in detail; state your offer clearly, including the price

·       Coach your customer to handle their objections

       - Show you understand their concern

       - Ask questions to clarify the real underlying issue

       - Inspire them by showing how they can overcome the obstacle, or find ways to make the obstacle less challenging

·       Close by taking payment; outlining next steps; and asking the customer why this is the right decision for them

 

Following up after the sale to ensure customer satisfaction, resolve any issues and build a long-term relationship.  This may also provide feedback to help improve your sales process going forwards.

Marketing

The primary goal of marketing is to create awareness, generate interest, and establish a brand's reputation.  It aims to attract potential customers by effectively communicating the value and benefits of a product or service.

 

The marketing process involves the following steps:

·       Conducting market research to understand potential customers

·       Identifying target market segments

·       Defining Marketing objectives, such as increased brand awareness or generating leads

·       Developing a Marketing strategy focused on Product, Price, Place and Promotion

·       Implementing the strategy

·       Monitoring and evaluating the results

·       Gathering feedback and making necessary adjustments

 

Although closely related to Sales, Marketing primarily focuses on building brand awareness and cultivating a pool of potential customers, whereas Sales focuses on converting these potential customers into actual customers.

 

In a successful business, the Marketing and Sales teams collaborate, support each other, and align their objectives to achieve common goals.

Budgeting

A budget is a financial plan that estimates income and expenses over a specific period, such as a month or a year.  It helps you understand your financial position and make informed decisions about spending and saving.

 

Creating a budget involves listing all sources of income and types of expenses, then estimating the amount for each.  By summing up all income entries, you determine the total income, and by summing up all expense entries, you determine the total expenses.  Subtracting total expenses from total income reveals whether you have a surplus or a deficit.

 

In the case of a surplus, you can decide whether to increase spending in certain areas or save the excess for future needs.  If there is a deficit, you must consider reducing expenses, finding ways to increase income, or using previous savings to cover the shortfall.

 

Budgets are prepared in advance.  Regularly comparing actual income and expenses to the budget throughout the period allows for short-term decision-making, such as adjusting expenses or exploring opportunities to boost income.

Summary

·       Budgets compare income to expenses over a defined period

·       They facilitate financial decision-making before the period begins

·       Ongoing comparisons of budgeted versus actual figures enable timely financial adjustments

Running Meetings and Workshops

Leading a meeting or workshop requires a distinct skill set separate from being a subject matter expert.  While understanding the topics is beneficial, it's not necessary to be the most knowledgeable person in the room.

 

Firstly, establish and align clear objectives with participants.  Merely identifying the topic without setting objectives can lead to unfocused discussions and minimal outcomes

 

IPO Tool (Input/Process/Output)

This tool provides a framework for clarifying objectives (Output), meeting prerequisites (Input) and the agenda (Process).

 

Start by documenting objectives in the Output column.  Then complete the Input and Process columns, can often be done in parallel.  Adding timeslots and owners to the Process items helps to keep the meeting/workshop on track.

 

Review all three columns before finalising, making sure that the Inputs and Process lead to the Outputs.

 

Here’s an example for a monthly Sales meeting.

Facilitation

The responsibilities for the person running the meeting or workshop include:

·       Encouraging contributions from all participants

·       Keeping discussions aligned with objectives

·       Managing time and redirecting detailed conversations to other forums if needed

·       Testing the technology and tools in advance

·       Maintaining participants’ energy and engagement

·       Providing a summary with clear decisions and actions

·       Gathering feedback, especially for larger, complex meetings

 

Meeting Roles

Allocating roles in larger meetings and workshops can be helpful.  Assigning different participants a different role, such as:

·       Scribe                               Documents decisions and actions

·       Timekeeper                   Monitors time and manages schedule adjustments

·       Devil’s Advocate       Challenges ideas to prevent groupthink

·       Energy Monitor          Leads actions when team energy is low

·       Observer                         Provides feedback post-meeting

Summary

·       Align participants on clear objectives

·       Ensure the prerequisites and the agenda will achieve these objectives

·       The facilitator’s role is to ensure the meeting runs smoothly, rather than being the subject matter expert

Change Management

People's attitudes towards change can vary greatly.  While some may be engaged and positive, others might be disinterested, fearful, or resistant.

 

Change management is the process of guiding people and teams through a change journey successfully.

 

The approach to change management will differ based on the nature of the changes and their impact on stakeholders.  However, effective communication is the cornerstone of change management, essential for winning over hearts and minds.

 

Key components of change management

Planning: Develop a comprehensive strategy that outlines the objectives, scope, timeline, and resources needed for the change process

Communication: Ensure clear, consistent, and transparent communication to inform and engage all stakeholders about the change, its benefits, and implementation

Training and Support: Provide the necessary education, tools, and resources to help individuals adapt to new processes, technologies, or roles

Stakeholder Engagement: Involve and align key stakeholders throughout the change process to gain their support and address concerns or resistance

Monitoring and Evaluation: Continuously assess the progress of the change initiative, gather feedback, and make adjustments as needed to achieve desired outcomes

Sustainability: Integrate changes into the team’s culture and practices to ensure long-term success and prevent regression to old ways

 

Directly engaging resistant stakeholders in the change process can be an effective way to win them over and leverage their influence to positively sway others who are resistant.

 

Effective change management facilitates smooth transitions, minimises disruption, and increases the likelihood of achieving successful and lasting change.

Summary

·       Win people’s hearts and minds to implement changes successfully

·       Understand your stakeholders and create specific approaches for different groups as needed

·       Two-way communication is key