How big of difference can one hour really make? Well if you ask John Cox or Theresa Chasar they will tell you one hour a day used strategically allows them to leave on time, deliver stronger results, and be more strategic.
Both John and Theresa are in our Year Long Platinum Program and both have done remarkable things to push their team to be more strategic. Theresa found that by reserving one hour per day as her strategic hour it has allowed her to reduce her work hours WHILE increasing her productivity. John has found that he is able to be more calm, focused and strategic in all discussions at all times. He has found that things that may frustrated him in the past no longer do and that he is better able to clearly see potential problems way ahead of time.
So since Summer is a time where we all want to be out doors enjoying ourselves, it is a great time for you as a leader to commit to putting one hour PER DAY in your schedule that is for you to work on things strategically. You will find the more time you commit to focused strategy time, the more time you will actually free up. Then you can use your free time to pursue the loves in your life…Theresa used hers to go on a great vacation and I use mine for golf!
******************************************************* PS If you want to find out how to think and speak holistically and strategically join us for our upcoming Managing Your Strategic Message Session for Leaders. Learn More
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While other companies make generic video blogs, we want to get to the heart of what you, a Valued Outcome Thinking® fan, really wants answered.
So each month you will have a chance to send in to us your question so we can create a video blog that gets directly to what you want to know! Simply WATCH NOW, Leave a Reply with your question and click Submit.
Outcome Thinking® Solution
How to help a virtual team stay connected
by Anne Warfield
SITUATION:
We have a team that is virtual and I am having a hard time keeping them all connected to each other. I find that when we talk on the phone to all connect it seems like people are distant or I just get some yes and no responses. I want the team to stay in synch with each other, have each other’s back and to build a strong trust but it doesn’t seem to be happening like it has with other in house teams I have. Any suggestions?
OTHER PERSON’S PERSPECTIVE:
There is a definite different dynamic to a virtual team. By its nature it is more individualistic versus team focused. Each person wants to do their part. They all want to work smoothly together. They don’t even realize how the distance causes them to do things in a way that are easiest on each of them but not necessarily focused on how to make it easier for the person they are handing off their project to.
THINKING IT THROUGH USING OUTCOME THINKING®:
As their leader it is your job to “create” a close and high trust relationship for the group so they go the extra mile and have each other’s back. And actually, there are few things you can do that make this happen.
BEST HANDLED/PHRASED: 1. Make sure all meetings are visual virtual meetings– get rid of phone meetings and instead use Cisco, GoToMeeting, Skype or any other virtual meeting where you can see each other and speak with each other. I find that virtual meetings if they have video are very close to face to face live sessions for the brain. People tend to connect and build trust.
Added benefit to visual virtual meetings is that the brain has something to focus on with the eyes. This causes the brain to remain more in synch with the meeting at hand. If a person is listening on the phone only the brain has a tendency to wander as it gets bored with the conversation. This leads to poor decisions, statements of “I never heard that” and people only “tuning in” when it is their part.
2. Get the group to have individual meetings virtual. Once you start having team meetings encourage them to do as many of their meetings as they can virtually with each other so they start to build a comradery.
3. Change the dialogue– instead of having your large group meetings be about you sharing news, try emailing some of the news and then creating a dialogue about it for the meeting. This will cause people to come more prepared.
4. Share successes-Get the group focused on how to share their successes with each other so the group starts to build on those.
Deal of the Month!
Outcome Thinking® Special Report: For the New Generation of Thought Leaders
This Special Report is a compilation of some key insights to help you lead and influence change. Some of the things we share with you include:
• Three things you can do in order to influence change.
• How you can be assertive without being aggressive so you drive results.
• Two words to avoid when speaking to the press or you will get reduced to a sound bite and it won’t be what you want!
• How to close so people take action on your ideas and you avoid “that was nice, but..” mentality.
This report is a perfect complement to your stock of reference materials. Filled with valuable insights, it’s designed to be easy to read and handy on your desk as a quick reference.
Click here to register for the “Successful Communication, Brain Style Analysis” Virtual Training, a 90 minute training session with a personalized Outcome Thinking® Communication Assessment included, that you can now watch anytime that is convenient for you.
Quoteable Quotes
“Leave nothing for tomorrow which can be done today.”
~ Abraham Lincoln
The Corporate Rebel Series
Check out this free online interview training series called The Corporate Rebel Series: Learn to Lead and Succeed in Your 9-5 Without Sacrificing Your Soul.
If you feel like a square peg in a round hole at the office, like the person who believes collaboration will lead to more success than competition and that your experience at the office can be happier, then you are a rebel, and this series is for you.
This training series features 25 experts to teach you everything from mindfulness at the office to executive presence to leading from your core values to finding your true passions (and more).
Debriefing: Start learning from mistakes and successes
After every meeting, whether it went the way you wanted or not, you should debrief using a fine tuned process. We walk clients through a 7 step process to debrief after their meetings, presentations, and negotiations so they can assure themselves better success next time…
“In the past when I presented there wasn’t much excitement.
I had lots of questions and I would sometimes lose the audience. Now with Outcome Thinking® my presentation is engaging and flows better. Attending Managing Your Message will increase productivity, engage your customers and increase the learning culture.”
Nikki Rogers, Operation and Business Development Manager, Jostens
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